The UNACCEPTED of Society

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

Professor Scheld

Final Narrative
The Homeless Community

with

Jacqueline Martinez

The Homeless Community

            Society’s individuals tend to focus onto themselves rather than caring about someone else. Working on the research with Jacqueline Martinez, we question the circumstances the homeless community comes across. As they experience discrimination and impolite mannerisms from society, we question why society views them in certain ways. Does anyone acknowledge their existence? Our focus was the homeless individuals and their marginalization affect on the rest of the society and the public judgment on this social class.

            Why the homeless? The homeless are part of our communities. Every day it’s a daily struggle for them to survive. They lack family, money, shelter, and food. There are a variety of reasons that may have placed them in those circumstances but who really knows their situation. They are mostly located at public parks or on the streets or bus benches. When we go to the park we always question, “Why are they here? Don’t they have somewhere else to go?” In reality, these people have no support of anyone. The homeless community was brought to my attention because this world is tough. Life is hard and I just can’t imagine how difficult it would be to be homeless. As the recession struck here in California and the natural disasters nationwide occurred, thousands of people lost their homes, cars, and jobs. Many became homeless. Those who hit rock bottom and lost everything suffer from depression. To get out of that hole they need persistence and hope for improvement.  At the end, they lack motivation and fail. They fall into hopelessness.

            In order to investigate the reasons and the behaviors of people, I explored the park’s space. I plan to ask adults and the youth how their presence is affecting them or influencing them as a person. On my first visit to the field site, I visited the Sun Valley Park at one thirty in the afternoon. It’s Friday at mid-day and its 85-90F degrees. The day is beautiful and warm. It’s one of the warmest days from the entire week. In my opinion, I view it more a motive to come out and get situated at the park and cool off for people and specially the homeless. Personally, I have not been at any park for a long while. It’s rare for me to come and visit this type of area. In order to get familiarized with the park; I walked around the entire park to get a view of its different locations. I seen at one corner there were benches facing the main street and next to it there was a parking lot. As to the center of the park, there was the sand box with swings for the children. Next to it, it was the softball/baseball field. Behind the field, it was the pool and also the basketball courts. The air and atmosphere was very fresh feeling and to breath, due to the amount of trees the park has. At about one-forty five and I settled myself to one side of the park to have a view of who walked to the park and left. The sand box, swings were straight ahead from where I was situated. To my right I was able to grasp if any incoming vehicles arrived and parked or any newcomers by walking or bicycling arrived from the main street Vineland Blvd. I was focusing if any teens arrived. While I was observing, to my left there were 3 men lying down on the grass and with their bicycles just relaxing. A woman arrived in her vehicle with her 3 children. One of her children was a about a 5yr old girl and she ran towards a tree to chase after a squirrel. She had an older daughter of about 12 yrs old which ran to the swings. By two o’clock, I was sitting on the grass when I noticed a regular looking man with long hair, tied in ponytail, skimming through trash cans on my far right side. He went from one trash can to another. Then a nice fresh air breeze blows through the park. It felt very refreshing. Meanwhile, I also hear cars honking and birds chirping. There are many noises at once. Four boys between the ages of 15-21 are playing basketball in teams of two. As I’m sitting and observing, with all the activity and commotion occurring, children/parents shouting, cars honking, it gives me the impression as though time is this particular place goes by very slow. It’s approximately 2:15 p.m. and there is no visual of any homeless man/women walking by the park or resting at the park. What I do see is a mother and her son walking towards the sand box and the small 2yr old boy running around the swings and slides. A young boy maybe of 16 yrs old with his backpack and headphones crosses across the park. I noticed in the far left of the park, three young females riding their bikes. I’m enjoying watching two squirrels chasing after one another from tree to tree. Then suddenly, a man in his mid 50’s on a tiny green bicycle approaches the men I had mentioned earlier that were lying on the grass, and they shook hands and they all left on their bikes heading south on Vineland Blvd. Meanwhile a Hispanic man is pushing a cart of ice cream across the park but none of the children bought ice cream. I seen a woman, Caucasian, with a big bag on cart arriving to the corner of the park and she sat down at the benches. I was observing to see what she was going to do next. I was going to approach her but then as I’m walking towards her, I seen that she got herself comfortable on the bench and she lay down. I chose not to disturb her anymore and to let her rest from the hot long day she may have had. Her clothes looked worn out. Her hair was not fixed. As for the homeless, I see how the park is a peaceful public space for them and serves them as a home. As for today and at this time of day, it was rare to see any homeless person. I only saw one woman. Everyone majority minds their own business. From the time I was here, a great amount of activity occurred. It was due to the time of day it was, being midday. Many children are not out of school yet. A few young adults were playing ball and children at the swings. Majority of adults who were just relaxing at the park were men, either by themselves or with a companion. Women majority arrived with their children bringing them to the playground.

