AUSTIN ADVOCATE |
Streets Show an outstanding Success
By Kerri Thompson
The prolific Pat Bailey at her table. Photo by surume.
The 13th annual Art from the Streets exhibit took place on November 5 & 6, 2005 at The Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH). The event benefits homeless in the Austin area who have chosen art as an emotional and creative outlet.
In 1991, local artists decided to reach out to the Austin homeless community by offering free art classes at a homeless shelter. The classes were offered twice a week to people who needed a nice, safe place to escape the streets and create art. The classes became so popular and so much art was made that the facility could not physically contain all of it. Due to this surplus of art, Art from the Streets (AFTS) held their first art show in 1992. Soon after, the program crafted its mission – to provide a safe and encouraging environment in which the positive spirit of homeless people is nurtured through artistic expression, and to provide them with a source of pride and income through the sale of their work.
Since 1992, every show has taken place at the ARCH, and 2004 was the first year it took place in the new, 7th Street location. This location is great for the artists to display their work as it is bigger, the light is good, and the architecture is beautiful. However, it poses some challenges as well. For example, it is difficult to physically hang the art – there are many windows and so few walls. In order to overcome this challenge, one of the Directors came up with the affordable, workable solution to hang the art on fencing. The fencing provided a unique, modern touch that made the artists’ work even more appealing.
From the beginning, AFTS has been run completely by community volunteers. These volunteers devote their time, love and energy to a cause that they are truly passionate about. Joyce Pohlman, program Co-Director, has gained a lot from her experience with the program. "I never cease to be moved and impressed by the resilience of our artists and their courage in showing their work to the general public." After all, it cannot be easy to show your creative/emotional work to a room full of strangers.
In addition to the artists and volunteers, the consumers benefit greatly from the event as well. Ms. Pohlman loves learning from the artists and notes how others may learn from them as well, "If you stop and listen to the artists for even a short while, you will have gained so much. This event provides that opportunity for people who might not otherwise have been able to talk with a person who lacks housing."
Throughout the last 13 years, the show has experienced continuous growth. In 1992, the first show drew in 400 visitors and $1,600 for the 30 artists who participated. Since then, there have been over 20,000 attendees and more than $350,000 earned for the 700 artists who showed their work. Many artists use the money they receive from the show to pay for basic necessities such as food, clothing, and housing.
2005 proved to be an extremely successful year for AFTS. The event attracted over 2, 400 visitors – which is a 75% increase from 2004. There are over 100 homeless people participating in the program currently, and many of them featured their art in the 2005 exhibit.
AFTS is a truly inspiring program. It is extensively supported by the Austin community and continues to spread love, peace and friendship to those who are less fortunate. The artists gain a sense of pride, self-esteem and respect for themselves, which is more valuable than any dollar received.
Art from the Streets is funded in part by the City of Austin (Cultural Arts Division) and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts. The event is also supported by – 3M Austin, the Downtown Austin Alliance, the Theodore P. Davis Charitable Trust, the Donald D. Hammill Foundation, Women and their Work, Inferno Films, and the Austin Ad Federation.
The program is always in need for volunteers – please visit www.artfromthestreets.org,
e-mail volunteer@artfromthestreets.org
or call Art from the Streets at (512) 440-0839 for more information.
Sam Cole selling some of his many photographs. Photo by surume.
Homelessness and the Proposed city Ordinances:
Richard Troxell speaks out at the November 17, 2005 City Council Meeting
While there is no single way of describing homeless citizens, they include: single men, single women, families; they are 35% white, 49% African American, 12%, Hispanic, and 4% Native American. They are refugees, aliens, parolees, runaway youth and children, Vietnam veterans and other traumatized individuals. They live in our cities, suburbs, and rural areas. They are alcoholics, drug addicts, mentally ill persons, and some suffer from a combination of all three. Some are victims of domestic violence; some have had immediate economic crisis. All suffer economic insufficiency. The average age astonishingly is 9 where we see a single mother with a small child and a babe in arms. Minorities are over-represented, being over half of the homeless population. The homeless die some twenty years earlier than the rest of us. In Austin we buried 61 homeless citizens in 2003, 89 in 2004 and on Sunday we will read the names of 97 citizens who died on the streets of Austin this year. One third are veterans. 23% of the homeless are families.
But the largest group is still single unattached men with multiple problems. Half have never been married but the other half were heads of households. The majority claim to have no family relationships or friends. 40% of the homeless have significant alcohol problems. 20% are addicted to drugs. At least one-third of the homeless suffer from severe and persistent chronic psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder and depression. Some 20% of them eventually commit suicide. One third of the homeless have been unemployed for more than two years. And yet 42% of them are working at some point during the week, so we realize that the work ethic is there. Statistically 10-20% are temporarily homeless because of a crisis. One-third are episodically homeless (drifting in and out), but one half of all homeless are chronically homeless because of their disabilities and lack of living wages. Of these, 50% have been homeless for a year or more and 20% for four years or more. The vast majority of homeless people are long residents of the city of Austin, not “transient” as some insensitive people routinely label them.
