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STREETZine

WINTER EDITION 2024

Offering financial opportunity to homeless and economically disadvantaged individuals. STREETZine is a program of The Stewpot and a member of International Network of Street Papers

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Making Dallas More Accessible By Wendy Rojo Hope is a powerful emotion because no matter how discouraged a person is or what they are going through, hope remains. Even when times seem tough or if you are stuck, hope is still there. The new year is the epitome of hope because we get a fresh start, and we can create new goals. As we start this new year, we should reflect on 2023 and create the intentions that we want the new year to bring. I want 2024 to bring more accessibility for all. I want everyone in Dallas to be able to truly enjoy Dallas. Savita, a participant in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop, says she enjoys all the unique communities throughout Dallas. For example, we have Bishop Arts District that highlights small local shops and offers a variety of dining options. Many of our writers also emphasize that they enjoy living in a large city. However, we need to make Dallas a walkable city. If we were able to make the city more friendly to pedestrians, then we’d make the city feel smaller and more approachable. So many of us who are born and raised in Dallas have admittedly not explored the entirety of Dallas. Dallas has so many beautiful places and experiences to offer but so many of us have not taken advantage of everything it has to offer.

Artwork by Stewpot Artist Fernando Segovia. Of course, the city’s constant construction does make it hard to maneuver around Dallas. The construction suggests that we are a growing city, and that can bring many positives. But the cranes, trucks, and scaffolding can make it difficult to walk around safely. What’s more, many communities still do not have sidewalks. Creating a safe and walkable community starts by offering these simple solutions so at least people can move safely in their immediate communities.

We must also make downtown safer for pedestrians. Recently, we have heard about For instance, we have the DART system that pedestrians who were run over by drivers allows many of us to reach certain parts of who were speeding or did not follow driving the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Writers’ Workshop participants often talk about their use of signals. We need to prioritize pedestrians public transportation and the convenience of and create safer ways for people to navigate a large, but not perfect array of routes. (Catch- downtown. ing two or three buses and maybe a train to In addition, we need to keep providing servicreach a destination is common among our es for those who may be experiencing homewriters.) They emphasize how a good public transportation system is needed to get to job lessness in our city. For example, Writers’ interviews, medical appointments, or shelters Workshop participants related last summer how cooling stations are a necessity to their that provide services they may require. viability during a Texas summer. Currently,

the city is providing a warming shelter while the extreme weather passes. These services are much needed, but we should continue searching for ways to make this a safer city for people experiencing homelessness. There is still much work that is needed to create a safer, walkable Dallas. Luckily, we have initiatives throughout the city that want to build a more mobile city. For example, Southern Gateway is creating a five-acre urban greenery deck on top of I-35. The idea is to bridge together nearby communities and provide access to various amenities that are not easily accessible to those communities. Similar projects exist throughout Dallas that have proved successful at creating a sense of community. As we continue to develop a more accessible city for all, we have to challenge the norms and create change. May we make progress in 2024. Wendy Rojo is managing editor of STREETZine.

STREETZine

WINTER EDITION 2024

STREETZine

STREETZine is a program of The Stewpot.

The STREETZine is a monthly newspaper published by The Stewpot, a ministry of the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. The Stewpot provides services and resources for people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of being homeless. The organization also offers opportunities for a new life. As part of this ministry, the STREETZine seeks to raise awareness about the issues surrounding homelessness and poverty. The monthly publication also offers financial opportunity for Stewpot clients who sell the paper to Dallas residents. Vendors are able to move towards economic self-sufficiency by using the money they receive from selling copies to purchase bus passes, food, and necessary living expenses. Clients also receive stipends for contributing articles to STREETZine. The content in STREETZine does not necessarily reflect the views or endorsement of its publisher, editors, contributors, sponsors or advertisers. To learn more about this publication, contact Betty Heckman, Director of Enrichment, 1835 Young Street, Dallas, Texas 75201 or BettyH@thestewpot. org. To read more about STREETZine, a member of the International Network of Street Papers, go to www. thestewpot.org/streetzine. Managing Editor: Wendy Rojo Editorial Advisory Board: The Rev. Amos Disasa Brenda Snitzer Suzanne Erickson Russell Coleman Poppy Sundeen Sarah Disasa William McKenzie Betty Heckman Dee Leone Photo Editor: Jesse Hornbuckle