            Another day Jacqueline Martinez and I arrived to the park. It was sunny and warm. There was plenty of activity happening at the park. There were a lot of small children playing with one another. It must have been part of a fieldtrip or program that they were there. As walking around the park, we walked towards the basketball court. I saw a young lady with a jacket with the description “Volunteer” on the back scooping up the trash at the edge of the field. She was wearing denim jeans, her sweater on, and listening to her headphones. I walked across the court to approach her curious to interview her on her thoughts of the homeless. She seemed a good candidate since she was young and a volunteer for the park. Jacqueline went to look around to whom else would be interesting to interview.

I’m identified as DM. She’s identified as DL.

DM: Hello. My name is Diana. I wanted to ask you a few questions regarding the homeless community, if you don’t mind.

DL: Hi. Yeah, sure. What is it about? Are you part of a program?

(She gave me a pretty smile and took off her headphones from her neck)

DM: its a few questions in regards to the homeless. It’s having to be for a project for my Urban Anthropology class.

DL: That’s really interesting. Okay I’m ready. (She set the garbage bag on the floor and the stick by her leg)

DM: How is the homeless community affecting you? In other words, do you feel that it has an impact on you or an inconvenience when you come to park or while you’re volunteering, as I can see?

DL: (she giggled) At times it is pretty weird and awkward having to be nearby them and seeing them laying there while I walk across to do my job. But, no not really. I mind my business, as they mind theirs.

DM: Do you come to the park often or other parks? (We can hear the small children shouting having a fun time)

DL: I usually don’t go to parks but since I’m a volunteer now is when I come more often. On my own time no. But where I do see a lot of them is by where I live in Burbank.

DM: If you were able to contribute and help them out, in what ways would you?

DL: It depends. I mean I know they have no homes and no jobs but sometimes is like some of them have addictions in which threw them to where they are at. They are around everywhere. But yeah I feel bad for them. If I could, yes I will help.

(She had black glasses and squinting her eyes.)

DM: Well thank you for your time. I didn’t catch your name, what was it?

DL: It’s Diana. (She giggled) We have the same name.

DM: Oh isn’t that cool. (I smiled) Well have a good day Diana.

DL: Oh Thank you, you too.

            We wanted a male’s perspective now. Me and Jackie went to sit down by the basketball courts and while sitting this fluffy brown down came running towards us, sniffing and sniffing our boots. The dog belonged to a young male playing basketball. As he was leaving, that is when Jackie and I approached him. He was tall, stocky, and built. He was wearing black basketball shorts and matching Nike shoes with his green t-shirt. He also had his fluffy dog walking along with him, which she was hyper and running around.  Here’s how the interview went about.

Carlos is identified as CS. Jacqueline identified as JM and me as DM.

DM: Hi I’m Diana. Would you mind if we asked you a few questions in regard to the homeless?

CS: Go ahead. (deep voice)

JM: Do you feel uncomfortable or intimidated when you come to the park and you see homeless individuals hanging around in the park?

CS: Well…not so much as for me because I don’t have small kids. But I think as far with small kids there should be and there is an intimidation. I would be, if I had small kids like that. It’s not that I don’t pay attention but yea there is conflict with their presence.

JM: If you were able to contribute or help them out in any way, what do you think you would do?

CS: I don’t know…some of them can be…they can, I don’t know somehow get habilitated. You know I think it can be possible but as my main time just I don’t know nobody does that.

DM: Do you believe this is space for them?

CS: No it shouldn’t be. Because it’s a park. It’s a kid’s park. You know…they dump everywhere. (Looking down at his dog) That’s why I keep an eye on my dog she just running around everywhere. Yea... they be everywhere…Sometimes they don’t even care...They do it front of everybody. But again it goes back to…you know… like it doesn’t bother me at all as an adult. But you know it should not be allowed for kids looking you know.

JM: Very good Carlos. Thank you for your time.

DM. Thank you Carlos

CS: Thank you girls. Have a good one.

