His return to Washington D.C. is a special one for both staff and vendors. His presence is felt and welcomed with great joy. August Harrington Mallory was there from the very beginning. He was the vendor that first pioneered the sale of the Street Sense newspaper on the streets of Washington. More than that, he is an inspiration to many.
An avid writer and movie watcher, Mallory has developed various interests. He’s passionate about reading mystery novels and going on walks. However, when talking about advocacy work, his demeanor changes. It’s obvious that he lives for this work and longs to bring about change.
Since moving west, he has become a vendor at another street paper, Real Change in Seattle, Washington. In addition, he has brought his passion for helping the poor to a Seattle-based advocacy organization, Washington Low Income Alliance. From personal experience, he understands the issues of homelessness. He loves what he does.
Before becoming a vendor and advocate, Mallory spent time in a few different places. Growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana, things weren’t always easy, but he made the most of what life had to offer. He recalls that his parents raised him to be an “upstanding citizen” and wanted him to do well in school so he could earn a decent living. After he graduated, Mallory enlisted in the Navy, which he enjoyed. Following his time in the Navy, he decided that he wanted to move to South Carolina to work and was hired at a warehouse. After a couple of years, there was talk about the warehouse shutting down. He thought it was a rumor, but one day when he showed up to work, the warehouse was being shuttered. Mallory’s boss described him as one of his most hardworking and reliable employees, but could only apologize.
In an instant, Mallory’s life changed. He had a little leeway on his rent, so he searched for jobs. He searched day and night, without luck. Jobs at that time in South Carolina were very scarce. Eventually, Mallory lost his apartment. He recalls losing hope as he called organizations for help. United Way of South Carolina gave him a list of shelters. He remembers them reading him the rules and regulations on his first trip to a shelter. This is something he’d continue to experience for years to come.
Mallory describes one particular experience he had in detail. He was out searching for work, lost track of the time, and missed curfew. He had to find somewhere to sleep because the shelter had closed. Mallory decided to walk to a park, where he intended to lay down for a couple hours before resuming his search. “As I was laying down, sleeping, I heard this ruffle through the bushes and then a huge noise. There was this half crazed man and he had an object in his hand and he just missed my head by inches,” he recalls.
After living in South Carolina, Mallory was made aware of services being offered in Washington DC. He decided that he would move to the District, and in 2003, he found Street Sense.
According to Mallory, getting the paper up and running took about a year. Selling it was hard at first since people didn’t know about it, but people eventually warmed up to him. He went to shelters and soup kitchens to spread the word. He would get more vendors and slowly the paper started to grow. Mallory states that although Street Sense was operating out of a small space, the organization had a lot of heart. Writing stories and reporting on issues of homelessness was fulfilling. One of his mystery series turned out to be a huge hit, bringing him incredible enjoyment. He travelled and reported on homelessness in other cities. He was so innovative in the stories he told that many readers would recognize him in public. Mallory is happy with the changes he has seen with Street Sense. The organization has grown and he hopes it continues to. In 2006, Mallory left Street Sense to gain more experience with street newspapers, and began working at Real Change in Seattle. He loves the work he does and works with many different populations. He looks forward to working with veterans in the upcoming months.
While Street Sense has changed over the years, Mallory believes the purpose is still the same. “People in poverty need this newspaper. People not in poverty need to be educated on issues of homelessness. They need to look at this problem not as a nuisance, but as a situation where people are in dire need”. Mallory intends to continue his advocacy work and hopes to always be able to return to the place where it all began.