Outside of the criminal justice system there are only two substance abuse treatment beds in Austin. Even then, there are no beds available without a waiting period of several weeks.
What are people to do?
Where will people go?
At the Austin State Hospital, we’ve gone from 200 beds to 44 beds. What are people to do?
The state and local mental health system has curtailed treatment to all but those suffering depression, schizophrenia, and Bi-Polar Disorder. So for example: anyone suffering personality disorder a PTSD say from spousal abuse are turned away.
What are people to do?
Where will people go?
In the downtown business district there are zero public toilets available to homeless people. Additionally, the restaurants refuse facility use by people experiencing homelessness and while there were once port-o-potties, the businesses refused to pay for their use and they were removed.
What are people to do?
Where will people go?
The Homeless Task Force Planning Body has determined that there approximately 4,000 unduplicated homeless people in the Austin area. At the same time there are less than 600 emergency shelter beds for every man woman and child.
What are people to do?
Every night 30-50 homeless folks are turned away from the ARCH.
What are people to do?
These ordinances do nothing to address any of this.
The Austin Area Homeless Task Force, one of the 12 Community Action Network Planning bodies…the social service branch of the Austin City Council, has denounced these ordinances as an inappropriate response to the condition of homelessness.
Instead, it has created a 10 year plan to end homelessness calling for affordable housing, health care, and livable incomes, including a Universal Living Wage.
These ordinances and their proposed changes is like throwing ink at the problem.
It won’t change anything.
The problem of homelessness will still be there.
The only effect will have been to further criminalize the condition of homelessness and create more real barriers like more debt and a criminal record to prevent people from working themselves out of homelessness.
I’ll give you one example of how ludicrous and inappropriate these ordinances are:
Regarding solicitation:
Part 4(c) says:
A person in a motor vehicle commits an offense if the person solicits, or attempts to solicit, services, employment, business, or contributions from a person who is in or next to a street or on a sidewalk.
Do you see what this is? This is my driver’s license. It was issued to me by the great state of Texas. It enables me to operate a motor vehicle so long as I do so in a safe manner and so long as I follow the rules of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
Do you know what this is? That’s right; it is the Constitution of the United States of America. I will read to you part of the Right Amendment under the Bill of Rights: “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or the right of the people to peacefully assemble.”
So is this ordinance going to tell me that I can’t safely pull my motor vehicle to the side of the road and have a conversation regarding a job opportunity?
That’s ABSURD!
What are people to do?
Where will people go?
But now…in closing, I will tell you the TRUTH. I will tell you that these ordinances are the creation of the Downtown Austin Alliance. This is a business consortium bent on driving the homeless from the downtown area.
You can see from the diagram which depicts the border language of part 2 of the Solicitation Ordinance that it would outlaw sitting, sleeping, or lying down, and effectively drive homeless people into our surrounding neighborhoods.
Boooo.
The downtown businesses, the very businesses which are paying less than a living wage; that would allow people to work themselves off the streets of Austin, have created a plan to drive homeless people into our neighborhoods like cattle.
These ordinances do not address the causes of homelessness. These ordinances only serve to criminalize the condition of homelessness and sacrifice our neighborhoods to serve their vision.
What will people do?
Where will people go?.....To the neighbors!
Volunteering
By Richard Troxell
“A volunteer is a person who can see what others cannot see; who can feel what most do not feel. Often, such gifted persons do not think of themselves as volunteers, but as citizens—citizens in the fullest sense partners in civilization.” –George Herbert Walker Bush.
Obviously, volunteers come in all shapes and sizes. As we all know, any good relationship is not only about receiving; it is also about giving.
There is a story in the Talmud about a king and his son. They loved each other very much, but they could not get along, so the son left home, and went far away. After a while, word reached the father, that the son, was not doing well. The king sent a message to the prince and simply said, "Come home,” but the prince was too proud. He sent a message back to this father, “I cannot.”
Then the king sent another message saying, “Just turn around and come as far as you can, and I will meet you wherever you are.”
This is the essence of leading, by serving.
In coming here today, you have shown that you are the aristocracy, the elite of Austin. You are not only expressing your concern for your community but also for those who comprise this community.
Saint Francis of Assisi said,”It is in giving that we receive.” This comes from a prayer when he asks,
“O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled,
but as to console; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we
receive.”
It is said that volunteer work is priceless.
I have recently read that an hour of volunteering is worth $17.55 to the receiving organization, and that volunteers do the work of 9 million full-time employees…this is worth nearly $239 million a year. Yes, priceless indeed!
