Civil Rights | Street Sense Media

Homeless people in quarantine face poor conditions, rudeness, and transphobia

Shelter residents are sent to DHS’s isolation sites when exposed to COVID-19. But some report mistreatment and transphobia by staff and security guards.

Photo of Alice wearing a pink shirt and standing in front of an awning that says "Dupont Italian"

Alice Carter study is an admirable and monumental effort that falls short

Artist and vendor Jeff Taylor critiques the case study written by Street Sense Media about the life and death of Alice Carter, who he knew and lived with.

Trust the vaccine

Artist and vendor Angie Whitehurst discusses why, despite the American medical establishment’s history of racism, the COVID-19 vaccine should still be trusted.

D.C. Superior Court rules eviction protections unconstitutional

The D.C. Superior Court ruled legislation that gives protections to tenants facing eviction is unconstitutional, violating property owners rights.

Photo of people gathered in front of the Wilson Building

Coronavirus exposes “people that we missed” amid homelessness crisis

Local D.C. advocacy group People for Fairness Coalition called for a greater investment in ending homelessness during 2020’s Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.

Photo of a garden, two people standing on a path in the grass, and a statue of Martin Luther with a "Black LIves Matter" sign leaning against it in front of a red church building.

Annual vigil goes virtual to remember people who died without a home in DC this year

The People for Fairness Coalition kicked off its eighth overnight vigil and advocacy initiatives surrounding National Homeless Persons Memorial Day. At least 73 people died homeless in the District in 2020, the organizers say.

Photo of a woman with dark skin, mostly hidden in shadow, covering her face with her hands.

Melanin Creative

Sasha Williams shares her ode to melanin.

Black Lives Matter sign with blue and black hands representing police and Black lives.

Get Thee Hence

Artist and vendor Frederic John’s tribute to “National Get Out Day” and Black Lives Matter organizers.

A yellow sign in front of a street reads "dead end."

Unjustifiable End

Laticia Brock calls on the city to do more to help those experiencing homelessness.

Protesters marching past Trump International Hotel

What policing homelessness looks like

Case manager Charlie Mussoff on his experience witnessing the policing of those experiencing homelessness.

Protesters hold a yellow banner saying "Housing is a Human Right" and signs on the sidewalk.

“The system is failing all the families that really need it”: How the threat of eviction has perpetuated health inequity and racial injustice during the pandemic

Worries about eviction during the pandemic disproportionately affect Black and Hispanic renters, widening the racial wealth gap.

A picture of a poster in front of Casa Ruby office of LGBTQ youth housing service

DC is cutting funding for homeless services as COVID cases surge

Local nonprofits say the cuts will make it harder for them to serve homeless youth amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A Black man speaks on a virtual screen over a banner that reads public hearing.

Anti-discrimination law to protect people experiencing homelessness dies in Council, again

The Michael A. Stoops Anti-Discrimination Amendment Act, which would make homelessness a protected class, stalled out for the second time in the D.C. Council.

Two people hug in a street filled with a crowd.

The Black & Indigenous Transgender Safehaus shows the need for inclusive housing programs

Casa BITS provides short-term housing and community for Black, Indigenous, People of Color trangender and intersex D.C. residents.

Black and white photo of rain drops on window

My Tears

Robert Warren, artist and vendor, mourns past injustices.

The 2020 women’s march

Carlton Johnson reflects on the October Women’s March.

Photo of the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

Lawsuit alleges anti-trans discrimination in a private DC shelter

A transgender man is suing the National United Methodist Church and Friendship Place, alleging that they discriminated against him for being transgender.

Three protestors holding cardboard signs that say "10,000 vacant units in DC", "300+ people homeless in DC tested positive for COVID", "People Power Action", "Black Homeless ("home" bolded) matter; 90% of homeless people in Washington DC are Black", and "20 people homeless in DC died from COVID."

Global coronavirus pandemic could help the homeless or hurt them more

COVID-19 presents another challenge for the unhoused community in Washington, D.C. Will local leaders take the right actions to create positive social change after this unprecedented crisis?

Three African-american toddlers sit at a classroom table and use crayons on a sheet of

Expanding child care can help Black women overcome disparities in domestic violence

Sandra Jackson from the House of Ruth on the importance of childcare for Black women.

A sign in a living room reads "38% of homeless youth in D.C. identify as LGBTQ+. Let's change that number together."

At SMYAL’s Youth House, LGBTQ+ youth are provided with housing and affirmation

SMYAL provides economic and housing support during the pandemic through a housing program for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness.

Content categorized as Civil Rights