           

            People have their own viewpoint on how they see the homeless. These two individuals demonstrated an attitude as though the homeless are a threat to the rest of society. Others have the impression that they are not civilized. Everyone as individuals have their own beliefs and attitudes. But, there tends to be misjudgments of the homeless community. Nobody will know how a homeless person became homeless until there’s communication with one. Generally, nobody from the parks interacts with a homeless person. Criticism results into stereotypes without knowing the story behind that individual. In reality, some don’t have the fault on being homeless and losing everything. On the other hand, I have to recognize some have provoked their downfall by an addiction and hopelessness. Society has a tendency to categorize and label people by following and believing the critiques that someone else experienced and therefore assume every homeless person is the same. We’re all a constituent of a city to function and progress. Particularly the youth being our future, they are social targets and majorly impacted. The rise of homeless individuals has risen. The youth are heavily dependent of their parents. Once the adults are unable to provide economically and lack support, the youth terminate in the streets. The youth are prone to visually being impacted on seeing the homeless when visiting the parks are young children. That’s when they firstly are able to distinguish the inequality social resources.

            One of the readings from the class was relevant to the research Jacqueline and I performed. We studied a social space within societies division of classes in cities.  In Friedrich Engels article called “The Great Towns,” he provided many ideas on how to describe and critique a city. He critiques that a city to be a city, inequality is a cofactor that has to exist in order for a city to function. Therefore, the rise of the homeless community has risen as of 2012 due to the greed and economic inequalities. There is a high division between the rich and the middle/poor class. The way the infrastructure of a city is designed, it shapes how the flow of income will flow to the individuals. The structure is shaped in the way that its intended for the rich not see or come across the living standards of the poor. The burgoiuise class just focuses on producing and receiving additional money without viewing or worrying about the invisible. The poor are just growing in population without being acknowledged. Unequal distribution of opportunities, money, and space is the explanation for the production of poverty.

            People make a city function and proper at its center. But their work ship isn’t recognized. The entire landscape is obscure classifying class differences. The buildings and paths to the homes of the working class are demolished. There is a sharp division between the bourgeoisie and prolerates just seen with terrain of the difference of the homes and surroundings.  What person of wealth will come across at a type of place with low conditions? No money is devoted for the improvement of livelihood for the individuals in low living standards. Poverty is the result. This relates how the homeless community remains in the status without levitation for better living conditions since no contributions and help are offered. The greediness the wealthy possess affects others. Here in L.A. many cities are examples. Cities that comprise capital contain beautiful buildings, high quality service and unlike the poor communities show cracked streets and fractured buildings. The inequality is extremely visible but the products of this inequality, the poor, are invisibility seen. That’s why it prompts on asking how does survival undergo for the unnoticed? The people are sited in certain areas within a city, hidden. Unlike the wealthy are exposed and are revealed to society showing their faces. This uneven system remains occurring in our cities. The most affected are the poor and the homeless in which do the most of the hard work and to result in for the rich guy can acquire new luxuries. With the system like this, it’s difficult for the unfortunate to progress. They are only trapped in the gap of being poor or homeless and I ask myself if there is a way of tearing the gap in the future. It intrigues me to find if those people aspire to move forward or something keeps them at that social status.

            One day that I went to the park, for some odd reason, I decided to sit on the grass other than walk around or sit on a table. It was warm about 79 degrees but as sitting on the grass I felt cool. I skimmed around to see if any homeless individuals were roaming around asking for change or sleeping. None were noticeable. I did see children at the playground playing with the sand and the swings. Their happiness and enjoyment was well expressed as I heard their shouting in the open space of the park. Nobody occupied the benches. It looks very lonely and separated from the rest of the park, as its own area. What really grabbed my attention was the feeling of freshness of the park. The appearance of the environment like the grass, the trees, and the air. The feeling and sense of smell of the atmosphere within the park itself very peaceful. The sound of the birds chirping and the cars in the street was as like noise in the background. As sitting in the space of the homeless, it made me realize the significance and the role of the park's nature to the homeless individuals. Not just to them but also to the rest of the public. They value the area differently as to others. Even though it’s an area for enjoyment, it’s also an area to rest and an escape to the rest of the city and home. The homeless utilize the benches, the trees, and the hidden spaces. Others are more in the open space enjoying the parks features and for fun.

            The economy and the government structure the division of the social classes by setting a control and regulations. Rules, laws, and policies get implemented to target a group. For example, the rise of incarceration rate has risen as well, due to racial pro-filing of blacks and Hispanics. As the economy worsens, poverty increases. People lose their homes and jobs. They make it difficult for individuals to rise to the top without opportunities being offered. As this research involved observation and interviewing people, there’s clearly not an answer of the despair from the homeless. There may have been reasons and explanations but not a comprehensible and obvious one. All is known is that these people are lonely.