Pastor’s Letter: The Ritual of Showing Up By Reverend Amos Jerman Disasa Editor’s Note: This essay is excerpted from a sermon that Rev. Disasa gave at the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas on January 10, 2024. At the beginning of this year, I spent some time in Washington, D.C. with my kids. This year, instead of a Christmas present, we gave my spouse Sarah a weekend in the house without us. She said it was her favorite gift ever. On Sunday, we had the morning free before we went to the Cowboys v. Commanders game. My son Abraham and I decided to walk through Arlington cemetery. I’d never been there but as soon as we arrived, I saw signs pointing toward the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, so we headed in that direction. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is dedicated to deceased service members whose bodies haven’t been identified. Since 1948, it has been guarded by soldiers from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment. When I say guarded, I mean guarded. The soldiers follow a meticulous routine when they are on guard. The tomb guard marches 21 steps south, then turns and faces east for 21 seconds. Next, the tomb guard turns and faces north for 21 seconds. After that the tomb guard marches 21 steps back in the direction from where they started and turns to face east for 21 seconds, then turns and faces south for 21 seconds. And then repeats the routine until the soldier is relieved of duty during the changing of the guard. I was struck by their commitment to the ritual. Each step was measured. Their posture was perfect. Their uniforms were expertly tailored. Their forward gaze was uninterrupted. The whole ritual was strangely comforting. And I thought the soldiers had to be assigned the duty because it didn’t look easy or exciting. But to my surprise I discovered the tomb guards volunteered for the assignment, and only a small percentage were selected to serve.

My surprise went further after realizing they guard the tomb 24 hours a day, rain, sleet, sun, or snow. Who would want to volunteer for that kind of service and why was it so comforting to those who visited the tomb? Learning to show up I think the answer to those questions is found in the story of Hannah and Samuel. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. Something was amiss. The waters were not being troubled. The air was thick with silence. The status quo had first priority. Prophets like Eli were not busy. Imagination was in short supply. Transformation was not a priority. It was quiet. The biblical witness up to this point was filled with the word of the Lord. Each time God opened God’s mouth, something changed, and, on most occasions, the earth shook – forever changed because the word of the Lord could be heard – amplified above the dull hum of everyday life. • God speaks and the earth was formed. • God speaks and humans are formed from an amalgam of dirt, breath, and hope. • God speaks and the Hebrew people are ushered from slavery to freedom by a stuttering prophet through walls of water separated by equal parts divine compassion and righteous anger. • God speaks and the promised land is made real. But now, there is just silence – things have remained the same. No one can hear the voice of God, not even the priests. What happens when the word of the Lord is rare, and visions are not widespread? Nothing. We believe in a God whose voice moves mountains and separates seas. We believe in a God whose documented impatience with calcified systems has geo-political consequences. We believe in a God who rejected ancient assumptions regarding the separation of heaven and earth and came to be with

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WINTER EDITION 2024

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Executive Director’s Report By Brenda Snitzer Editor’s Note: STREETZine posed questions to Stewpot Executive Director Brenda Snitzer about what she foresees in 2024 for ending homelessness in Dallas. Below are her responses: What do you see as some of the biggest strides in combating homelessness in Dallas over the last year? In the past year, so much has been achieved in combating homelessness in Dallas. Primarily, the number of folks who are housed has increased across Dallas while the number of days it takes to get folks housed has decreased. Both are due in large part to system improvements in the Continuum-of-Care, this region’s planning body that coordinates funding for housing and services for homeless families and individuals, and the stronger collaboration that Housing Forward, the lead agency in the homeless response system, has led across the continuum. We have over 140 organizations working in collaboration through the All-Neighbors Coalition to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring in Dallas and Collin counties. I am proud to be the chair of the AllNeighbors Coalition General Assembly and Executive Council. We are working to provide a national model to rehouse people and keep them in a home. Despite national trends, last year we together reduced unsheltered homelessness by 14% in our community. And we reduced chronic homelessness by 32%. We used evidence-based strategies to increase our housing of the unsheltered and the chronically homeless. Because of our successes, we have attracted a great deal of funding, including more than $70 million toward helping 2,800 neighbors rapidly and permanently exit homelessness in two years. We have also attracted millions of additional dollars into our system from the federal government for permanent supportive housing and for youth who are experiencing homelessness.

Artwork by Stewpot Artist Edwin Fuller. What do you see as the biggest remaining challenges? We don’t have enough affordable apartments for those we are working to house. Apartments are costly for both those who are paying for the apartments and for those who are newly housed when they start paying the rent. Dallas and surrounding communities are not building enough units for this population or for lower-to-middle income Dallas residents who have jobs. This is a huge impediment. If something doesn’t change, the lack of affordable units will continue to affect organizations that provide services to the homeless and low-income individuals. The second major challenge is sustaining the level of funding to make sure we finish the job of getting and keeping folks housed. Having a home is the first big step but making sure clients have the wrap- around services to help with their stability in employment and other issues is a very important piece of the puzzle of keeping them housed. What would you like your fellow Dallasites to know about people experiencing homelessness in Dallas? Those experiencing homelessness in Dallas are no different than the rest of us. They have hopes and dreams for a better life. They are caring and help others. They have anxieties and fears just like the rest of us. They want to be housed, but barriers often make it seem like an impossibility to them.

