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![editorialMarch 2014 Page 3
W
ell, the day is here. The Bridge is fi-
nally one incredible, terrifying, won-
derful year old. And the classic one-
year anniversary gift is paper—how appropriate
is that? As The Bridge hits this milestone, I think
of all the content teams that have made compil-
ing, editing, and reading this paper such a valuable
gift.
Thank you to the writing
staff. To write about social
issues requires so much
more than a mastery of
language: it requires tact,
nuance, and compassion.
I am proud to head a writing staff that possesses
all these qualities in droves, and am continually
amazed by this group of busy college students’
ability to generate such great work.
Thank you to our photographers and artists, for
capturing through imagery what often can be dif-
ficult to describe. The newspaper is a uniquely vi-
sual medium that wouldn’t carry the same weight
nor the same magic without the pictures within
it—this is where you are vital.
Thank you to the organizations and to the peo-
ple The Bridge has interviewed. It is astounding
not only to see the difficult, necessary work you do
in Memphis, but also to see the ways in which like-
minded people tend to connect with each other in
pursuit of a better, stabler, and more loving city. I
hope that The Bridge has facilitated at least a few of
those connections.
Thank you to the ed-
iting and layout team.
Your attention to detail
and willingness to read
and re-read over and
over again make The
Bridge tighter, more compelling, and more profes-
sional.
Finally, thank you to each homeless and for-
merly homeless contributing writer. Your opin-
ions, your poetry, your essays, and your stories are
what distinguish The Bridge from its peers, and
your willingness to share your stories has given
readers an opportunity to view the city and the
world from a different, often difficult perspective.
You are amazing. Thank you so much.
J
ust because you’re homeless doesn’t mean
you can’t be a positive influence,” says Anto-
nio Harris. After all, he believes that “it’s not
aboutthemoney—it’saboutthelove.”Injustafew
short minutes with Antonio, one will recognize
his incredible positive energy. The 33-year-old
life-long Memphian radiates happiness, seldom
letting a smile leave his face. His commitment to
positivity carries over from his everyday life into
his job as a vendor for The Bridge.
Antonio began selling The Bridge about two
months ago after hearing about the paper
through his friend, Tony. “The Bridge is where
it’s at,” claims Antonio. “It’s a great way to learn
about what’s happening in Memphis.” Antonio
uses his income from selling newspapers as a
way to provide shelter for himself—he currently
lives in an apartment in Midtown. Antonio says
that his favorite part about selling The Bridge is
engaging with people. He loves talking to his cus-
tomers about most anything, and he especially
enjoys sharing his stories.
In his youth, Antonio attended Shrine School
in Memphis, where he graduated and earned
his diploma. Before becoming a vendor for The
Bridge, Antonio held multiple jobs. At different
points throughout his life, Antonio has worked
at Backyard Burgers, Target, and as a police dis-
patcher. Through each of these occupations, An-
tonio was able to interact with other people—a
self-identified passion. For fun, Antonio enjoys
singing. He loves Frank Sinatra, but his favorite
song is “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics.
Whether at work or play, Antonio seems to al-
ways find joy in life. This is all the more powerful
when considering Antonio’s disability. Antonio
relies on a motorized wheelchair for transporta-
tion. However, he doesn’t let his disability affect
him. Instead, he perseveres. Antonio remains ac-
tive in community organizations like H.O.P.E.
and Rockers and Rollers.
Antonio is an outgoing, hardworking, and
compassionate man. He truly cherishes his com-
munity and everyone in it. Antonio knows that
he can “be a light [for people], a positive thing
for others to see.” Antonio’s light burns bright
in Memphis, helping to illuminate the city. His
presence is special. Keep shining, Antonio.
BY BROOKS LAMB
Staff Writer
Vendor Spotlight: Antonio Harris
Letter from the Editor
BY CHLOE BRYAN
Editor-in-Chief
“...Your willingness to share your stories has
given readers an opportunity to view the city
and the world from a different, often difficult
perspective.”
CORENA HASSELLE/Staff Photographer
Scan this code to help!
Do you want to
help fight
homelessness
in the Memphis
community?](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/8c09db10-04f0-4eee-8dae-5ddfec1bd463-160519222220/75/March_2014_archive-3-2048.jpg)
![May 2013-August 2013
The Bridge is one of the first fledg-
ling companies to undergo the Start
Co. startup accelerator program.
March 21, 2013
Volunteer Jim McLellan meets Theddy
Wilkes, a poet who says he’s heard The
Bridge accepts poetry submissions. He
reads Jim a poem called “It’s Amazing.”
“You’re amazing,” Jim says. The Bridge
has since published six of Theddy’s
original poems.
August 2013
3000 copies of the August issue
are printed and sold in the pa-
per’s most successful month yet.
October 5, 2013
The Commercial Appeal’s “Faith
in Memphis” section includes two
articles from staff writers as well as
a featured panel of homeless and
formerly homeless contributors.
The first issue of The Bridge,
12 pages in length and
themed “Origins,” is released.
The Bridge holds its official
launch party at Rhodes College.
June 2013
The Bridge has its first community
table at a festival in Overton Park. Says
community outreach coordinator Jim
McLellan: “Someone had pictures [of the
event] since [co-director] James was out
of town. When James saw the pictures
of the event, he was wondering who the
“old guy” was. Of course, it was me, but I
was new and James and I hadn’t met.”
Happy Birthday, The Bridge!
The Bridge is celebrating its first year! Take a look back at the past
twelve months’milestones as we continue to work to bridge the gap.
March 2014 in-de](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/8c09db10-04f0-4eee-8dae-5ddfec1bd463-160519222220/75/March_2014_archive-8-2048.jpg)
![October 2013
November 28, 2013
Vendor Theddy Wilkes reads his
original poetry on Mid-South NPR
station WKNO 91.1 as part of a special
Thanksgiving broadcast.
The Bridge does a presentation at St. Mary’s
Episcopal Cathedral featuring vendor Linda
Bozant. Says Jim McLellan, “Linda brought
down the house. I’m teary remembering when
she told [us] about her homelessness… she
broke into tears telling everyone that the peo-
ple of the paper had become family for her.”
The Bridge becomes an
official 501(c)(3) non-
profit organization.
January 28, 2014
Executive Staff and Board members of The Bridge
gather at EmergeMemphis to work with Don Hutson,
an expert on business strategy and entrepreneurship.
February 15, 2014
March 2014
The Bridge’s staff peaks at 50
Rhodes College student volunteers.
The Bridge publishes its twelfth
issue. Thank you, readers!
