The National Alliance Conference to End Homelessness Capitol Hill Day visit was a different experience this year. It was done virtually with people with lived experience, advocates and Continuum of Care providers from across the country speaking with their representatives.
Here in D.C., we had a small group of about 10, primarily people with lived experience. We were speaking to the community, asking about current legislation. There were those in the lived experience community who spoke passionately about new approaches to addressing homelessness and the housing crisis in the District. We are looking at ways of creating holistic health and wellness programs that could better serve those experiencing homelessness in D.C. We had the opportunity to meet with a staff member of Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton. Bridget Lawson had been brought up to date on several policies and legislation being discussed here in the District. Members of the organization People for Fairness Coalition were able to educate her on the Human Rights Enhancement Act to add District residents experiencing housing instability as a protected class. Lawson expressed her support for any legislation passed by the D.C. Council.
I hope this is not the new norm, doing everything virtually. I think we have more of an impact when we’re able to go into the halls of Congress and meet with our representatives in person. I also appreciate all the work the alliance has done to make sure we were all informed about pending legislation and engaging our elected officials in addressing the housing crisis.
These days of Covid-19 and more deaths becoming an everyday thing have been very hard. I kind of wish we could have a moratory on death, no more people dying until the sun and the moon collide. No more tears to cry, no more prayers, no more families having to arrange funerals and no more people I love dying.
