The homeless community

Jacqueline Martinez

Anthropology 346 / TR: 2:00p.m.

Professor Scheld

Final Narrative

The Misfortune

            Throughout the existence of human beings, we have dealt with social inequalities and discrimination.  Majority of the past struggles were based on racial injustices.  The dominant group being the white community saw the black/brown people as a threat.  Therefore, they would do anything in their will to eliminate the colored population.  Unfortunately, today’s world is no different.  People are still excluding others for not having money, education and many other categories.  A group that is marginalized from the society is the homeless/poor.  These individuals are constantly finding themselves in difficult situations where they have no place to go, no food to eat, no clothing, no family, and no hope.  It is very important to try and help make a difference in the lives of the poor.  No one knows how their lifestyle was or what caused them to be in the situation that they are in.  Therefore, people should not judge the homeless or look at them as being pests in the society.  These individuals are human beings and deserve a second chance and by that I am referring to a helping had from the community. 

            Technically, what I have focused on about the homeless, has not been based on what I think, I have collected facts and personal information from them.  My goal was to understand the struggles that they face on a regular basis and to also obtain feedback from parents that attend parks, which is known to be a place where the homeless gather at night.  I have felt the necessity in me to try and find out why they are where they stand? How people usually treat them? What they do when they are constantly being looked upon as a threat to children?  It is very important to help change peoples perspective and views about the homeless. Instead of judging these individuals they should help them change their life around.  They are part of our population and of our city, if we do not help, the consequences will be that they will die knowing that they were never wanted in an injustice society.

            One early morning, I decided to go for a drive around the city of North Hollywood. I was looking around in every corner, in every dark empty space in hopes of finding generous individuals trying to help the homeless community. By that, I am referring to giving them food, money, clothing, etc. I notice the homeless community to be very thin, with a pale complexion. As a few of the men start approaching the streets to try and see if they can obtain any money to buy a meal, everyone they asked ignored them. Sadly, people made comments like, "no I do not want to give you money to use on drugs." It was just extremely lugubrious to witness and it just made me so angry of how people are so selfish that they cannot even spare a dollar. These people are asking for help and they are being rejected, excluded and deprived.

            While arriving to the park it was already dark but luckily the park was surrounded by lights and people. The weather around the atmosphere was pretty fresh, not too cold and not too hot, just about right. I noticed around my perimeter that there was no homeless men at the park and I am sure that it probably had to do with the fact that it was 6:30 in the afternoon. Several guys were either playing basketball, while others were playing soccer. I noticed that in the park there was an estimate of 50 people, 7 were women and the rest were boys and men. The men (males) that were arriving were heading straight towards the basketball court while women that were at the park or arriving were supporting their children during soccer practice or supervising their children play on the swings. I noticed a lot of men walking their dogs around the park and a few others sitting down smoking cigars. It was just interesting how everyone in the park focused on a specific activity.

            The next morning I arrived to the park and noticed a few people either playing basketball or walking their dogs. On the grass area behind a fence I noticed a homeless man sleeping, covered in a thin blanket. No one was really able to see him because most of the people that were at the park did not focus on anything other than themselves and their children/friends. In addition, I saw two young homeless men around their mid 20’s sitting on a bench with their face against the table, and the other laying on the bench as if though it were a bed. It was very sad to witness this and not be able to do anything about it. Around an hour later, the sun rose, they woke up and left the park.

As I drove around other parks to see if I saw any other homeless men or women, I noticed that they weren’t any. That is when I realized and had an understanding of how their schedule works. In the morning they wake up and try to find people that will spare some change and with the money that they receive they go and buy food. At night when it is really dark they go to the park, to a place they like to call home.

Interview

-Jason

How is the homeless community affecting you?

The homeless community affects me in a sensitive way, only a sympathetic way, you want to help those people who put themselves in that situation we don’t know their life story we do not know what they are going through. It affects me because it makes me a more sensitive person, it makes me more grateful for what I have, it doesn’t make everyone grateful for what they have because sometimes you see people just walking by and not caring. It makes me want to help but there is something that still doesn’t push me to help, like yes sometimes you throw in a couple of bucks or give them food but I think that there is more that we can do to help them with. It is hard to just pick some one up from the street and tell them to come home in to my house, you can live with me. I think that together we can start helping without the fear of, “this person is going to grab me and take advantage,” no I mean approach the person here and there and try to give them a second chance, don’t we all get second chances in life, why can’t they? But till this day it affects me and everyone else, I hope in a sensitive way, in a caring way, in a giving way, In a grateful way which makes us thankful for certain things that we have that they do not have.