Page 9epth
Photos Courtesy The Bridge Archives](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/8c09db10-04f0-4eee-8dae-5ddfec1bd463-160519222220/75/March_2014_archive-9-2048.jpg)
![01.james luceno mantia inselaciunii [v2.2]a5](https://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/01-160722084659-thumbnail.jpg?width=640&height=640&fit=bounds)
March_2014_archive
- 1. I saw my firststreet newspaper, The Contribu- tor, as a crinkled copy that James brought back from a trip to Nashville, TN. James Ekenstedt and I were college freshmen then, paired randomly as roommates. I’ll admit we weren’t great friends that first year—James was involved with a community service foundation, and I bounced around between intramural sports and the freelance writing work I could find online. But that day, James tossed The Contributor on my bed and in his quiet voice explained the street paper concept: homeless people buy it for a quarter, and then sell it to the community for a dollar. They keep all the profit. I looked up dumbly over a bowl of microwave EasyMac. “Cool.” The paper floated around our dorm for months, never quite out of sight but never the center of attention. One day, James suggested we get involved with the street paper here in Mem- phis, and I said, “Why not?” Fifteen minutes of Googling later, however, and we were stumped –- apparently Memphis didn’t have one. I joked to James, “Let’s start one!” We laughed. Right. Summer came and went, and when we re- turned to Memphis as sophomores, I found that James hadn’t forgotten about street papers at all. “Every street paper starts somewhere,” he said. “Why not us?” And boy, did Memphis need a street paper. A seven-minute drive takes you out past Rhodes College’s pristine lawns and wrought-iron gates to the heart of downtown Memphis, and homelessness, no matter how hard you try to keep your gaze straight ahead, is everywhere. I agreed to at least explore the concept, and we laid our plan out on a classroom whiteboard. Step one: find money to print the paper. Step two: find some stuff to put in the paper. Step three: sell it to homeless people. Huh. Maybe this wasn’t so hard after all. All we really needed to do, it seemed, was find some knowledgeable, well-connected, and interested community members that would drop whatever they were doing and take on leading this project full time. I don’t quite remember when the transition happened, but if I had to make an estimate it would have been a January night right around 1 a.m. as I sat next to James neck-deep in fu- riously answering Bridge-related emails in our school library when I suddenly realized that we had become, by default, the community mem- bers we were looking for. The easy answers we had expected and the step-by-step process to- wards starting a street paper didn’t exist, and six months of jumping from community gath- erings to homeless shelters to funding sessions had turned our time spent on this project from an hour on Monday nights to more than five hours daily. Worse, I still felt I didn’t know the first thing about homelessness, much less about how to run an organization that would help the people in the throes of it. A few near-breakdowns later, though, we suddenly found those answers. Or maybe they found us. People were interested in this project—and they somehow believed that we could make it work. Rhodes College gave us seed money to print the first issue of the paper. Community members contacted us to pledge their various forms of support and expertise. Caroline Ponseti, a Rhodes student and noth- ing short of an organizational genius, turned our fledgling editing and paper design process from a sputtering lawnmower to a fully func- tional five-speed. Turned out, the type of sup- port we’d been searching for didn’t stem from an all-knowing leader. It came from all around us, pouring in as bits of donated time and re- sources and handshakes that told us that we could make this happen. The most powerful support came from the homeless community itself. I remember first nervously pitching the idea of a street newspa- per to a half-filled room at the Union Mission, my voice shaking while I stumbled through un- familiar words like “non-profit” and “vendor.” But when I looked up, a small line of people had formed in front of me, each person saying, “When can I start?” Things got easier after that. We went from soup kitchen to shelter, each time describing The Bridge a little better, each time receiving a more enthusiastic response. I met people in droves—men, women, children, black, white, some clothed in ripped t-shirts and others in brand new shoes. thebridgeclosing the gap between homeless and sheltered March 2014 volume 2 issue 1 what’s inside $1.00 MESSAGE VENDOR FROM YOUR Page 7 Rhodes students capture homeless lives through film Rhodes Student Photo Project Page 13 Local organization with the mission is togetherness Dorothy Day House of Hospitality Page 5 Students honor Dr. King’s legacy MLK Conference at BRIDGES facebook.com/thememphisbridge @thebridgepaper BY EVAN KATZ Co-Director & Founder A YEAR OF BUILDING BRIDGES The Bridge celebrates its one-year anniversary TEAM PHOTO: A portion of The Bridge volunteer team poses with vendors at Thursday distribution. CORENA HASSELLE/Staff Photographer continued page 12
- 2. editorial March 2014Page2 HOW IT WORKS: VENDOR TRAINING People who have had an EXPERIENCE WITH HOMELESSNESS Each vendor BADGE & will receive a FREE 20papers After a brief interview, they are given the skills to SELL THE BRIDGE Papers can be sold THE STREETS at local events and FOR ONLY 1Additional papers can be purchased for $0.25. Vendors that buy certain amounts of papers are rewarded with incentives such as messenger bags and all-day bus passes. Want your picture in the paper? Tweet a picture with a vendor! If you see a vendor of The Bridge around Memphis, take a location-tagged picture of him/her and tweet it to us @thebridgepaper! We’ll print your sumbission in the next issue of The Bridge. EditorialPolicy The Bridge is a monthly publication dedicated to issues of homelessness in Memphis, TN. It is run by volunteers and is unaffiliated with any religious or political organization. All articles in The Bridge are approved by the Editor-in-Chief and directors. However, speci- cially-labeled pieces from outside groups or con- tributing writers may appear and do not neces- sarily represent the views of The Bridge editors and staff nor do they constitute an endorsement. The Bridge welcomes letters from all walks of the Memphis community. Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@thememphisbridge. com and may be edited for content. Want to get involved? How to Contact The Bridge The Bridge is a publication by the Memphis Street Newspaper Organization. The Memphis Street Newspaper Organization is a non-profit and exists purely to provide reliable income for those with experiences of homelessness and also to raise awareness about issues of homelessness to the larger community. For advertising-related requests, please contact: [email protected] If you’d like to make a donation to The Bridge, please send donations to: Memphis Street Newspaper Organization 2000 North Parkway, Rhodes Box 1630, Memphis, TN 38112 Or contact: [email protected] For more information, please contact: [email protected] Twitter: @thebridgepaper Instagram: @thebridgepaper Facebook.com/TheMemphisBridge Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief Chloe Bryan Managing Editor Emily Clark Design Editor Ellie Skochdopole Art Director Monique Hagler Editor-at-Large Aaron Banks Layout Designers Sam Clark McCall Hagler Monique Hagler Emmie Heath
- 3. editorialMarch 2014 Page3 W ell, the day is here. The Bridge is fi- nally one incredible, terrifying, won- derful year old. And the classic one- year anniversary gift is paper—how appropriate is that? As The Bridge hits this milestone, I think of all the content teams that have made compil- ing, editing, and reading this paper such a valuable gift. Thank you to the writing staff. To write about social issues requires so much more than a mastery of language: it requires tact, nuance, and compassion. I am proud to head a writing staff that possesses all these qualities in droves, and am continually amazed by this group of busy college students’ ability to generate such great work. Thank you to our photographers and artists, for capturing through imagery what often can be dif- ficult to describe. The newspaper is a uniquely vi- sual medium that wouldn’t carry the same weight nor the same magic without the pictures within it—this is where you are vital. Thank you to the organizations and to the peo- ple The Bridge has interviewed. It is astounding not only to see the difficult, necessary work you do in Memphis, but also to see the ways in which like- minded people tend to connect with each other in pursuit of a better, stabler, and more loving city. I hope that The Bridge has facilitated at least a few of those connections. Thank you to the ed- iting and layout team. Your attention to detail and willingness to read and re-read over and over again make The Bridge tighter, more compelling, and more profes- sional. Finally, thank you to each homeless and for- merly homeless contributing writer. Your opin- ions, your poetry, your essays, and your stories are what distinguish The Bridge from its peers, and your willingness to share your stories has given readers an opportunity to view the city and the world from a different, often difficult perspective. You are amazing. Thank you so much. J ust because you’re homeless doesn’t mean you can’t be a positive influence,” says Anto- nio Harris. After all, he believes that “it’s not aboutthemoney—it’saboutthelove.”Injustafew short minutes with Antonio, one will recognize his incredible positive energy. The 33-year-old life-long Memphian radiates happiness, seldom letting a smile leave his face. His commitment to positivity carries over from his everyday life into his job as a vendor for The Bridge. Antonio began selling The Bridge about two months ago after hearing about the paper through his friend, Tony. “The Bridge is where it’s at,” claims Antonio. “It’s a great way to learn about what’s happening in Memphis.” Antonio uses his income from selling newspapers as a way to provide shelter for himself—he currently lives in an apartment in Midtown. Antonio says that his favorite part about selling The Bridge is engaging with people. He loves talking to his cus- tomers about most anything, and he especially enjoys sharing his stories. In his youth, Antonio attended Shrine School in Memphis, where he graduated and earned his diploma. Before becoming a vendor for The Bridge, Antonio held multiple jobs. At different points throughout his life, Antonio has worked at Backyard Burgers, Target, and as a police dis- patcher. Through each of these occupations, An- tonio was able to interact with other people—a self-identified passion. For fun, Antonio enjoys singing. He loves Frank Sinatra, but his favorite song is “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics. Whether at work or play, Antonio seems to al- ways find joy in life. This is all the more powerful when considering Antonio’s disability. Antonio relies on a motorized wheelchair for transporta- tion. However, he doesn’t let his disability affect him. Instead, he perseveres. Antonio remains ac- tive in community organizations like H.O.P.E. and Rockers and Rollers. Antonio is an outgoing, hardworking, and compassionate man. He truly cherishes his com- munity and everyone in it. Antonio knows that he can “be a light [for people], a positive thing for others to see.” Antonio’s light burns bright in Memphis, helping to illuminate the city. His presence is special. Keep shining, Antonio. BY BROOKS LAMB Staff Writer Vendor Spotlight: Antonio Harris Letter from the Editor BY CHLOE BRYAN Editor-in-Chief “...Your willingness to share your stories has given readers an opportunity to view the city and the world from a different, often difficult perspective.” CORENA HASSELLE/Staff Photographer Scan this code to help! Do you want to help fight homelessness in the Memphis community?