That is why our system of overcoming these barriers and teaching folks how to maintain the resources they need to stay housed is so important. If you were to spend time hearing someone’s story and what caused their homelessness, you would be much more empathetic and understanding of why it is hard for them to climb back from it. What is the one thing that has stood out to you – or surprised you – in working with people experiencing homelessness since you started as The Stewpot’s executive director six years ago? As I have journeyed through the past six years as executive director, the one thing that has stood out to me is the incredible resilience of folks experiencing homelessness and the capacity of caring by those who serve those experiencing homelessness. Every individual who is homeless has a different story, but they all include loss, trauma, and suffering. Still, the majority have a caring spirit for their friends on the streets with them. And those who are walking with them, the volunteers, and staff, continue to give and think of how they can come back the next day and do better for those they are trying to serve. May God bless our work so that the numbers of people who are unhoused continues to decline. Brenda Snitzer is executive director of The Stewpot.

STREETZine

WINTER EDITION 2024

A New Year, A New Job, And A New Start By Poppy Sundeen Starting out as an adult is hard. Starting over can be even harder. That’s what Quymar Jones-Jackson discovered after leaving Prairie View A&M University as a freshman. “I was in school, and quite honestly, I fell off. I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing and I ended up not passing a class and was already on academic probation, so my funding was stripped.” It’s taken Quymar, known as Q to friends and family, a few years to get back on track. Now at 22, he’s finally on a path to completing his education and supporting himself. “Going into 2024, my job and school are what I’m focused on. I want to be financially independent and on my own.” Finding his bearings After leaving college, Q lived for a while with relatives in Dallas. That’s when he got acquainted with The Stewpot and became an active participant in the Writers’ Workshop. His colorful language and vivid imagery gave vibrancy to the pages of the STREETZine. Here’s an example of Q’s writing: They say when a lone wolf howls to the moon its cry could crack it in two. When I howled, I’m pretty sure the sun turned blue. I was howling because I was lowhanging fruit life used as a punching bag. At least that is what it felt like. Q also attended a STREETZine editorial meeting to share his ideas and thoughts about subject matter for the publication. His much-valued input and Writers’ Workshop participation ended when he left town. “My aunt and uncle in Dallas said I could stay with them while I was going to school, but when I wasn’t going to school, I had to leave.” Making a big move A few months later, Q got on a bus heading east to live with his father. “My dad’s been living in North Carolina since before I was born.” Q had never lived with himbefore. Growing up, his father, a career military man, made an annual visit to Q

Photo of Quymar Jones-Jackson. and his younger sister in their hometown of Tyler, but they’d never lived as a family. “I didn’t remember my dad as a person until I was six, seven, eight years old. He’d buy us toys. I used to think he was Black Santa Claus. He was there financially when we needed it, but he wasn’t there to wipe the tears, teach me right from wrong.” Living day-to-day with his dad was a new experience for Q. So was his job with the town’s public works, cleaning storm drains and removing large debris. All the while he was trying to find work that would provide sufficient income to get back to college. A toehold in an up-and-coming industry In December 2023, Q started training as a sales representative for a solar energy company. It was just the kind of opportunity he hoped for, because it allows him to work anywhere. That includes Prairie View A&M in his native Texas, where he can resume his studies. “College is good, because it’s networking central. Teachers, a lot of them are homeowners, and Texas is a good place for solar.” He’s also excited about the rapid growth in the sector. “Solar is huge. My job is to show people how they can save by using solar energy. They can make their own energy and save money doing it. Once you do a side-by-side comparison, it’s obvious.” According to the U.S. Department of

Energy website, solar is America’s fastest growing and most affordable source of energy. A mature attitude toward college Q takes full responsibility for the mistakes he made when he first attended Prairie View A&M. “My college career has been very rough because I got distracted — girls, friends, parties.” He feels ready to handle things differently now. “You have to see the pattern and stop the pattern so it won’t keep happening.” This semester, he’s taking required courses in preparation for pursuing his major course of study. “I’m planning to major in architecture, but I’m thinking about changing to communications or writing, because I’m good at it. In the fall, I’ll decide.” Putting first things first Whatever path he chooses, writing will no doubt be a big part of his life. “I have plans to do poetry books, and then in my 30s I want to release a novel series.” For the time being, those plans will wait. “I’m not writing right now. I’m focused on getting stable and independent in my life. I want to get out on my own.” His hope is that the new job provides the wherewithal to get there. Poppy Sundeen, a Dallas writer, is a member of the STREETZine editorial board.

