When I was informed we’d be publishing our 500th edition, I was amazed that this experiment in journalism, employment and empowerment of the poor and homeless had lasted this long. Needless to say, this milestone snuck up on me. I’ve been connected with Street Sense for so long that I’d lost count of the years, let alone the number of editions.
I proudly carry badge #64, and about 700 vendors have received a badge in Street Sense’s history. I was around as we hit the streets trying to sell those early editions and remember the first interactions with the public who knew little about the street newspaper movement. The crusade had its start in New York City after the publishing of Lee Stringer’s book, “Grand Central Winter,” which chronicles his experiences living on the streets. Instead of panhandling, Stringer pushed for selling papers to gain an income.
As a monthly publication, we had to constantly resell folks with each new edition. It was almost like the movie “Groundhog Day” sales-wise. But I had some experiences to draw on because of my work with the Cincinnati street paper Streetvibes. Because of that, unlike a lot of struggling vendors, I was able to weather the storms as we got traction with a caring public.
In 2003 when Street Sense kicked off as a monthly publication, there were already stable street newspaper outlets all over the country and Canada as part of the North American Street Newspaper Association. The National Coalition for the Homeless’ Donald Whitehead and Michael Stoops were a part of its early leadership. I got my start with the movement in 1997 with Streetvibes and was mentored by some of the movement’s early leaders. When Donald told me there’d be a paper starting in D.C., I knew I wanted in.
At the time, I was personally dealing with multiple issues that prevented me from making any progress on ending my homelessness. The thought of being able to work for myself was exciting because I couldn’t for the life of me keep a steady job. I needed the freedom of being my own boss with the ability to set my own schedule. Like the lead character in “Apocalypse Now,” I needed a mission to save myself from the self-inflicted abyss I found myself in.
Getting that first issue on the streets must have been a Herculean task with a staff of Ted Henson and Laura Thompson Osuri, plus a dedicated group of volunteers later joined by the likes of Mary Otto and David Hammond. They spent so many hours doing what needed to be done to get those early issues out for us to sell. The National Coalition for the Homeless provided office space, initial seed money and guidance from street paper veterans on staff. That team’s work and help from donors is the real behind-the-scenes reason for the present-day miracle of Street Sense. The paper’s staff established a solid foundation for the future with expectations of excellence that shaped the paper’s ability to reach this milestone and the 20th anniversary later this year. Without these events, there’d be no present stable employment vehicle for me, other writers and vendors to fully or partially support ourselves in a way that gives us the dignity and respect that may have been missing in our lives because of our housing challenges.
But I shouldn’t have been surprised. Street Sense got off to a great start as a result of these great individuals who cared deeply about the plight of those experiencing homelessness. Together, they were able to create a street newspaper that has stayed true to the original mission, unlike some others. Over the following years, it was able to help close the income gap between vendors experiencing homelessness and those who are employed and housed. They were now truly self-employed and due to their own efforts earn a decent income. This paper is about the American Dream.
I had no idea when I started with Street Sense that one day we’d stand here at edition number 500 almost 20 years later. I sometimes wonder what the odds were then that we’d last so long at a time when print media has rapidly disappeared.
It’s said you can bet on anything in Las Vegas. My guess is those odds were at least 1,000 to one or higher at the start of Street Sense, yet here we are today celebrating this awesome achievement. It’s a testimony to all the hard work from a group of wonderfully committed people. I am proud to be counted among them