- 4. featuresPage 4 March2014 T o understand what temptations are, I believe that you must first grasp a clear concept and understanding of what this word means to you. Because if you are on a journey in your life that requires moral living and being conscious of your existence, you will begin to see that temptation has no place in your life. If you carry out a temptation, you follow through on a vision in your mind that promised you two things: something to fulfill your personal desire and automatic negative consequences. The results will bring despair because temptations promise something that will ap- peal to your personal circumstances, a false solution that will seem to make things better. If a temptation is acted out, something wrong has happened—it’s false desire that causes one to be tempted. When and if we allow temptations to have authority in our lives, we fall into a dual consciousness. We should never compro- mise the true moral compass of right and wrong. But certain situations will claim differently. For example, I had to learn that yes, even if you’re homeless, you have to return everything you find. If you see someone drop his wallet, it’s the right thing to do to give it back to him. You’ll be tempted to keep the wallet because your dilemma is framed in the situation of homelessness. Your dual consciousness says, “You are homeless. Keep the wallet.” Moral consciousness tells you that it does not belong to you. You must give it back. Then temptation will show you a vision of how things could be better if you go against your moral conscious- ness. The false sense of power that temptation gives you will only cause you to spiral down in the end, and you will regret that you decided to follow your personal de- sire. You will be tested in life in many areas. But life is very generous, because it gives us the answers to any test be- fore the lesson comes. No matter what your situation is, you are still able to understand right and wrong. An example: “I’m married, but things are not right at home. And every time I go to the market there’s this nice young lady that I believe likes me.” The desire to adventure outside of the marriage is due to the vision that temptation has presented to you. Because of cur- rent circumstances at home, the vision of pleasure is where temptation overwhelms you. It gives you a false sense of power to carry out its assignment. The eyes are where temptation makes everything come alive! We have got to learn to train our eyes to speak to us in a virtuous way. When we see through virtuous eyes, we become examples for others who may be struggling with their desire to please themselves. Proper standards go against temptations. Proper standards will govern your thoughts, especially when presented with challenges. Think of people you’re not friends with, or whom you don’t like. How tempted are you to make these people feel bad when you have the opportunity? What about your co-workers? How far will you go to assist them with a problem even though you don’t really care for them? Are you tempted not to assist them because of how you feel? I met a person many years ago, when I was in my mid-twenties, who explained to me temptation’s con- nection to circumstance. Without personal devising, temptation cannot be birthed. Once we put our per- sonal vision, fantasy, dream, desire, wish, or effort, we give birth to impatience. Impatience and temptation combine to form false desire. As human beings, we are not used to waiting for anything, so we are often not willing to wait long enough to truly get what we need. It takes time to heal any process that exists in this lifetime. Time is the opportunity for you to succeed in whatever lifestyle, career, or decision you make. If you live by moral standards, temptation will have no place in your journey. Time will heal relationships, especial- ly marriages. Temptation will cause pain. Moral stan- dards will put you in a position where you are willing to return someone else’s property to them. Temptation ends up being a way of life for some. Be- ing deceitful or conniving is how some people live their everyday lives. But if we resist temptation, relief will come. Trust me! Author’s Note: I am Minister T.A. Robertson, a certified vendor of The Bridge since October 2013. As I sell the pa- per throughout Memphis, I would like to sincerely thank the Memphians who support all of us each and every day. I look forward to meeting you and anyone who supports The Bridge! There’s a place call glory and everyone has a story To tell about the good Lord up above who shows Awesome Love The place call glory I can’t ignore as I continue to knock at Heaven’s Doors as I get the holy spirit deep down In my pores The place call glory Oh, I can’t wait as I be washin’ the Heavenly Tank, but there’s no time to waste on the Cares of this world for Jesus gives me Diamonds and pearls The place call glory As I sit here in deep thoughts the people Of this evil world continue to talk, but I keep my head above water and stay on This Jesus walk The place call glory Free at last I am now that I believe In Lord of Lord’s and King of King’s My Heart can only sing The place call glory We shall overcome the hold of “sins” as We have Faith not by might or sight and Begin towards greatness in the Good Lord Over and over and over again The place call glory The End Temptations BY MINISTER T.A. ROBERTSON Contributing Writer Courtesy of Sharon A. The Place Call GloryBY SHANREKA LOVELADY ERVIN Contributing Writer
- 5. featuresMarch 2014 Page5 T he day began with groups of students, grades 6 through 12, rushing into the High Adven- ture Hall to see what was in store for the day, an important day here at BRIDGES, where hundreds of students came to celebrate the life of Dr. King. BRIDGES is an organization that, as its mission statement says, “unites and inspires diverse young people to become confident and courageous leaders committed to community transformation.” I have had the honor of interning at BRIDGES for my Rhodes Work Study Program, and it has given me an insight into the positive impact BRIDGES has had on the Memphis community. The Dr. King Conference, on January 17, was the second con- ference I’ve attended here at BRIDGES. In the fall, BRIDGES hosted a Gandhi King Youth Conference, and on January 17, it was all about celebrating the birthday of one of the most influential leaders in our history, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. First, the students were split into ten groups and sent to different rooms around the BRIDGES center to start the first of three workshops. The first work- shop had the students to complete a Full Value Con- tract and a timeline of Dr. King’s life. At BRIDGES, we start every activity of with a Full Value Contract. It sets the tone for the group and how each activity will go from there. For the Full Value Contract, we had each student share a characteristic which they believe students should bring to each day, such as respect or open-mindedness. After we wrote the words on the contract we had each student sign it, saying that they will follow this Full Value Contract the group had created. The students then started on a timeline assign- ment. For the timeline, each student was given a slip of paper which stated a specific event in Dr. King’s life. They were told to share their event with other students, and afterwards were given five minutes to put the timeline together. After they wrote down their finished timeline, the facilitator would read out the correct answers to the timeline, to see if the group’s timeline was correct. If not, the group, with the help of the facilitator, would recreate the time- line until it was true to Dr. King’s life. Afterwards, the facilitator would ask the famous question here at BRIDGES, “So, what did we just do?” After ev- ery activity we ask the group this question to have them reflect on the activity they just completed. The students then explained what they just did, and what they learned from this activity. By creating this timeline, the students gained insight into the life of such an influential leader and how he accomplished so much throughout his life. They learned key parts of what made Dr. King’s legacy special, including non-violence, justice, and dedication. After mapping out the life of Dr. King, the stu- dents moved on to the second workshop, in which they created items for the Locker Project. The RACE Locker Project challenged students to create their own original art piece designed for display in a free-standing traditional school locker. The art- work was based on their artistic views of the follow- ing questions: What is race? What is Racial Justice? What does race mean to you? What is Racial Eq- uity? Has your life been affected by race? The piec- es of artwork the students created are to be shown at the Pink Palace Family of Museums. There were collages made, poems written, and even sculptures created representing peace and justice. After the students had created their piece of art, they were told to gather in a circle and share with the group what their creation meant. It was fascinating to see all the various creations the students came up with. The Locker Project will be an amazing exhibit at the Pink Palace, so BRIDGES recommends everyone to go see it. Last but not least, the students moved onto work- shop three, where they created a “word cloud.” Each student came up with three words that to them de- fined racial justice and Dr. King’s message. They would then share their three words with the group. If other students had that same word, they would raise their hand, and then the facilitator would tally how many students put that word. The words with the greatest amount of tallies would be the biggest words in the word cloud, whereas the words that did not have a lot of tallies would decrease in size. It was fascinating to see which words were popular through out the group, and also which words the students chose as their top three to describe racial justice. There were words such as respect, voice, unity, freedom, and courage. Once each group finished their word cloud, each group returned to the High Adventure Hall for the last event of the day. The students gathered