WINTER EDITION 2024

Continued from page 2 I Samuel 3: 1-7 1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; 3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So, he went and lay down. 6 The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

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us as one who speaks, THE Word, Jesus, Emmanuel. But now, the word of the Lord is rare, and visions are not widespread. Nobody has heard God speak in a while. Nobody has seen God move in a while. Hannah’s persistence Samuel’s mother, Hannah, had prayed fervently for a child, even as the years passed and the scripture revealed that the Lord had closed her womb. She was routinely mocked by her husband’s other wife, Penninah, for her infertility. Still, Hannah returned to the sanctuary, again and again, to make sacrifices of prayer for a child. Her prayers included a promise to surrender the child for a life of service to God if and when God would hear her prayer. Instead, Hannah chose to show up, exposing herself to the lurking danger of disappointment. Samuel was God’s final answer to all those prayers. Hannah’s persistence had bent God’s will. Showing up in the sanctuary when the word of the Lord was rare, and visions were not widespread was her protest against the stagnant silence of her womb. Bitterness, and apathy, and regret were the other options. Instead, Hannah chose to show up, exposing herself to the lurking danger of disappointment. Samuel was born from defiance. His first cry was a tribute to the foolishness of faith. Hannah’s persistence had bent God’s will. And just as she promised, after Samuel was weaned, Hannah delivered him to the priest Eli saying, “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made. Therefore, I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” In her haste to make good on her promise to give her son Samuel for service to the Lord, Hannah neglected to ask around about the priestly family that would raise him. Eli was a righteous man, but his sons were crooked as a barrel of fishhooks. Their gluttonous perversion of their priestly duties was legendary. Eli was either too old to care, too weak to stop them, or too blinded by loyalty

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to suspect that his sons were capable of corrupting the house of the Lord. For our sake, what matters is that the professional incompetence of Eli’s family left the people who counted on them helpless. The priests were busy eating stolen meat and sleeping through their shifts in a perpetual food coma. So, it’s no surprise that the only person awake to hear God when God speaks to Samuel is Samuel, who is so unfamiliar with the sound of God’s voice that he confuses it with Eli’s voice twice. Samuel should have never been left alone with the lamp of God in the middle of the night. And that’s not just my personal indictment of Eli’s managerial incompetence. Verse seven of our reading makes it clear that Samuel isn’t to blame for the confusion when God is finally heard from. Well, guess who was supposed to ensure Samuel knew the Lord? And guess who was supposed to reveal the word of the Lord to him? Eli! We need to hear that voice that breathed life into dry bones. We need to hear that voice. We are fragile. We are wounded. We are sick. Our world, God’s world needs to hear that voice. We need to hear that voice that breathed life into dry bones. We need to hear that voice that called Sarah and Abraham to leave everything that he had ever known. But what if we don’t know what we are listening for, and we’ve never heard the voice before? In moments like these, may we remember to practice the ritual of showing up. • To show up like Hannah year after year with a sacrifice of prayer. • To show up like Samuel, awake while everyone was asleep, guarding the lamp of God before he was even a priest. God found them both when the word of the Lord was rare, and visions were not widespread. Reverend Amos Jerman Disasa is senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas.

STREETZine

WINTER EDITION 2024

Writers’ Workshop Essays Editor’s Note: Each Friday morning at 10 a.m., The Stewpot hosts a Writers’ Workshop. During the sessions, participants address selected topics through prose or poetry. In this edition of STREETZine, we feature the essays of writers that explore 2024. A Woman from a Dallas Shelter What are you looking for during 2024? I am looking for ways to not lose my bed in the shelter. People living in the shelter often get put out for violating shelter rules. But if I behave properly and strictly adhere to the rules instead of sticking out like a sore thumb, I get to keep my bed. I recently sold my guitar for an emergency need. I now don’t have a guitar to practice. I’m looking for ways to save money for a guitar. I’m also looking for ways to overcome the challenge my right index finger faces. Its lack of control could put an end to my guitar practice if I can’t find a solution. What would you do differently in 2024 than you did last year? I’ll adopt a low-meat and low-carb diet. It is said to have many health benefits. I’ll also lose more weight through exercise. I can’t carry one more ounce of weight due to my arthritic pains. So far, I’ve only read a handful of nonfiction books. I’m ignorant of the real world. I’ll include more nonfiction books in my reading list. I’ve not kept a diary or journal before, so I’ll write daily whatever comes to mind. It will help me understand myself as well as my environment.

