Stories and
Poems from the
October 2005
Street Spirit Publication
What is Street Spirit? -Click Here|To read
all articles and poems from this issue of
Street Spirit, please visit Street Spirit's Website at
http://www.thestreetspirit.org/.
Articles, stories,
poems, statements, and such sharing first-person accounts and opinions do
not necessarily reflect BOSS's organizational views. We offer this site as
a forum to share all views, particularly those not generally heard in
mainstream outlets. To visit
our Katrina page,
click here.
The American
Aristocracy and the Homeless Disaster - So said former First Lady
Barbara Bush about the unimaginable suffering caused by Hurricane Katrina.
The insensitive callousness of her attitude harkens back to a previous era
of 19th century aristocracy. Such blatant inhumanity towards the poor and
homeless makes this a strong indictment against our modern-day
aristocracy.
Innovative Architectural
Designs for Homelessness - "The buildings that we construct are a
reflection of our values and our culture. At its best, architecture not
only reflects but also serves society; it has a duty to provide for those
with the greatest need and the fewest options. Thus architecture should do
more than provide homeless people with shelter; it must sustain their hope
and their dignity."
A Homeless Woman's Last Gift
- Author's note: Recently I was blessed by a homeless woman who gave me a
gold coin when I told her things weren't going so well for me. Not long
after her gift to me, she was murdered, found dead in San Luis Obispo
Creek. On September 9, 2005, it was reported that Sharon Ostman, 59, was
battered and sexually assaulted before being murdered on the night of July
10.
In Katrina's Wake, Oakland
Officials Batter the Homeless - For those who had eyes to see, an
ominous warning sign of the long-term suffering still waiting in store for
the poorest victims of Hurricane Katrina was foretold in the way a
homeless encampment was cruelly demolished in Oakland only a few days
after the storm struck New Orleans.
Kerry's Kids: Caring for Kids and
Filling a Void - Kerry's Kids was established to carry on the dream of
Dr. Kerry Spooner Dean, a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital and
Research Center, Oakland (CHRCO), whose life ended tragically in May of
1998. It was Kerry's dream to organize a mobile health care unit in order
to provide health care, health screening, immunizations and health
education to homeless and low-income children and their families in the
Bay Area.
A Long, Hard Road Back to a
Life of Promise - When her 16-year-old son was killed at a sweet 16
party, Cindy Butler's life spiraled downward. Earlier, her husband had
introduced her to cocaine, and at that point, she said, "I became an
addict. I smoked cocaine, smoked cigarettes and ignored my diabetes."
37 Million People in
Poverty in the U.S. - In response to recently released Census Bureau
poverty figures, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) called on
Congress to adopt a moral budget that helps people meet their basic needs.
Eliminating safety-net programs for the poor in favor of tax cuts for the
rich - while 37 million live in poverty - is immoral, declared the AFSC,
an international social justice organization.
Katrina: A Perfect Storm of
Classism and Racism - The televised news from New Orleans was horribly
real and really horrible. We saw poor people, mostly African Americans,
wading hip-deep in rushing water. Elderly women gripping walkers trudged
down the freeway. Disabled folks in wheelchairs slumped dying or dead.
Katrina; The Human Disaster - A
press conference was held on Friday, September 2nd days after
the levees broke and New Orleans and its people were left abandoned under
20 feet of water. Individuals who were bereft and awaiting word on family
members, Acorn Community Organizers, BOSS staff, a representative from
Barbara Lee’s office and more came together to speak out against the
Administration’s slow response to assist the people before and after
Hurricane Katrina hit.
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