How did you hear about Street Sense Media?
I am a native of Silver Spring, Maryland, and I heard about it when I was in high school. My youth group did a volunteer trip with the organization. I didn’t get to go, but I remember thinking that a newspaper written and sold by people experiencing homelessness was the coolest thing ever, like a window into a world that was everywhere I went but that I knew so little about. It was from that moment that I knew I would always keep the organization in the back of my head and try to buy a copy any time I got the chance.
How did you become a volunteer?
After I graduated from Penn State this past May, I finally had the privilege of volunteering with Street Sense Media. I was having a hard time finding a job when I moved back to D.C., so I had a ton of free time on my hands. I figured I might as well do something good instead of staying home all day. I decided it would be the perfect opportunity in my life to connect with an organization that I’ve been a fan of for so long, and so I just went on the website, filled out the volunteer form, and I got an email from your amazing managers the next day!
What was your assignment?
I would come in whenever Maysa needed me to, usually two or three shifts per week, and sell the paper to the vendors. I also got to help at the annual celebration and at a photography show.
Who did you interact with?
My favorite interactions by far were with the vendors as they came in to purchase the paper. As I kept coming in to do shifts, I started to recognize more and more people. I loved building those relationships and getting to hear people’s stories. I usually didn’t ask too much about what each person had been through because I wanted to respect privacy, but when the vendors would open up to me about their stories and experiences it was so inspiring. Everyone was mostly very friendly, and I feel like I became a part of this wonderful community.
What did you learn from them?
I learned from the vendors that when you give people opportunities to learn skills, build relationships and find a sense of autonomy, amazing things can happen. It is so important to be kind to everyone you encounter, because each person is fighting a battle that you cannot even imagine, and I was just grateful to be able to help a little bit.
Is Street Sense Media important to our community, nation and world?
Yes. In D.C., homelessness is so prominent. You can rarely get from one place to another without encountering at least one person who is struggling, and yet so many people act like they’re invisible! We need to make noise, increase visibility and stop acting like there is nothing we can do. Street Sense Media and other organizations like it all over the country have started an incredible movement of sharing stories and making the homeless population heard!
I think people do want to help, but they need a structured way to do it. Volunteering with Street Sense Media was a perfect way for someone like me to get involved.
What makes Street Sense invaluable regardless of race, color, creed, gender and other societal fault lines yet to be formulated?
Stories and art help us to empathize with others and help us see past stereotypes to the soul underneath. When I talk to people who aren’t very familiar with issues surrounding homelessness, I often hear awful things like “They’re all just lazy, why can’t they just get jobs” or “If you give them money they’ll just use it to buy drugs,” or my favorite, “A lot of them are in that situation by choice.”
It makes me so angry. I just think, “These are your fellow human beings you’re referring to.” I believe that this paper can change those perspectives and help humanize a group of people that are going through more than I could ever imagine.
Any advice or suggestions?
I think it would be amazing if Street Sense Media could open up multiple offices or paper-sales stations so that more people who need the paper for a source of income could have easier access to it if they are located far away from the G Street NW office.
Will your experience at Street Sense Media help you with your new job?
I started working for an organization called Hillel International this past November as the executive assistant to their chief operations officer and the human resources department. The customer-service skills I learned at Street Sense will help me in almost every aspect of my job because I have to interact with so many people every day, and Street Sense Media has helped me to learn how to treat each and every person with the same level of respect and kindness that I expect for myself.
Would you recommend that other people volunteer or intern at our organization?
Yes, it was a wonderful place to volunteer because it helped me to see D.C. in a whole new light. It’s so cool when I run into a vendor I know selling the paper. It’s like I know people all over the city now! Like I mentioned before, so many people act like they don’t even see the people struggling around them. This helped me to make connections with the people who I encounter every day. Street Sense Media is helping to unify our city in the coolest way possible.
Do you plan to stay connected with us?
Absolutely. I can’t do the paper sales anymore because it conflicts with my work schedule. But I still buy the paper whenever I get the chance — shout-out to John Littlejohn, who distributes copies right down the block from where I work! And I still want to keep helping out at events. It was truly a blessing to be able to get involved with this organization, and I’m so excited for its future.