What can you do to make yourself more comfortable in your life journey?

What is your dream job?

I’ll embrace art in literature, music, and painting. Art transcends life. It makes life meaningful. I find solace when I read, listen to music, and look at a painting. I’ll also do Word Find, coloring and doodling. I used to not think much of these activities. I finally tried them recently. They are very refreshing and have a calming effect on the mind. I feel that they are great ways to relieve anxiety and improve mental acuity.

My dream job is to be a writer and a musician. I’m in my late 50s without robust health. I hope to manage my time in a way to meet the challenge of my dream job. At the same time, I understand such a job requires talent, training, and endurance. More likely than not, it’s beyond my reach. But if I start out with small steps and work towards attainable goals, I could improve my writing through practice and play my pieces with measurable progress.

What do you like about Dallas? Dislike about Dallas?

Where do you see yourself in five years versus where you are now?

I like the Downtown Dallas Public Library. It has the largest humanities collection of all the public libraries east of the Colorado River in the South. I like the Dallas Museum of Art; it has my favorite paintings by French impressionists. I like the skyline of downtown Dallas. I like the architectural beauty of the many churches and the deep religious faith in the people of Dallas. I like the shelter I’m staying at near historic Deep Ellum. I like the Trinity River, the Red River, and many streams that flow through Dallas. I like the gently undulating landscape. I can’t think of anything I dislike about Dallas so long as I don’t go to the wrong place at the wrong time.

I’m going to The Stewpot Writers’ Workshop for STREETZine, a local street paper. I appreciate from the bottom of my heart that I am given this precious opportunity to learn. I see myself in five years looking back with relief. I will have spent the five years with a focus on spirituality and understanding the purpose of life. I will have traveled as far as I can on my writing and music journeys. A Woman from a Dallas Shelter is a writer in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop.

In Memory of My Son By: David Arnaz No many months can erase the time we shared No small mistake can take away the way I cared Your dreams, my thoughts, the distance that aired But I still believe that one day we’ll be paired I dreamt of you underneath a bright shining star You were dancing and singing I was taken by awe Between the sun and the moon, we’re deeply by far But your grandiose is the antipodal I saw I thank you for the message, it wasn’t a mistake that you’re made It was a prodigious work of God David Arnaz is a Writers’ Workshop participant.

Artwork by Stewpot Artist Colleen Pryor.

WINTER EDITION 2024

James Varas What are you looking for during 2024? I always hope for the best and know only God knows what’s best for me. I’m like a child wanting a rocket ship and his father instead gives him a book to read. I once had enough money to buy a rocket but like the prodigal child, I spent most of all that I had. It took me 40 years to learn what true treasure is in life. As Jesus says in Matthew, do not store up treasures on earth but in heaven; for where your treasure is, so will your heart be. I have had brand new trucks and brandnew clothes. All can be taken in a heartbeat. The only thing that cannot be taken from me is my God. What would you do differently in 2024 than you did last year? This is one of those touchy questions: Wish I could of, would of ... Unfortunately, you only learn from your past mistakes. I know this because I have made a lot of bad ones. To say I would do things differently this year might not be the best path for me. I might make the same mistake in the future. The more I think about this, the more I don’t like the question. Some things might seem wrong in our eyes, but in God’s eyes it is the way it was written. If I hadn’t lost my car, would I still be walking each day? My legs are stronger, my mind is stronger, and my spirit is stronger. So, my answer is I would do nothing different except learn from my mistakes. What can you do to make yourself more comfortable in your life journey? Bigger pants and bigger shirts...no, I am just joking! I don’t know if comfortable is always in my best interest. God only knows, I might be 300 pounds now if I still had my car. I have already gained about 20 pounds compared to last year. It looks like I am carrying a jug of water when I flex my stomach muscle. I am due for some real discipline because I have been eating like the world might run out of food because of the great changes. You might think I am crazy, but what if all the fish die or the price of food

STREETZine

goes up even more? So, I have been eating steaks, shrimp, pork chops, squid and everything I enjoy eating. On another note, I have started a new chapter in my life: I am attending culinary school to become a professional chef. I plan on getting my degree and then we will see where that leads. I look at this opportunity like putting a new chip in an older vehicle. I have driven many miles in this body, and it is time to stimulate my mind. I have done 17 years of labor and I know it time to use my brain. What do you like about Dallas? Dislike about Dallas? I like Dallas because it is a faster and larger city than my hometown of San Antonio. When I left San Antonio, I was amazed at the change. I went from being in a desert and drought to a blooming oasis. I like living in my apartment in downtown Dallas. My dad lives in Frisco, Texas,and it is nice having him back in my life. My dad has always been a Dallas Cowboys fan, and they are now growing on me even though I was a New York Giants fan. What I dislike about Dallas is what I dislike about the world: suffering. I don’t like people who intentionally harm others for personal gain, and I don’t like evil people. Unfortunately, until evil is wiped from the earth, you’re going to find it. Each day I pray for all evil to be bound and destroyed in Jesus’ Mighty Name. What’s your dream job? Being a billionaire! Or maybe a lottery winner. (When I think about it, there is probably too much temptation with all that money.) To tell you the truth, my dream job would be pastor of a church. Saving souls and studying the Word of God would be my dream. The closer I get to God, though, the more temptations and enemies come my way. Still, that’s my dream. I know it is like reaching for the stars, so always remember nothing is impossible with God.