            In Engels article he explains briefly how the city is separated into two specific categories, the working class and the rich.  The working class from his perspective is not really noticeable through the eyes of the rich. Unfortunately, the working class is not gratified for their hard work nor are they seen as people that should be admired.  The rich usually see the working class as being uncivilized.  Engels criticizes the rich as having everything that they are content with but they are unaware of who shipped them the items that they have or made most of them (shoes, shirts, socks, sweaters, etc).  He mentions that there seems to be a wall built in between, to separate the working class with the rich.  Therefore, the rich is lackadaisical towards the working class.

            The working class live in areas where they do not have proper sewage, live in crowded spaces and their surroundings is unsanitary.   The question is why? It is very detrimental to say yet truthful, we live in a world of inequality and injustice.  The dominant community, referring to the white will always supersede the working class. People that are rich are not going to care about anyone else besides themselves, if they live in a home, drive the nicest cars, have the best paying jobs, why are they going to care about helping or making a difference in the working class/ poor? It is a very despondent feeling for all, especially for the homeless.  The increase in poverty will continue as the years go by.  People that live in Los Angeles for example; Macarthur park, are surrounded by the homeless community and that has originated by the lack of jobs, money, and education. Lamentably, the working class work their whole lives to try and provide for their family.   As for Beverly Hills, has been depicted as the city of the “rich,” where the homeless or those of the working class are not welcomed.  The city is filled with shopping centers, the best hair salons, and the best brands.  It is just very aggravating to see Beverly Hills building more shopping centers while on the other hand, the working class is being left out of the picture.  Cities that need improvement or new buildings should be the ones that are receiving the help needed to make that happen, not cities that are already uprising and superseding others.  As Engels points out, a city will continue to be divided in two and the rich will continue to be blind, for they cannot see those who are suffering behind the wall. 

            Engels perspective about the city definitely depicts my project on the homeless community.  The bums on the streets are begging for help and they are being ignored or neglected.  They try to get the peoples attention, yet, they are not seen as humans, they are seen as nothing.  It is very depressing to see these elderly people on the streets at night without any jackets just a simple thin blanket to make it through the night.  Inequality existed decades ago and it is still being seen in every corner.  As Engels explains the wall that is built in between the rich and the poor, I think of a homeless man knocking at the wall to try and get their attention, while on the other side of the wall, the rich are enjoying themselves in expensive restaurants/clubs.  Is this city ever going to unite as one or are we going to continue facing loss of hope?

            After searching around the selfish, yet self centered city of North Hollywood, my boyfriend and I noticed a homeless man sitting in front of Denny’s asking people that passed by him if they could possibly buy him food or spare some change. People that passed by him would not even glance at him, they would just simply ignore him as if though he did not exist or was not there. (He was bald, his clothes were dirty, looked pale, was missing teeth and looked around his mid 60’s.) Then my boyfriend thought that if he would possibly buy him a sandwich or a meal from Denny’s he would more than likely be willing to answer a few questions for us. And so my boyfriend asked and thankfully he agreed. I introduced myself to him and shook his hand, his name was Danny. We began walking and entered Denny’s, everyone seemed to look at us all weird as if though they felt disgusted.  It was not the best feeling for me personally, but it made me think about how Danny feels on a regular basis.  Soon after, a few minutes had gone by I handed him a menu and the first image that he saw of a sandwich with French fries was what he wanted. I ordered his sandwich and he began telling me a little bit about himself. In his childhood years he lost both his mother and father, as for his sister got married and did her own life. He would work as a mechanic and attended school for only a few years until suddenly he dropped out and could no longer continue. I asked him the following questions; “Where do you usually stay at or sleep?”, What do you do when it is raining or cold? How come you do not attend shelters? About how much money or contributions do you receive from people in a day? How long have you been homeless for? He told me that usually he stays at the park and that is where he sleeps. When it is raining or cold he mentioned that he tries to find a place where he does not get soaked but majority of the time it is very difficult. The weather is a constant battle for him due to not having warm clothing or a roof over his head. The reason why he does not attend shelters is because it is not safe and people usually tend to get beat or harass just for fun or to steal the little bit of stuff that they have. That is why he prefers to live on his own in the cold, rather than be assaulted in homeless shelters. (He was well disciplined, he first wanted to answer the questions before eating his food that had already been placed on the table. I told him to eat his food before it got cold and he said, “that’s how I always eat it.”) After the interview was over he was very appreciative and decided to give me a necklace which made me get a little emotional. I asked if I could give him a hug and he agreed. That right there was by far the best experience I have had in my whole life time.

　Before working on this project I was unaware of how difficult life really is for those that do not have the necessary funds to live a normal life. For instance; I always knew that they suffered and were not content with the life style they had chosen. I just never knew the extent of suffrage. Therefore, working on this project has helped me get a better understanding of what they do to obtain their money, where they usually stay at, and where they go in poor weather conditions etc.

            On Sunday the 18, I decided to go to Los Angeles, a place that is known to be overpopulated with homelessness. Under bridges, in cardboard boxes, on street corners, parks, anywhere you could name, right there and then there was a homeless person. It was very heart breaking to witness this with my own eyes and not be able to help these individuals change their life around. I knew that I had to get feedback of why they were in the place that they stand, therefore I decided to interview a women, a man and a few others.