Jesus taught the lesson: To lead is to serve. St. John describes how Jesus, the Master, washed the disciples’ feet then said, “If I am your Lord and Master, I have given ye an example. If ye know these things, happy are ye that do them.”
We must ask, what can I do for these people? These people experiencing homelessness. What do they need?
Volunteer work is about opportunity. It is an opportunity to serve others and provide them what they need not just what we think they may need.
But just as this precious time has value, so is the need of the volunteer organization to be able to rely on us volunteers to count on our punctuality, our attention, our focus, our willingness to follow simple instructions and complete the tasks and the opportunities that are presented us in a time efficient and pleasant manner.
And we must recognize that your time is your treasure. We must not squander it. Likewise, just because an organization is a non-profit, it does not mean that it is any less of a business. We must keep our time commitments both starting and finishing. And if a volunteer opportunity turns out to be less exciting than expected, we still must complete our commitments. Like regular work, volunteer work may not be “too pretty,” Sometimes, the physical volunteer environment is less than optimal. Perhaps the room is crowded, or the smells aren’t as fresh as they might be, but the work needs to be done none-the-less. It often requires “sacrifice” from each of us in order to accomplish our task. The word “sacrifice” means to make sacred.
People often think of sacrifice as having to give up something but sacrifice is nobler than that. When something is given up it makes room for something better to evolve within each of us.
As volunteers, we are like gardeners. Our efforts and willingness to give helps others to flourish. I work for Legal Aid as Director of Legal Aid for the Homeless helping the disabled homeless apply for disability benefits. But my volunteer work comes as Director of House the Homeless [http://www.housethehomeless.org/] which is made up of all homeless and formerly homeless people. We are the oldest grassroots homeless organization in Texas. We volunteer our time in ways that validate homeless people as human beings. We involve them in working to create solutions to end the very condition in which they find themselves. This may include designing legislation to create substance abuse treatment programs or jobs programs, or to create a Universal Living Wage [http://www.universallivingwage.org/].
There are opportunities being offered here today that will aid people experiencing homelessness at every step of the pathway out of homelessness. By volunteering your time in this endeavor, you have committed to become part of something much greater than ourselves. Perhaps you would like to join a food line or serve dinner on Thanksgiving Day or launch a toy or blanket drive- I believe Front Steps is conducting one now. House the Homeless is preparing to launch its 6th annual Thermal Underwear Drive as I speak.
Volunteers are needed at Art from the Streets [http://artfromthestreets.com/], our art program in its 13th year. It provides people the opportunity to socially interact in a relaxed, safe environment. This may sound expected or common place. But I assure you that it is the exception in the lives of a homeless person who may have to fend off nightly attacks to protect identification or personal belongings, and where women must struggle to defend their virtue endlessly. The proceeds from the art sales go to the artists themselves whose spirit and sense of self-worth soar every time a painting is completed and again when a sale is made.
Perhaps you would like to become a little more involved and hands on in the restoration of a person’s life. You could become a “Representative Payee” who helps with the management of an individual’s own scarce disability funds. In so doing, you will have the opportunity to form a lasting relationship with that individual and become an integral part of that person’s life. [Family ElderCare}
Perhaps you belong to a church or synagogue and would like to know how your organization can provide short-term emergency shelter for a fractured family. Or you might possibly have a transferable life skill that you are willing to teach like hair-cutting, computer skills, or resume writing. Or perhaps you are a building contractor and are willing to provide a living wage job so someone can work themselves off the streets and out of the Parks of Austin.
Or perhaps you feel a little thin on the information side. Would you like to understand homelessness a little better, learn about “Best Practices,” help make decisions to help end homelessness. Then come to the monthly Austin Area Homeless Task Force meeting where we make crucial life-affecting decisions and strive to bring millions of dollars into this community each year in our efforts to end and prevent homelessness. We meet on the 3rd Friday of each month across the street at the ARCH- Austin’s Resource Center for the Homeless. Our next meeting is January 19th at 11:00 a.m.
Many years ago, House the Homeless and AmeriCorps VISTA created the Austin Homeless Advocate Newspaper. Today, this monthly newspaper written by and about people experiencing homelessness, is simply known as the Austin Advocate. This paper speaks volumes about who we are as homeless and formerly homeless people. It tells of our dreams and our fears and our hopes. Today, after years of serving this community the finds its self in dire need of your help.
I wish to suggest a proposal. I propose that every church, synagogue, every business and community group here today go to their table and sign up to spend one dollar to buy one paper for every member of your organization, every month when the paper is published. In this fashion, you will become the bridge between your members and the homeless community of Austin.
Let me repeat this…In this fashion, you will be constantly educating your people about homelessness in the words of people experiencing homelessness. In this fashion, you will further be serving this community by providing income and a pathway for self-motivated people to change their situation. This is a win-win action opportunity. To lead is to serve
Thank you and may God bless you.