Photograph by Jesse Hornbuckle. Where do you see yourself in five years versus where you are now? This sounds like the question of questions. Who is to say what the future brings? All I know is I hope for the best! I pray that everyone learns to love one another, as Jesus Christ tells us to do. I will keep fighting the good fight until I make it home in heaven. I pray all souls will be given the opportunity to reach Heaven. Thank you for taking the time to read this. James Varas is a writer in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop.

STREETZine David Arnaz

WINTER EDITION 2024

What are you looking for during 2024? I am looking to have paid off my probation fees and at least started saving money for my future. I want to start working out and exercising so that I can lose some weight and get back into clothes I can no longer wear. I want to feel better and comfortable moving around. I’m hoping to get my benefits started so I can go back to taking care of myself like I should. What would you do differently in 2024 than you did last year? I’ll pretty much keep doing the same things I did in 2023. I have changed a lot in the way I think, talk, act, and handle my business. Before I just wanted to uphold my image. I wanted people to see how well I dressed, and I wanted them to know I was still able to go out and have fun regardless of having my apartment. Now I keep to myself more and work on my goals, so I would continue what I have been doing but continue growing. What can you do to make yourself more comfortable in your life journey? Losing weight will help me move around better. Aneshia Owens What are you looking for during 2024? With the ringing in of 2024, I plan to stay active and hopeful in all my endeavors to stay housed. I would also ask the privileged law-governing bodies to take a month or two to walk the stony path of the unhoused who remain sober, sane and strong. I believe that true leaders would emerge centered on compassion and hope. What will you do differently in 2024 than you did last year? To go forward requires reflection on what is behind. 2023 came with challenging transitions. I wasn’t aware that my muchneeded move would leave me unhoused/ homeless. I had worked hard to make Indiana my home in hopes of permanently settling there. But ultimately, moving back to Texas was inevitable.

What do you like about Dallas? Dislike about Dallas? Dallas is my city and I love it. I enjoy the convenience of Dallas because everything is close by. Most importantly, I love Dallas because this is where my family is. What I don’t like is all of the people because it is too crowded. I don’t like the crimes, and everyone has an attitude and wants to fight for some reason. I wish people would take a second to enjoy life and just stop the crimes. I’m used to the country life even though I’ve lived here all my life. What is your dream job? My dream job is to start my own shelter and to help people. I want to help them by providing free education in various trades. If I can provide those skills, then people would be more likely to succeed. I want to implement a sense of accountability around the shelter. I want those living in this shelter to be proud of the community we’ve built. Where do you see yourself in five years versus where you are now? In five years, I want to have funds saved up and be looking for property because I don’t want to be living in an apartment all my life.

Photograph by Jesse Hornbuckle.

David Arnaz is a writer in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop. At first, I had to sleep on a hard cafeteria floor with just a blanket for over a month-and-a-half in order not to sleep outdoors, as I have done on two separate occasions. Our Calling was instrumental in referring me for a 90-day stay with a bed. There was no easy fix to this ugly situation. Had I not partnered with them, I would still be homeless.

be a “have not” among the “haves” or to be viewed as an unproductive citizen despite fitting none of the common homeless labels like addict, convict, or bum. Aneshia Owens is writer in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop.

What can you do to make yourself more comfortable in your life journey? Although I am now employed, even that isn’t a sure thing. It is my opinion that homelessness is the greatest challenge to face in life, next to grief and illness. Yet the great majority of society views homeless persons as a blight, with no value. The strain and struggle to keep up with the current cost of living is nothing short of a crisis waiting to unravel. I wish not to

Artwork by Stewpot Artist Jennifer Moore.

WINTER EDITION 2024

Mike McCall What are you looking for during 2024? A chance to become a full-time student and start working part-time at the school. What would you do differently in 2024 than you did last year?

I’ve been here for most of my life, so Dallas is home for me. I love its people and all the memories I’ve created here. I dislike the lack of resources given to help the city’s homeless population. This is a problem that doesn’t just go away. It gets worse and Dallas should really try to do more.