            As I was exiting the freeway on James M Wood, I saw this man seated by the freeway exit asking for money when it was pouring rain.  Being able to see that with my very own eyes really crushed me inside. I could not just drive off and pretend that it was not going to bother me, this human being was in the rain, freezing, with no protective gear other than a torn jacket.  At that very moment I started analyzing how fortunate I was to have a home, a job and a lovely family.  Something in me immediately struck me and I needed to know a little bit about this man and so as I exited the freeway I found parking in front of a building near the freeway.  I remained in the car for a few minutes thinking over how I was going to approach the situation and wondering what questions I was going to ask. I got out of the car and made sure to take my umbrella with me, since it was still raining pretty hard.  As I began walking towards this individual I was a little intimidated for I did not know what to expect or how he would react.  When I arrived to his location we made eye contact and asked if I could ask him a few questions. In the beginning he did not seem too please, he kept asking me if I was going to call the cops on him, majority I am guessing had to do with the formal attire I was wearing. But of course, I said, “no” and tried to be as friendly as I possibly could.

His name was Mike (About 5/6, skinny (malnutrition) White male, long hair, bushy beard, around his late 60s early 70s)

Mike(M)

Me (J)

(J) Hi, my name is Jackie and I was wondering if I could possibly ask you a few questions?

(M) I don’t know if that is a good idea or beneficial for me at the moment

(J) If you feel uncomfortable and do not want to answer any questions that Is totally fine and understandable, I was just trying to work on this project that was given to me for my anthropology course, all the information that is given will not be reproduced, it is just a homework assignment.

(M) I don’t know, are you sure you are not going to call the cops on me or anything like that?

(J) Yes, I am sure. I will not do this if I wanted to put you in an awkward or in a bad situation

(M) Well, Okay.. Go ahead

(J) Thank you. “How did you get to where you are now?” “What caused this to occur ?”

(M) (gasps) Ummm.. Well when I was just a little kid I began smoking pot… (stopped and looked disappointed)  after it just elevated to other drugs, (I stared at him but felt very uncomfortable to ask these personal questions) my dad knew that I was up to something but he never stopped me.

(J) “So your dad knew you were doing drugs or he knew that you were just acting suspicious?”

(M) He knew cause his friends would tell him that they had seen me with my boys  or popping pills (he looked down and shook his head)

(J) Okay so you were addicted to drugs, is that why you became homeless?

(M) Yes, my dad died due to lung cancer

(J) I am sorry to hear that

(M) He was a strong man and till this day I regret the lifestyle I was living, look at me now? No home, no family, no nothing.

(We had a moment of silence, I did not know what to say in that very instinct. It was a very tough situation, moreover, it was uncalled for)

(J) I am very sorry and I wish I could truly help, I only have ten dollars on me at the moment and I hope that you can get yourself at least something to eat. Thank you for your time Mike.

(M) No thank you, have a good day. (he was very grateful when I gave him the ten dollars, the smile that rose upon his face what priceless)

　

Second Interview with a homeless woman

While I was walking towards

Erin (E)

Me (JM)

(JM) Hi, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions, its for a project that I am working on, regarding the homeless community?

(E) No… I don’t have anything to say. (She looked bothered, frustrated and unhappy)

(JM) Okay, thank you though.

(E) Yeah.. (She was living in a hidden corner, behind a laundry mat)

　

Now I tried a different approach, since usually the homeless people view the park as their home, I felt the need to ask those parents that take their children to the park how they felt towards the homeless being in parks?

Jodi (II)

Me (JJ)

(same question from above)

(II) I feel threatened for the safety of my children, I don’t think it is safe to leave your children unattended when they are playing in the swings.

(JJ) Now, when you come with your family to the park to try to have a good time, do their presence disturb you?

(II) No, They do not disturb me. Usually, they keep their distance or go to the end of the park where they are not seen or burdensome to the community at the park.

(JJ) Last question, If there was anything you could do to help them, what would it be and why?

(II) If I had the money necessary to make a difference in the lives of the homeless I would probably create more homeless shelters or certain programs to help them start fresh.

(JJ) Thank you so much Jodi, you have been very helpful.

　

           In conclusion, the problem that remains is how people are categorized in terms or

financial status, location, and race.  The government and majority of the laws that are now being implemented shows how we truly do live in an injustice society. For instance, the new law in Arizona known as the sb 1070, is racial profiling.  Technically, anyone that looks brown or as in immigrant is mandated to show their identification card to prove that they are not illegal immigrants. That is very prejudicial and it demonstrates my point on how we are still continuing these trends from the past experiences.  Unfortunately, everything around us is governed in a way that satisfies the wealthy and ostracize the poor. What is going to happen next?