around and sang “Happy Birthday” to Dr. King. After sing- ing the traditional song, the DJ changed it to Ste- vie Wonder’s version and from the ceiling, balloons dropped. The students ran around, singing, danc- ing, and laughing, celebrating this important holi- day. There is no better way to celebrate than to have balloons drop from the ceiling and students from all over Memphis celebrating together. This is what BRIDGES is all about: uniting kids with diverse backgrounds and bringing them together just as Dr. King would have wanted. This concluded the day’s festivities. The students each grabbed a cupcake and said their goodbyes. I heard students describe the evening using words like reflection, creativity, nonviolence, and fun! The Birthday Celebration was a success. Happy Birth- day, Dr. King! BRIDGES thanks you for your cour- age and dedication to racial justice. Without your actions, we would not have brought students from all over Memphis together to celebrate your legacy. “We have inherited a large house, a great ‘world house’ in which we have to live togeth- er—black and white, Easterner and Westerner, Gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Mus- lim and Hindu—a family unduly separated in ideas, culture and interest, who, because we can never again live apart, must learn some- how to live with each other in peace.” -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. BY EMILY CRENSHAW BRIDGES Intern/Staff Writer BRIDGES Honors Legacy of Dr. King Conference unites diverse backgrounds EMILY CRENSHAW/Staff Photographer BUILDING BRIDGES: MLK conference brought together community youth from diverse backgrounds
- 6. To Keep InTouch features March 2014Page 6 My Freedom Is Ice Skating My body may age, but my mind will stay young I’ve much left to do, Many songs to be sung. Many roads to be traveled, Much love to express, Many souls that need aid, Who are now in distress. I will do what I can to help brighten your day I will spread cheer and love as I pass by your way The world is my oyster, to have and to hold, Why, I’m really too busy to ever grow old. BY MILA SHAW Contributing Writer Sometimes I wonder if God thinks I ask for too much. Forgive me, Lord, for what I feel, I seem so out of touch. Oftentimes, I feel a little shy when problems of the day start crowding in upon my mind And hurt gets in the way, you know the way in which I feel, you share my every dream. Forgive me, Lord, my doubts and fears, and if I ask too much, My room is quiet and I can pray; I want to keep in touch. BY TRACEY COLE Contributing Writer When I was a child, I wanted to be an ice skater. I watched ice skating, I took ballet, and I wanted to skate across the ice and jump and spin. But I couldn’t roller skate, and only every once in a while did we come to the Mall of Memphis to skate. And I spent more time sitting on the ice than gliding across it. I got good at getting up, but I never got good enough to jump and spin. Why did I want to ice skate? To move to the music, to feel free, to go fast and almost out of control, to be graceful. Too Busy BY TRACEY COLE Contributing Writer My Freedom is… My birthright. My Freedom is… GOD given. My Freedom is… EQUAL rights. My Freedom is… CIVIL rights. My Freedom is… FREE choice. My Freedom is… MY choice. My Freedom is… My choice to be happy. My Freedom is… My choice to sing. My Freedom is… My choice to dance. My Freedom… Should be just that. FREE! My Freedom… To love and be loved. My Freedom is… To be accepting and to be accepted. BY CYNTHIA CRAWFORD Contributing Writer Poetry BILL PIACESI/Focus for the Good
- 7. A picture speaks athousand words.” Cli- ché? Yes, but like many clichés, it rings true—particularly for Rhodes College students Megan Doolin and Jenna Sullivan. These two, the brains behind the original photo project Unsheltered:Unseen, operate based on this very philosophy: that a picture can both influence and inspire those who take the time to look. The project’s objective? To employ photography as a means to present honestly the lives of homeless individuals. The slogan? “Hand someone a photo and they’ll see the world. Hand someone a camera and you’ll see theirs.” How did this project get started? Jenna Sullivan: We were founded in 2009 by then-Rhodes student Justin Deere. Basically, it was a response to new legislation passed by Mayor Wharton that December. According to the new law, homeless people occupying many spaces in the Midtown and downtown areas were subject to arrest. Justin thought this legislation failed to take the homeless community’s perspective into consideration. He was a volunteer for More than Art at Idlewild Presbyterian Church, so he was learning a lot about the empowerment that comes with artistic expression. He wanted to create a new project that offered the artistic perspectives of marginalized people in Memphis. Photography was the method he thought could best express those perspectives. What is the goal of Unsheltered:Unseen? Megg Doolin: The goal of the project is to respond to homelessness, hunger, and social injustice in our community by offering frequently silenced people a way to share their stories. The photos expose a point of view that is often unseen or undervalued. JS: We believe that art is a valuable part of change in a community. We hope that these photos might serve as a catalyst to change conversations about homelessness in Memphis. I know that my own thinking has changed because of these photos. Tell us more about the camera process. How do you distribute them? JS: The camera process has evolved over the last few years but our basic model of distribution has stayed the same. We purchase roughly 100 cam- eras in February. Each camera is numbered. We have four community partners that serve as our distribution sites: More than a Meal at Idlewild Presbyterian, St. John’s Methodist Church Soup Kitchen, H.O.P.E., and Manna House. In March, we put together teams to pass out cameras at each of these sites. Each photographer fills out an artist registration form with their name and the number of the camera they received. This way we’re able to discern which photos belong to which artists when we get the cameras back a few weeks later. Last, we distribute 4x6 copies of the photographs back to the artists. Why disposable cameras? JS: They’re relatively inexpensive, easy to distrib- ute, and yet still produce quality photographs. We are shocked each year by the high quality that’s possible with disposable film. From what you’ve observed, how is the homeless community impacted by this project? MD: From what I’ve heard and read, many of the artists enjoy that they are handed a device that requires them to stop and pay attention to some- thing they wouldn’t normally notice. Rather than just tucking a memory away in their minds, they are able to keep a copy as a reminder. JS: Our project is unique in that we can never re- ally know what our impact is. This whole process is a subjective experience. That being said, I do hope that our participants have felt like someone cared enough to invest in their story. To me, that is impactful. Tell us about the response you’ve gotten from previous shows. JS: I think people have a wide range of reactions to these photographs. Some of the photos capture wonderful moments—two friends laughing to- gether or beautiful trees in the forest. And others are more shocking. I think all of these reactions are important. Whenever someone is challenged to consider another person’s life experience, a community is strengthened in some way. Why photography? Why not writing or music? JS: We live in a visual culture. Theoretically, I think the project could expand to include other forms of artistic communication. But for now, we feel that photography is the most accessible and meaning- ful way for our artists to share their point of view. Our project is called Unsheltered:Unseen because we want these points of view to be visible. What has been the hardest part of putting to- gether this project? JS: I think our biggest challenge throughout this project has been defining our own identity as a project. We have struggled to understand and articulate our mission in various settings. I also think we have been portrayed as out-of-touch college students who are just naïvely passing out cameras. But we are working on strengthening our understanding of who we are and what our mis- sion is. This year, we are renewing our commit- ment to our artists. We want this project to be less about us and more about them. What do you feel has been Unsheltered:Unseen’s greatest success? MD: The most exciting part of the process for me is the exhibition at the end of the project. At the show, the artists are able to see their work on the wall, talk to people about their work, and just cel- ebrate their achievements. What are your future hopes for the initiative? JS: I hope that this can grow into a sustainable project that will last for years to come. I also hope that we continue to evolve and challenge ourselves to consider new ways of doing things. Ultimately, I hope that we always work hard to think about what we are doing and how we are doing it. I never want this project to become so routine that it loses its relevance and commitment to the artists. So... when’s the show? MD: The show will be the evening of Friday, April 25th at Crosstown Arts Gallery. JS: Find our website at www.unshelteredunseen.org and like us on Facebook! BY KATIE BUTLER Staff Writer featuresMarch 2014 Page 7 Unsheltered:Unseen Innovative project aims to capture homeless lives through film Courtesy of Odell Johnson