My biggest goal for 2024 is to quit smoking cigarettes. They are so unhealthy and after quitting alcohol and drugs, cigarettes have been my final vice. So many of my friends are suffering from the effects of smoking. I don’t want to become another statistic.

What’s your dream job?

What can you do to make yourself more comfortable in your life journey?

In five years, I will be a licensed chemical dependency counselor with a stable place to live, transportation, and surrounded by alcoholics and addicts, helping show them the path to their freedom.

To be honest, lose some weight. I have some physical disabilities and more weight doesn’t help them. Losing weight would make traveling through life’s journey more comfortable.

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At this point in my life, it would be anything involved in helping addicts. Where do you see yourself in five years versus where you are now?

Mike McCall is a writer in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop.

What do you like about Dallas? Dislike about Dallas?

Photograph by Jesse Hornbuckle. Joseph Lee III What are you looking for during 2024? Consistency. I’ve had a bad habit of starting projects and not finishing them. I used the negative circumstances as an excuse to quit, go back to old habits and old friends. This year, I want to be more consistent at finishing what I start. What will you do differently in 2024 than you did last year? I am going to let go of all that has been weighing me down — all the guilt, anger, and shame of my mistakes. I’m going to give it to God. I’m also going to invest in myself and my talents using the same energy I used to focus on the bad and apply that to the good. What can you do to make yourself more comfortable in your life journey? Pray and have faith in my prayers and in my God. Leave any and all substances alone and live more naturally.

What do you like about Dallas? Dislike about Dallas? I like the architecture and the random art all over the city. I like programs like The Stewpot that have given me an outlet for my talents and the resources to get my life back together. What I dislike are the drugs and the deaths due to drugs and gun violence. What is your dream job? I’ve always wanted to be an entertainer. If I could wake up every day to sing, dance, act or even just host a podcast, I would be satisfied. Where do you see yourself in five years versus where you are now? Right now, I’m homeless. In five years, I will own property. Right now, I’m broke. I will be wealthy in five years. I ride public transportation right now. In five years, I will be driving my own car. Right now, I’m working hard. In five years, I won’t have to work. Joseph Lee III is a writer in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop and a STREETZine vendor.

Photograph by Jesse Hornbuckle.

STREETZine Vicki Gies

WINTER EDITION 2024

What are you looking for during 2024? A house with a fenced backyard and to continue doing the best I can in whatever comes up in life. What would you do differently in 2024 than you did last year?

What do you like about Dallas? What do you dislike about Dallas? What I like about Dallas is a hard question to answer — I have lived in Dallas since 1964. I like its good history. What I dislike about Dallas is easier to answer:

What is your dream job? I guess right now it’s writing for the STREETZine paper. I’ve already retired from two careers: one with Dallas County Government Offices and the other in the food and beverage industry. After retirement, I just wanted to do part-time work. Where do you see yourself in five years versus where you are now?

Work harder to help in church and the community. I would like to give my testimony and do a Q&A with drug addicts, alcoholics, and other miscellaneous addicts. (I’ve been there, done that.)

*The weather. I don’t like the freezing winters or the blistering summers! My comfortable months are in the spring and fall.

What can you do to make yourself more comfortable in your life journey?

*People’s bad attitudes: A lot of people are so negative about a lot of things.

I am almost 72 years old. So, if I’m still living, I would like to be living comfortably in my new house, sitting in a rocking chair on my porch, meditating and enjoying life more.

Get closer to God; learn new things. I’m almost 72; you’re never too old to learn.

*The crime rate: Crimes like killing for no reason or stupid reasons.

Vicki Gies is a STREETZine vendor and frequent STREETZine contributor.

Savita Harris

What do you like about Dallas? Dislike about Dallas?

What are you looking for during 2024? I’ve recently gotten news from Metro Relief and The Bridge that I have been accepted into the Permanent Supportive Housing program managed by Dallas County. So, a lot will be changing for me in 2024 as I move into housing for the first time in a year and a half. What I’m really looking forward to is the stability that will come from that housing. When you’re homeless, there are many things you might want to establish in your life. And you might try, but you’re destined to fail because you’re always building on sand, even quicksand. When you have a home – that’s a rock. On that rock, you can build a life. What can you do to make yourself more comfortable in your life journey? One thing that I have done within the past year is finally seeking help at Parkland for my mental health issues and receiving a diagnosis for schizoaffective disorder. I’ve since been hospitalized twice and have been through a lot of medication changes. But the decision to seek hope already has made my life’s journey far more comfortable than it was before. I plan to keep it up by continuing to keep my doctors’ appointments and follow their advice.