Homeless Memorial Sevice
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Auditorium Shores
"Indian Jo" Wiggie Hawkins
Charles "Scalper Dave" Martin III
James "Jimbo " Foster
David Stark
Aurthur McCaul
Steve Perryman
Ricky Herron
Manuel Espinosa, Jr.
Leslie Renee Kelly
Gordon sanford Montgomery
John Travis
Tina Watkins
Doug Schulz
Roy Austin Carrigan
"Lucky" Ricky Rroex
"Cherry" Steven Rafferty
David Mortensen
Juan Jaimes
Ismeal Rodriquez
Stacie Williams
Billie Griffith
Richard Perez
Kerry Holder
Antionette Allison
John Ochoa
Norman Robertson
George Mitropoulus
Moses Gonzales
Orangree Hall
Thomas Miller
Richard Carathers
Joe Dean Pierce
Harlod Brown
She-Leigh Lamariano
Russell Brown
Roy Carrigan
Eddie McCane
Ricky Breaux
Tina Marrie Hawkins
Olga Allen
Albert Gentry
Sara Meheffey
Sharon Mullins
Gerald Anderson
Mary Louise Roberts
Michonne Lee
Kelly Springman
Richard Williams
Clarence Baily
Michael Ballard
James Moore
Serenity Fletcher
Winford Keister
Herman Williams
Manual Esparaz, Jr.
Milton ray Barton
Raul Romero
Alton Jones, Sr.
Jolly Carter
Mary Malchi
Ola Hammonds
Kenneth Easley
dennis Castle
Gladis Gant
Santos Salderon
Domingo Rosa
Billy Trotter
Calvin Williams
Kenneth Davidson
Arthur McCall
John Doe "505"
Frank Lamb, Jr.
Soria McCraney-Brown
Stephen Perryman
Donald Jones
Charles Martin
Robert Sawyers
David Stark
Francisco Godoy
Billy Maynard
Richard Hargis
Randolf Shaw
Shirley Davis
Robert Sorrells
Michael Graff
Orlando Medina
Edward Satterwhite
Maria Coronado
Jane Copeland-Stage
John Landreth
Lagracha Thomas
Selfish Stewards
By Tumen Soliz
Fear ingrained in our brain,
From time we stole the bears’ cave,
Lightning was God’s wrath.
What about the others?
The ones that live on the plain
They will steal our cave!
So you see we must
Be resolute in our strength,
Defend the homeland
War mentality
Hereditary cancer
He who loves war dies.
Post nine-eleven
By all necessary means,
“We’ll get those bastards.”
C.I.A. unleashed,
Our taxes in their briefcase,
Redefine torture.
General calls it
“Animal house,” could it be
Bored kids having fun?
What is binge drinking?
Western coming of age norm,
Leaves adults with fear.
For actionable
Intelligence, disregard
Any rule of law.
Outsourcing torture
Morocco, Egypt, Jordan,
Rendition program.
Intelligence ha!
In profit and murder sure,
Don’t claim for the good.
By-product of war
In a wink, wink atmosphere,
Insurgents will rise.
Money is reason
Civil life is decadent,
Yet we pass it on.
Intelligent folks,
Educated idiots,
Repeat age-old fears.
Exit covet laws
Enter laws that protect all
First is Mother Earth.
Elusive Security
By Tumen Soliz
What is security?
You're not talking about social.
What about weapons?
Yes it's about guns,
to protect our hard earned cash
from the devils clutch.
or so we would wish
but we fail to acknowledge;
money devils tool.
Fundamentalists
claim kitchen table issues,
praise stock market gain.
High on our wagon,
decry something for nothings,
love God to the bank.
Special interest
relying on stocks and bonds,
if you ain't, you're out.
Easy to give up
when hope is raped by money,
God loves, devil spends.
Fear of the unknown,
dissent brings retribution,
huma Gods control.
From culture on high,
bastions of democracy
air dirty laundry.
Conflicts of interest
honorable arbitrators
need to be recused.
How much and to whom
have you paid to speak for you,
whatever your song.
Problem is great God,
religions war on themselves
demonizing all.
What of war culture?
Is peace qualified by hate?
Is it peace through strength?
Is it mothers fault
that we fear those we don't know,
or is it play war.
Is security
of mothers loving, being
selfishly hijacked?
If you are pro-life
you need to put your money
where your mouth is.
Curb your selfishness,
learn to live without excess.
What would Jesus Do?
If you are pro-choice
and believe in our free will,
stop self righteousness.
Your education
is used for degredation,
if money is God.
If the fearful win
we fall on slippery slope,
make predictions true.
Adults depend on
ones childhood security,
learn peace, create peace
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13th Annual Homelessness and the Volunteering Friends Lost This Year Poetry Selfish Stewards Elusive Security |