- 8. May 2013-August 2013 TheBridge is one of the first fledg- ling companies to undergo the Start Co. startup accelerator program. March 21, 2013 Volunteer Jim McLellan meets Theddy Wilkes, a poet who says he’s heard The Bridge accepts poetry submissions. He reads Jim a poem called “It’s Amazing.” “You’re amazing,” Jim says. The Bridge has since published six of Theddy’s original poems. August 2013 3000 copies of the August issue are printed and sold in the pa- per’s most successful month yet. October 5, 2013 The Commercial Appeal’s “Faith in Memphis” section includes two articles from staff writers as well as a featured panel of homeless and formerly homeless contributors. The first issue of The Bridge, 12 pages in length and themed “Origins,” is released. The Bridge holds its official launch party at Rhodes College. June 2013 The Bridge has its first community table at a festival in Overton Park. Says community outreach coordinator Jim McLellan: “Someone had pictures [of the event] since [co-director] James was out of town. When James saw the pictures of the event, he was wondering who the “old guy” was. Of course, it was me, but I was new and James and I hadn’t met.” Happy Birthday, The Bridge! The Bridge is celebrating its first year! Take a look back at the past twelve months’milestones as we continue to work to bridge the gap. March 2014 in-de
- 9. October 2013 November 28,2013 Vendor Theddy Wilkes reads his original poetry on Mid-South NPR station WKNO 91.1 as part of a special Thanksgiving broadcast. The Bridge does a presentation at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral featuring vendor Linda Bozant. Says Jim McLellan, “Linda brought down the house. I’m teary remembering when she told [us] about her homelessness… she broke into tears telling everyone that the peo- ple of the paper had become family for her.” The Bridge becomes an official 501(c)(3) non- profit organization. January 28, 2014 Executive Staff and Board members of The Bridge gather at EmergeMemphis to work with Don Hutson, an expert on business strategy and entrepreneurship. February 15, 2014 March 2014 The Bridge’s staff peaks at 50 Rhodes College student volunteers. The Bridge publishes its twelfth issue. Thank you, readers! Page 9epth Photos Courtesy The Bridge Archives
- 10. features March 2014Page10 W hen I asked Ms. Cynthia Crawford (fondly known as “C.C.”) to tell me the biggest difference between the life- style of a homeless man and that of a homeless woman, she very astutely responded, “I don’t re- ally know, because I’ve never been a homeless man.” Research on the subject of the condition of home- lessness often focuses on homeless men and gener- ally neglects homeless women. Why such a disparity? Where is the research dedicated to the investigation into the female experience of homelessness? Such crucial questions prompt us to dissect homelessness further and to grapple with issues than many mem- bers of our society would rather leave unexplored. Through my own research, I stumbled upon a study conducted by Madeleine Stoner for the Social Service Review that illuminates some of the key problems of the female experience of homelessness. She writes, “as women and their families continue to enter the ranks of the homeless—as victims of the economy, of landlords, of a depleted mental health system, and of spouses— society can no longer neglect them.” In order to under- stand how women experience homelessness, we must first identify the primary cause of their departure from the sheltered world. Researchers seem to largely agree on this point—that the majority of homeless women are forced to live on the streets due to the mentally and physically harmful repercussions of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse attaches its most destructive roots in povertystrickenareasoflargecities,wherethereisalack ofsafe,affordablehousing.Thistoxicenvironmentisthe settingofsuchabuseinwhichthedominantpartneruses violence as a form of control over the victim. If a wom- an is victimized by her partner or spouse, she will likely desire an outlet for escape. And if the situation becomes dire enough, she will likely leave home permanently. Other pressures may arise from domestic abuse that can further incentivize a woman to flee on her own. For example, a landlord may threaten to evict tenants that attract police or court attention for their abusive relationship. The threat of eviction, though sometimes warranted, creates a snowball effect that works against the victimized woman. The abusive male could become violent if he feels as though his resistant spouse or partner is attracting too much at- tention from the landlord. He may begin to exert con- trol over his spouse by isolating her from those who would care for her, such as family, friends, and sup- port groups. Thus, when the woman decides to leave home to seek a new life without abuse, she has no one to turn to for aid. She finds herself lost and alone. According to a pamphlet provided by the Ameri- can Civil Liberties Union, a nation-wide 2003 sur- vey of homeless mothers found that one quarter had been physically abused in the past year. In San Di- ego in 2004, almost 50 percent of homeless women were domestic violence victims. In fact, this number may actually be much higher due to those women’s reluctance to report domestic violence because of shame or fear of reprisal. Furthermore, women with household incomes of less than $7,500 a year are seven times more likely to experience domestic vio- lence than women with incomes over $7, 500. This means that it is extremely likely for a woman escap- ing domestic abuse to enter homelessness although she is completely unable to support herself financially. These kinds of hostile relationships leave many women feeling extremely low levels of self esteem. This negative mental state hinders their progress as they struggle to find help on the streets. Similarly, poor family relationships between mothers and daughters or fathers and daughters could cause a young woman, or even a teenager, to flee from home in an act of es- cape. This sort of home environment led C.C. to run away with her newborn daughter at the age of eighteen. That was when she first experienced homelessness. Once a woman begins living on the streets, she will immediately encounter many challenges exclu- sive to her sex. First, she must deal with the prob- lem of public perception. In the 60s and 70s, home- less women in popular culture were often perceived as “derelict eccentrics” who elected that lifestyle on their own accord. That could not be farther from the truth, both then and now. This false stereotype led to many social service groups favoring men over women as they consider the homeless women as “less needy” than men, especially because they are able to receive more support from the general public than men. As a consequence, as Stoner puts it, the women “fall be- tween the threads of the safety net, into the streets.” Researchers agree that women receive more public as- sistance and money from friends, family, and passersby than men do on a daily basis; however, in order to sur- vive, many women are forced to panhandle, deal drugs, shoplift,orbecomeprostitutes.Theseoptionsforincome are particularly dangerous for women because they are constantly put at risk of sexual abuse and rape. Studies also show that women are much more likely to trade sexual favors for food, shelter, and other necessities. In addition to the challenge of avoiding these potentially dangerous outlets, a homeless wom- an often feels unsafe and unable to protect her- self against the strength of male perpetrators. “For the most part, men don’t walk around scared,” explains C.C. in response to my question about the challenges that women face on the streets. “They are normally perceived as the stronger sex, and so their safety may not always be at the forefront of their minds.” C.C. also mentions another challenge that women must face on the street: maintaining personal hygiene. “Women more commonly want to be fancy-fied,” she says with a knowing smile. “They want to be pampered with womanly touches.” The societal pressure women face to be aesthetically pleasing adds extra anxiety to theiralreadyhighlevelsofstress.Moreover,feelingdirty furthers their pre-existing feelings of worthlessness and shame, which can be a massive blow to self-esteem. Aware of the nuances of the female experience of homelessness, C.C. once took it upon herself to de- liver care packages to homeless women throughout Memphis. What was in those care packages? “I didn’t want it to be hotel soaps,” says C.C. “I wanted it to be body spray, and nail polish, lip gloss, a little mir- ror, a little body cream, and a full-sized bar of soap... and cough drops. The kinds of things your average church doesn’t think of.” She wanted these women to feel more feminine, and “a little pampered.” She told me that the women to whom she gave those care packages were overwhelmed with thankfulness. Other challenges that a woman may face on the streets involve her reproductive health. Health issues of par- ticular importance to women include family planning, pregnancy, female genitourinary problems, and sexu- ally transmitted diseases. These issues are more com- monly (or only) seen in women rather than in men. If a homeless woman is pregnant or becomes preg- nant on the streets, she risks pregnancy complica- tions due to a lack of prenatal care, poor nutrition, stress and anxiety, and exposure to violence. Home- less women also may have little choice as to the tim- ing and circumstances surrounding conception. They could become pregnant due to victimization or rape, the need for economic survival, a lack of ac- cess to contraceptives, and even a desire for inti- macy. More often than not, that desire for intimacy stems from a previously bad domestic relationship. For these reasons and more, it is absolutely impera- tive that a community provide access to reproduc- tive health care or at the very least contraceptives. Homeless women are in great need for family plan- ning services and social services to care for children. C.C. opens up to me about her personal experience with these issues of reproductive health. Luckily, she set plans in action for her children before she cared for herself. C.C. sent all her children to foster care then be- gan the process of working toward being a functioning member of the community. “I looked at my children as a burden,” she explains. And she knew that she had to part with them until she could back back on her feet. Members of the community can help homeless wom- en indirectly by spreading awareness about the benefits of adoption and social services. C.C. reflects positively on the decision that she made years ago. “Have you ever had something that you just worked so hard for, and it felt like it was never going to come through... and then all of a sudden you get to that transition period when it’s finally coming about, it’s almost like a feeling of total disbelief. It’s like, am I dreaming? Pinch me! If I had to go back and make the same decision again, I would.” As of February, C.C. currently lives with her two daughters whohavereturnedfromfostercareinWashington,D.C. Luckily, many programs for homeless women exist in Memphis. Beyond institutions provided by the govern- ment and Planned Parenthood, there are quite a few support groups that appeal to women experiencing homelessness and/or domestic abuse. These groups in- clude H.O.P.E.’s Women’s Caucus, several birth mother adoption support groups, OHC (Outreach Housing & Community), and Door of Hope. C.C. spends her days each week participating in all of these groups. Com- munity members are welcome to volunteer at these programs that reach out to help homeless and previ- ously homeless women who still suffer from the effects of their time on the streets. Reflecting on her time on the streets, C.C. says, “Whether I was on the streets or in the shelter, I felt like I had disappeared. Like no- body saw me. My self-confidence was non-existent.” But there’s hope. C.C. shares a few last inspiring words: “Becoming a part of groups like Door of Hope, OHC, and H.O.P.E,” she says, “showed me that I’m still valuable. These people stand up, and it’s not like ‘Oh here’s your soup, move on.’ It’s like ‘Hey, C.C.! How are you doing?’ It showed me that I’ve been through these things, I’m going through these things, but it has all made me stronger. It has built me up because at one pointIwasliterallypickingmyselfupbythebootstraps.” She pauses for a moment before continuing. “I’m not going to sit back and just exist. I’m going to live, be- cause God gave me a life to live. So I’m going to live it.” Women on the Streets How does being female impact the homeless experience? BY NICOLE HUGULEY Staff Writer
- 11. features Page 11March2014 Mentors Courtesy of David Blackwell BY PONYTAIL BOB Contributing Writer G reetings, friends! If you have been reading the Spotlight column the last few months, you know that I’m trying to identify, acknowl- edge, and thank those people and groups that do so much to help those around them. Their passion and energy is awesome. Today, I would like to share with you the person who was my personal mentor in service or outreach work. My mother’s name was Helen Marie Clyburn and when she got her heart and mind wrapped around a cause, she was like a pitbull with a bone. My mom raised three sons. We were “All Boy.” She supported us through camping trips, deer hunting, hot rods, construction projects, Boy Scouts, baseball teams and much more—always there in whatever ca- pacity we needed her. She was a devoted member and volunteer with her Sunday School classes: the Loyalty class at Rebecca Memorial Methodist Church and lat- er the same class at Ashbury Methodist Church. From my childhood years, I remember her all- powerful presence during the annual March of Dimes fundraising drive. You have to remember that there were no computers, email, or cell phones at that time. In my neighborhood of Bethel Grove, we were lucky to have a phone in our house, and then it was a party line (Kids, ask your grandparents what those were). My mom would take that March of Dimes donation can and walk the whole neighborhood, knocking on every door, seeking dona- tions. As a child, I didn’t understand the focus and determination in her face. Really intense! A few years later (I was maybe 8 or 9 years old), my mother and father explained to me that I would always be their oldest son, but my mother had been pregnant twice before I was born. Both of these children were also boys, but were deliv- ered stillborn. No one knew why back then, but my mother had carried these children to almost full term, only to have them die inside her before delivery. These two events would have shut down a lot of women from ever trying again. I am very grateful for her stubborn- ness, as I am the result of her next pregnancy. Mom refused to be defeat- ed and felt it was her duty to help prevent those and other types of birth defects among other women. She found her vehicle for this passion and energy in the March of Dimes program. Mom was a tough old girl! I loved her greatly, and, later in life, I had the honor of becoming her in-home caregiver for three years, before a major stroke put her in a nursing home. During those three years as her care- giver, my mom also became my best friend. I laughed with her as she told me stories of her as a young girl growing up during the Great Depression. Mom was a wonderful lady and loved her family very much. Her passion for those in pain, those suffering, and those less fortunate was a great example to myself and those around her. I loved her very much and still miss her greatly. Mom, I give God all the glory, but you doing His work was a great example for a young boy. You have been gone now over eight years, but I feel your presence, even now. I do hope you’re proud of what I’m doing! S ince I’ve been homeless, I’ve learned that many people take advantage of homeless people, from the crackhead to the person with “gay” traits. I’ve written about it before: people find someone they think they are “more” than. The crackhead might look down on the gay person, and the alcoholic might look down on both of them. And the gay person (speaking of myself), might spend a lot of time thanking God that he’s not a crackhead or an alcoholic. I’d imagine these two think the same about me, since they imagine themselves to be “more.” And let’s not leave out the businessman who thinks it’s okay to take advantage of people because he went to school to learn how to do it, because it’s not against the law. I remember what Paul said in the Scripture: that we, the poor, make many rich, while we ourselves have nothing. I read that passage many times and didn’t really understand what it meant. Since I’ve been homeless, that bit of scripture came to me again. I guess you might say I was enlight- ened. To put this all in a nutshell, they aren’t going any- where without us, and we aren’t going anywhere without them. And to keep it straight, I’m not talk- ing about color. In my eyes, the only color that really matters these days is green. We are going to fill up their jails, their hospitals, their cemeteries, and their morgues. This is going to go on until the whole world says enough is enough. “My mom would take that March of Dimes donation can and walk the whole neighborhood, knocking on every door, seeking donations.” “I remember what Paul said in the Scripture: that we, the poor, make many rich, while we ourselves have nothing” Is Enough, Enough? BY TONI W. Contributing Writer Ponytail Bob reflects on his mother’s love and generosity
- 12. features March 2014Page12 T he parade started early. People gathered at the slave auction block at Main & Auction well before it began—one man there said he’d never missed a year. To begin, a speaker from the Commission on Religion and Racism “reclaimed” the auction block, announcing plans for a monument to Dr. King in Memphis. The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Parade is an annual celebration of action, honor, and the ongoing fight against discrimination. This year,theCORR-sponsoredeventalsosupportedthe locked-out Kellogg plant workers, who are barred from returning to work until they stop pushing against Kellogg’s cost-cutting initiative to form a lower tier of employees that would leave many with a $6 per hour pay cut. The plant’s unionized workers are part of the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) Local 252G and have been at the picket line since October, campaigning through freezing temperatures. So far, the reception’s been mixed. Many Memphis organizations have have supported the workers’ struggle, but—at least in the workers’ eyes—the city government has been largely absent. For many, the lockout represents not only injustice in the workplace, but the city’s disregard for the blue-collar worker. The march rolled out at 10:30. Marching alongside many of the locked-out workers was David Durkee, the BCTGM International President. Representatives from the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, of which Dr. King was a member, were also in attendance, as well as from representatives from H.O.P.E. and the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, which was founded on King’s initiative of nonviolent action. The parade concluded around 2 at Cane Creek Baptist Church, where representatives from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference commemorated Dr. King’s groundbreaking work. Media coverage of the march has been a little sugar-coated. It’s a frequent hazard when it comes to King’s legacy to focus on a history-book version of his work—one that has become a little too sugar-coated. It’s easy to forget how radical, how intensely pro-worker Dr. King actually was. “All labor that uplifts humanity,” said King, “has dignity and importance.” With this in mind, this year’s parade becomes even more moving—for Memphis, for its workers, and for Dr. King himself. It wasn’t hard to notice that peppered throughout the crowd were signs featuring one of the most iconic civil rights slogans of all time: “I am a man.” MLK Day Parade supports locked-out Kellogg workers BY JENNA TUTTLE Staff Writer A Year of Building Bridges continued from page 1 They all had something to say, from words of encouragement to thoughtful suggestions. Sometimes people just wanted to say thank you. The paper launched mid-March of 2013. Our first issue was only twelve pages long and scrapped together from a pile of submissions from homeless contributors and Rhodes College students. The most powerful pieces came from those who’d been homeless, or were still living on the streets—raw, soulful stories that were usually as weather-worn as the pieces of paper they were handed to us on. Twenty-three currently or formerly homeless individuals showed up to vendor training on the Thursday afternoon that The Bridge launched. Twenty-three people walked out the door of St. Mary’s church with a stack of free