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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 2011)
13 Street roots March 4, 2011 Remembering the brief lives of some extraordinary children ng, bang, bang... That was a sound that people heard at a gathering for - L / Rep. r Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona. Some people got shot, a few mortally woupded. President Obama spoke at the memorial service. One particular person he talked about was an 11-year-. old girl named Christina Taylor Green. President Obama said, “she showed an Sppreciation for life uncommon for a girl her age, and would remind her mother, ‘we are so blessed. We have the best life.’ And she’d pay those blessings back by participating in a charity that helped children who were less fortunate.” President Obama also said, “imagine ... just becoming aware of our democracy, just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship ... glimpse the fact that someday she tod might play a part in shaping her nation’s future...” I was in a McDonalds on 5th and Main S t when I saw this. Such a tragedy, the whole thing, but Christina in particular. This reminded me of ahother youth. His name was Brendan Foster. Brendan was also eleven years old, and suffering from leukemia. Brendan dnd his mom, drove by a parking lot with a lot of tents, in the U-District (University of Washington),. Brendan asked his mom about the tents. His mom told him that people lived in the tents a n d they were homeless. They were looking at Nickelsville, a shantytown in Seattle, WA. f i Leo Rhodes is a street activist a n d homeless advocate. H e is also a vendor w ith Street Roots a n d a regular conributer to the newspaper. Brendan thought about this then said, “We should give them something,.” His answer was to give us sandwiches, half peanut butter and jelly, the other half ham. “Cause somebody might be allergic to peanut butter,” was Brendan’s logic. . . I started to think about other interactions with the youths. I wrote earlier about some youths drinking around me while I was trying to sleep on a park bench. And the youths that gave me a rude awakening by hitting me on the side of the head, twice, while I was sleeping. An also the hurtful, painful things they’ve said. When we were going to start Tent City 4, in the suburbs of Seattle, WA. Some kids were holding signs saying, “We’re scared for our life.” “Homeless people go home.” These are just some of thé negative stuff. * Now for the positive. I met a philanthropist and the his kids. The older the kids got, the more interest they had in homelessness, I thought this was great Living in Seattle’s Tent City 4, a hot meal was given every night Some of the people that prepared ànd served the meal were young adults. After the meal I would give them a tour through the camp. I would always start by thanking them for their interest in homeless. “Cause you’re our future,” I would tell them, “If we don’t get a hold of you now, we don’t have a future.” Selling Street Roots hete in the Hollywood area, at the Whole Foods arid Panera Cares on 43rd and Sandy, teenagers stop by and buy a paper. Some of them even know my name. Then there’s the faririly with kids. One father told me that his; daughter says, “There’s Leo. Stop. We have to give him something,” asthey’re driving by. Other parents ask their children to give me a dollar for a paper. Sometimes they refuse; other times its no problem they give me the dollar for the paper. I’ve had .kids approach me cautiously, eyes wide open, looking very scared. I bend down to get eye level, and smile real big. Then say, “Thank you,” as I hand them a paper. Nervous as they are, sometimes they hand me a dollar and try to leave without the paper. If they’re not scared or nervous, I like to tell them, “Good day, sir or madam. In this issue we have a fine selection for your reading enjoyment” I usually get a smile. Other times they just stand there looking at me until the parent says, “come on, let’s go.” At the farmers market here in Hollywood, there are a few kids who like to give me fruit and vegetables. One time a lady and her daughters bought a paper, then they went into Whole Foods to shop. When they came out, the mother said, “she wants to give you something,” I smiled at the mother, then bent down to make eyri contact with the little girl. She approached me with her little arm out, hand closed.. She opened her hand then a penny dropped into my hand. Smiling at the little girl, I said thank yori. She smiled shyly then went to her mom. The whole time the mom kept saying, “She insisted on giving you th a t” I watched as the mother and little girl went down the street, the little girl skipping. Oh, if you want to see Brendan Foster, go to Youtube.com, in the search box type, “a boy’s last wish, Brendan Foster.” Then after you watch that, go to “Brendan Foster died Friday 11/28/08.” In my darkest hours, there were many who shined a light _______ Pori t w rhnrr.h. Behind me a t the are Red people care; Behind that put a smile are on people my who care; that put a smile on my sitting Door who church. me face a spark of hope in my life. I kept were my three bags I was hiding because I checking with him every so Often. I found a was afraid of Others knowing that I was am not writing this article to be source of a modest income while I was homeless. Around me was despair, broken vindictive or angry, but rather trying to checking with him. lives. The weather outside was raining and find a good solution to one of our social With help of a great lady called Rebecca crappy. Nothing seemed possible, nothing problems: homelessness. Childs they found a place for me and I am tasted good. I recently visited those plains. No one in normal again. I don’t have the words in my A man stood' up and said, “If yori need their right mind would want to be there. I vocabulary to thank them enough. They are help with housing, this lady Jessica is here have slept in my car from time to time in a credit to our community and the city. to help you.” She went around talking to the p ast I thought that was homeless, but Another group of people come from recently I have had to sleep in doorways and other people. I did not raise my hand Woodlawn, Wash., to Portland to feed people because I thought that I was beyond help. under bridges - and riot just one night. It Before she walked out, I put my hand up. - in need and give them clothes and blankets. actually went o n for weeks. What I saw was She walked towards me smiling, as if to say, They do that every Saturday. They do that ugly, but everyone must take some “Hi. I am Miss Hope and I am here to help out of their pockets. They don’t expect any responsibility for what takes place in their donations or glory. They do good deeds for you.” During our conversation Iw as lives. It is not a mission impossible. It takes thinking that nothing and no one can help the sake of good deeds. Their names are: will. , ; me. She insisted that I go to her office and Deborah Bennett, Rhod Larson, Angela Now I want to talk about people who talk to them. I carried my three bags' and Baumgarmi, Mike Rindahl, Alex Briggs of make a difference, starting with the director walked the 14 blocks. Street Reach Northwest of this paper, Israel Bayer, who won a good When I got there, I was sweating, I The last people are Andrew and Tim of deal of money for a job well done and turned walked m and the receptionist Dee Dee the Union Gospel Mission. They never said around and donated it to this paper so it can Richardson was professional and caring. So n a to me when I knocked on their door serve the community better. One can never far so good, I told myself., I m et Jason asking for something, whether it was a ignore th a t Coulthurst; we talked for a while and he was sleeping bag or a blanket I needed. They In my personal experience the most reassuring. He gave me $10 and some would give it to me even if the place was not “mavericks” are the people of the bus tickets to get around and told me to open for the public. People like that shine Northwest Pilot Project, from Susan check with him in a couple of days. All of a Emmons to the iriost recent employee, they like a star on a cold, crisp, and clear, night sudden everything seemed different There are great. This is how it went with me. I was ■ • BY SAM AL-JONDI C O N T R IB U T IN G W R IT E R . S S a m Al-Jondi is a Street Roots Vendor LOOKING FOR AN affor d able place to rent . 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