papers and smiles on their faces. A launch doesn’t mean you can stop driving, however—much the opposite. We battled vendor disagreements, funding cuts, police harassment, and the constant need for new written content on a daily basis. Perhaps most frustrating was the complexity of building an organization that could cater to the needs of both the homeless and the college students that ran it (after working extensively with both populations, I’m still hard- pressed to say which group dislikes following directions more). Through the start-up frenzy, however, I saw something amazing happening: people were changing. Vendors that were too shy to speak a word during their training session would come back three weeks later and scarcely keep their mouths shut. Turns out selling The Bridge had given them the confidence to begin a conversation again. College students that couldn’t hit a term paper deadline were suddenly pouring their efforts into The Bridge and asking how they could better help. I asked a girl who had recently gotten involved with The Bridge why she had become so invested so fast. She replied, “Because it was the only thing on campus I could find that was real.” A year later, The Bridge is in a very different place than it was when “Closing the gap between homeless and sheltered” was first printed on its masthead. Over 200 members of the homeless community have been trained, and nearly $20,000 has gone directly into the hands of our vendors. That’s $20,000 they earned through cold mornings waving The Bridge on street corners and through reinvesting their earnings into even more newspapers to sell. For many of our homeless vendors, it’s a way of reinvesting in themselves. I’m starting to experience an unexpected sadness more and more often, and it’s because people are leaving. Gene, Ed, Cedric— all names of previously homeless vendors and writers who have gone on to find more permanent work and reintegrated themselves back into society. It’s an odd feeling. I’ve gotten to know these vendors so well, watched them on their journey from homeless to sheltered, that when they finally find themselves no longer in need of The Bridge it’s hard not to wish they would just continue working with us a bit longer. I guess that’s the point, but it’s hard saying goodbye to a friend. For every unexpected sadness, there’s a benefit, though. The Bridge began as an organization bootstrapped into existence by college students, something I always pictured as a temporary measure until we could afford to bring on hired management. As the months progressed, however, that image has changed. I now can’t picture The Bridge run by any other group of people. The students that work with us are dynamic, hard- working, and not afraid of change. They’re only in college for a short time, and for the years they’re here they pour their hearts into The Bridge in a way that makes me grateful we’re not paying hired staff to put in the same amount of creativity. What’s more, it turns out The Bridge has some big benefits for the students as well—for most, this is the first time they’ve been able to fully flex their wings in a real-world setting where their decisions actually matter. It shows: our accountant Dylan, a Rhodes senior, re-imagined our entire accounting system and has been doing our books for the past year. He just landed a full-time job at SunTrust. Real-world experience goes over well in job applications. So where do I fit into all of this? It’s hard to pin down, exactly. Some days I run board meetings, other days I deliver papers to vendors on street corners, fingers trembling from the cold as I pass them a bundle in exchange for a handful of crumpled bills. But more and more, I find my place with The Bridge in paying forward the confidence that the Memphis community gave me before we launched. My job takes me from churches and alleys collecting poetry from vendors to the 23rd floor of the First Tennessee building, looking out at the river from our lawyer’s office. But no matter where I am, I try and tell people the same thing about The Bridge: This is going to work, and you can help. So where do we go from here? It’s hard to say. We’re still only a year old. But if you’re reading this, I do know one thing. This is going to work. And you can help.
- 13. features Page 13March2014 Dorothy Day House ties families and community together BY CAMILLE SMITH Staff Writer F or many families, homelessness means being split apart. Men are sent to the Union Mission. Wom- en and young children find shelter at the Salva- tion Army. Many teenage boys enter foster care. The mission of the Dorothy Day House of Hospital- ity is to address these separations. Since its opening in 2006, the organization has housed 30 families in the wake of trauma, job loss, or poverty. Its values? Safety, the reestablishment of economic independence, and most importantly, togetherness. When asked about the origin of the Dorothy Day House, Executive Director Sister Maureen Griner says, “It began with prayer.” The founders of the house mod- eled its mission after that of activist Dorothy Day, a fig- urehead of the Catholic Worker Movement and a fear- less advocate of those poverty-stricken in New York City during the Great Depression. Inspired by the work of Dorothy Day, Sr. Maureen and the Ministry Team base their ministry on Dorothy Day’s principles. Day's direction to “put a cup of coffee and a pot of soup on the stove, and God will take care of the rest,” is a paradigm for the simplistic, effective way by which the Dorothy Day House is managed. In many ways, this quote has come to fruition. During a discussion of the house’s initial construc- tion process, Sr. Maureen explains that the painters were generous enough to work on the house for free, and that they had also received many gifts of furniture, housing supplies, and other necessities from donors. It has been due to various acts of kindness that the house is what it is today. From my visit, I can see that it is con- tinuing to grow and develop. Pictures of almost every family who has been a guest at the Dorothy Day House line the wall, and after hearing each family’s story, I was amazed to hear how the house of hospitality has helped each family. These families eventually obtained the re- sources to get back on their feet. There are certain requirements that a family must adhere to in order to stay at Dorothy Day House of Hospitality. Since Sr. Maureen and her volunteers are not licensed social workers and have limited tools to address serious issues such as drug addiction or men- tal illness, the Dorothy Day House does not accept guests who struggle with those issues, as they would find more appropriate care elsewhere. Every guest at Dorothy Day House has fallen victim to ordinary, yet unfortunate circumstances. Some individuals endured trauma such as house fires, lost their jobs, or suffered from generational poverty. Dorothy Day House allows these individuals a roof over their heads and a generous familial environment. They are allowed to stay as long as needed in order to get back on their feet. Before a family becomes a guest at Dorothy Day House, they undergo a phone interview with Sr. Mau- reen to make sure the house can provide services to match their needs. From that point, Dorothy Day House Ministry Team members then conduct a face- to-face interview discussing the family’s circumstances and the necessary resources to re-establish their in- dependence. In total, the interview process, including drug testing, can take about forty-eight hours. Once a family becomes a guest at Dorothy Day House, they be- gin to stabilize their lives while also integrating into a supportive community with two other families. When asked about the average day in the life of a guest, Sr. Maureen explains that their day is “just like a normal day in your house.” The children go to school and adults will work or search for a job. The guests also cook for themselves; the kitchen is complete with a stove large enough cook three meals at once. Other than the Sun- day night prayer and the Monday night meal there are no daytime events and activities planned for the guests, which allows them the freedom to lead normal, every- day lives within the boundaries of the house’s code of conduct. The Dorothy Day House of Hospitality stands out from most other charitable organizations in Memphis due to its intense focus on keeping homeless, jobless families together. Upon entering into homelessness, men are often separated from women and children, and it is difficult for families to stay in contact with one another from different locations of shelter. Dorothy Day House recognizes the importance of family, espe- cially in the wake of tragedy. They address this issue by emphasizing togetherness over individual strength and by creating an atmosphere that mirrors that of a fam- ily home. Their unique focus has brought them much success over the years. Sr. Maureen estimates that she must deny ten families a week access due to limited space. Other agencies, including MIFA and the Salva- tion Army, call frequently to check on room availabil- ity. Throughout the years, Dorothy Day House has kept homeless families from separation and offered them a non-discriminatory environment with a platform from which to rebuild their lives together. The success of the Dorothy Day House of Hospital- ity depends largely on the help of private donors. As a non-profit organization, all of its money comes from private donations and charitable organizations. In ad- dition to monetary donations, the house will always accept donations of basic necessities such as toilet- ries, Target and Walgreens gift cards, paper plates, and cleaning supplies. Volunteers or community members may drop these items off at the house at 1429 Poplar Avenue at any time. Please call Sr. Maureen at (901) 355-8997 prior to arrival. To learn more about the Dorothy Day House, go to www.DorothyDaymemphis.org or "like" them on Face- book. CAMILLE SMITH/Staff Photographer COMMUNITY HOME: The Dorothy Day House stands apart from many other charitable organizations; they strive to keep families expereiencing jobless- ness or homelessness together, even when they are typically separated.
- 14. W hat a differencea year makes. This time last year, I spent three weeks in Methodist Hos- pital with all kinds of heart problems. Odds were only about 20 percent that I would survive my treatment. But I did—all I can say is that God is in the mira- cle business. Because of prayer from the many churches I have been associated with, as well as help from the current and for- mer Rhodes College students I have known the past eight years, I survived to tell my story. Thanks be to God! During those three years in the hospital, I started writing again. All my stories and records from my past travels and adventures had been destroyed in a fire— that was about seven years ago. As I faced my own mortality, it seemed appropriate to remember all the family members and other people who helped shape me into the person I became. So I began writing es- says about these wonderful people. It was a way to keep their memories fresh and to honor them for their in- struction and guidance. Parents, grandparents, teachers, former bosses: all these people had a hand in shaping the piece of clay that became the unique and strong-willed man I am today. As long as I followed their guid- ance, I always seemed to do well. But if I struck out on my own with no moral compass to guide me, I would tend to stumble and make a mess of things. It taught me that God always has a plan for us. He has His own way of putting the pieces of our life’s puzzle together. When we stray from his path and guidance, we are far more likely to fail. I have been known to say that if I want to make God start laughing, I just start making plans. He will just slap me upside the head, and He’ll ask me, “Who do you think is in control?” Folks, I have learned to keep God in my life every day. He has bestowed blessings on me in many ways, but the most wonderful blessings are the friends and the groups of people that surround me today. Without all of you, my life would feel empty and without much meaning. Every month, I write my column about people who devote their time to projects and concerns that are big- ger than themselves. These people provide beacons of light to follow in pursuit of the path that God wants us to follow. Stay on this path and follow these beacons of light and you will prosper and enjoy life. Stray from this path, and you may stumble and fall. Just had to do a little reflecting on the past year of my own life. To all the wonderful people working hard to help the less fortunate, God bless you. Don’t be sur- prised if the spotlight shines on you in the coming months! features March 2014Page 14 One Year Ago PT Bob spotlights his personal inspirations in 2013 BY PONYTAIL BOB Contributing Writer He heard my cry long time ago But me being rebellious and hard-headed I made my bed now I have to lay in it He heard my cry as my tears drop He said hold on my child, stay strong, don’t stop He heard my cry when I had doubt, but Now my Faith isn’t small as a mustard Seed, cause the good Lord said breath, breath, breath. He heard my cry in the streets, but He kept my Heart beat, beat, beat As I kept my head to the sky He heard my cry when I had nowhere To sleep He said tell about me with whomever You meet He heard my cry when I was a child He said hold on don’t frown cause I’ll Make sure the trouble of the world will Not keep you down He heard my cry over and over again He said this is where your breakthrough Begin He heard my cry as he said I’ll never Leave you or forsake you I’ll always be your best Friend He heard my cry “The End” The printing and operations of The Bridge are made possible in part by the generous sponsorship of Rhodes College Thank You! He Heard My Cry BY SHANREKA LOVELADY ERVIN Contributing Writer “All my stories and records from my past travels and adventures had been destroyed in a fire—that was about seven years ago”
- 15. filmMarch 2014 Page15 I t’s no secret that the Oscars are problematic. While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scienc- es – that is, the voters ultimately responsible for choosing the winners each year – has made leaps and bounds by way of diversification since its maiden voy- age in 1927, there is still much to be desired. As of last year, nearly 94% of voting members were white, and 77% were male. It is certainly true that an Academy Award is just that: an award. A trophy given by the up- per echelons of the movie business, inviting the win- ners to be a part of the exclusive club. But the award goes on to create a massive signal boost, raising box office tallies and actors’ prestige. All this to say: the Academy Awards’ voting population is too limited, and the golden statues are often taken too seriously. But oc- casionally, that giant signal boost is granted to a film whose signal really deserves boosting. Sometimes, the Academy gets it right. Inocente is one of those times. The film, directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short in 2013 and tells the story of a homeless, undocumented teenage girl named Inocente living in San Diego, California. It begins with her voice, and the entire documentary is filtered through her own words. “Dear people of the world,” she announces, “I’m not just a girl. Just because I’m homeless doesn’t mean I don’t have a life. Because I do have a life.” And then we see her: eyes outlined with dramatic, colorful patterns that extend across her brow line, over her nose, down her cheeks, towards her tem- ples. Her scarf is striped with neon turquoise, and there is a bright yellow flower in her hair. This is hardly the portrait of homelessness that we’re used to seeing. And that is precisely the problem Inocente seeks to remedy. We seldom imagine portraits of homeless individuals in the hues and tints that are so prevalent in Inocente’s life—consider last month’s review of Dark Days, a doc- umentary filmed entirely in black and white. Home- lessness is a bleak subject, but Inocente suggests that the human subjects of these documentaries require vibrant saturation. Their lives are complicated, never confined to black and white (or even gray). Inocente, with all her drive, passion, and personality, demands a full range of color, just as every person experiencing homelessness deserves that same courtesy. That’s not to say that home- lessness should be glossed over as a non-issue, or trans- formed into a lighthearted, triumphant tale of “perse- verance conquers all.” Fine and Nix’s film simply alludes to the vitality and vividness of the individuals on screen, not the situation to which Inocente’s family is subjected. Of course, there are underlying layers of sadness and escapism in all of Inocente’s colorful artwork featured throughout the documentary. Her paintings depict fantastic creatures from other worlds, characters that Inocente plucks straight from her dreams. Perhaps her most compelling piece, which even earns its own chapter in the film, is titled “The Lost Planet.” Inocente explains that it is where she imagines our dreams go as we grow old and abandon them. All our childhood hopes and visions of grandeur, she says, congregate on the mountain peaks which stretch across a salmon sky. In any other film, this sentimentality would feel manipulative, but here, it is wholly appropriate. The documentary itself toes this line between idealism and realism, highlighting Inocente’s artistic triumph while undercutting that with her familial and financial strug- gles. This is ambition and homelessness, impossible dreams and harsh realities. Yet what Inocente does best –- perhaps better than any film I’ve encountered on the subject of homelessness thus far –- is move beyond broad generalizations. Inocente is not defined by her status as an undocumented immigrant or an unhoused child; she is both, but she is more. She is an artist, she is a student, she is a teenage girl with insecurities simi- lar to those of her classmates. She is shy and talented, afraid and diligent, frustrated by her circumstances and frustrating to her struggling mother. What is even more significant, though, is the cause of those circumstances, teased out over Inocente’s forty minute run-time. None of us would presume that homelessness is a choice or an “easy way out” of less-than-ideal situations. But for Inocente’s mother, Carmela, becoming homeless was a way out, and it was a choice very few women are brave enough to make. She and her children were repeatedly abused by her husband—a few times, very nearly killed by him. In a time when women are so often criticized for placing themselves and their families in these com- promising positions, or even blamed for perpetuating the abuse by remaining with the father figure, Inocen- te boldly displays the alternative. Carmela made the choice to save herself and her children by leaving her husband, but the life waiting for her on the other side was less than she’d imagined. In the film, she laments denying Inocente a childhood, despite essentially sav- ing her family’s life. Now, she can’t make ends meet. Since leaving her husband, Carmela and her family have never lived in one place for longer than three months. So Inocente paints. “My life depends on being an artist,” she says as she drips more color onto her lat- est piece. In a sense, she has become nostalgic about a childhood she never had, splattering these imagined memories across her canvases. Because Inocente lacks a physical home-base, her artwork becomes her ref- uge, her safe space. The film’s close takes care to em- phasize the act of signing the paintings, as if to stress the importance of identity in the face of extreme hard- ship. Her name, written in bold cursive, has found a home on the edges of each new piece of work. Her multifaceted identity as a student, as a teenage girl, and as an ambitious artist is contained within that signature. Ultimately, Inocente’s portrait of homeless- ness is vastly different from those we have seen in the past because it is told through Inocente’s own perspec- tive, using her own color palette. Perhaps we should hand the paintbrush over to the experts more often. BY ANNA LOCKHART Staff Writer Inocente tells undocumented story of artist in living color INOCENTE SCREENSHOT/Directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix (2)INOCENTE SCREENSHOT/ Directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix (3)INOCENTE SCREENSHOT/ Directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix
- 16. CORENA HASSELLE/Staff GraphicDesigner Page 16 March 2014