There are several things that I really like about Dallas. First, for a city of its size, it’s really very safe. I can’t think of any place in the city where I wouldn’t go during the day. Secondly, it has numerous distinct, unique neighborhoods, such as Bishop Arts and Highland Park. Lastly, there are just so many places in the city that are breathtakingly beautiful. Aesthetically, Dallas is hard to beat. What’s your dream job? My dream job would be finding a balance between two longstanding passions: writing and yoga. In 2007, I finished my master’s degree in creative writing at the University of Miami. But since then, partly due to being an only parent and being busy just trying to survive, I’ve had little time to focus on my writing. I do still dream of publishing a book, though. And then there’s yoga. I used to have my own studio and love teaching. I just finished a certification in psychotherapeutic yoga, so I’m excited about that and hope to utilize it. Where do you see yourself in five years versus where you are now? Happy, in a home, doing things that I feel contribute something to society. Savita Harris is a writer in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop and a STREETZine vendor.

Photograph by Jesse Hornbuckle.

WINTER EDITION 2024

A View from Nature: New Year, New Beginnings with Old Traditions

looking for ways I could change and make things better.

By: Vicki Gies

For example, my church, SOUL Church, is a place I volunteer to help others. I assist with different needs, such as food service, talking with and listening to people’s stories, and praying with people. At my church, I decided to be more than just a church member! This has been a good way for me to look outside of myself and make life better.

Looking back on my life, I used to make New Year’s resolutions and promises; things I needed to change, things I wanted to do. And I’d also make a wish list for the months to come. But like a lot of people, those resolutions only lasted a month, and sometimes even less than that!

I also got off the “pity pot” and became more sensitive and aware of everyday happenings. I’m going to look at this new year as something good in my life. I’m going to concentrate on getting housing and doing what I can to make things So, I stopped making resolutions and started facing reality and focusing on that. in my life better. I’m also going to help others learn to do the same: help themFor several years the change into a new selves! year started out great but would quickly go downhill. Sometimes the downhill I’ll never be too old to learn, and in 2024 spiral was because I had a bad attitude I want to learn more about history, ancesabout some people or events that were try, other cultures, and the Bible. I know a happening in my life. I had to come to the realization that I cannot change other lot about the Bible, but not enough! people and certain events, so I started As for old traditions, I used to party on I had to come to the realization that I cannot change other people and certain events, so I started looking for ways I could change and make things better.

Words By Joseph Lee III

Jason Turner

Word… in the beginning was the word. The word was with God and the word was God. The words that we use can help someone or they can hurt someone. Words can be captivating and compelling. That’s why when words are put together, it’s called spelling. When you tattle, it’s called telling. And when you use words loudly, it’s called yelling. Words can change the way you feel When you’re sick, tired, and hurt, words can help you heal. Say the wrong words to the wrong person at the wrong time, words will get you killed. But say the right word to the right person at the right time, it can help you build. The word can create your future. The word can document your past. But be sure that your word is impeccable, because your next word might be your last.

I am looking to lose weight and to be on top of my medical and dental care.

Joseph Lee III is a writer in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop.

What’s your dream job?

What are you looking for during 2024?

What can you do to make yourself more comfortable in your life journey? Losing weight is my biggest obstacle for 2024. That would make me feel and look much better. I also would like to replace a missing front tooth.

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New Year’s Eve. I don’t do that party anymore, due to my age and health, but I did ring in the new year with sparkling white grape juice. It bubbles like champagne but without the alcohol. I also ate blackeyed peas on New Year’s Day, as that is a family tradition. And, of course, I will watch the different parades and football games. I think that everyone can benefit from the Serenity Prayer, so I’d like to end with these helpful words to carry my readers through 2024: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. I’d like to dedicate this story to my church and pastor for never giving up on me and helping me tremendously; to my wonderful editor for all of her help with my stories; and to God, because without Him, I would not have survived all the years of drug use. He never gave up on me either! Vicki Gies is a STREETZine vendor and a frequent STREETZine vendor.

Where do you see yourself in five years vesus where you are now? I see myself maintaining housing, working and being on disability insurance for mental health care. I see my apartment looking much better and being more like home. Jason Turner is a writer in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop and a STREETZine vendor.

What do you like about Dallas? What do you dislike about Dallas? I like the overall relaxation and people minding their own business. I dislike the bus schedule from time-to-time, but it could be worse. Overall, Dallas is really nice to me, and I get blessed during my weekend panhandling routine every time.

My dream job would be a part-time assemblyline position that pays daily or weekly. I am looking for part-time work at the moment, and it is tough business.

Photograph by James Varas.

WINTER EDITION 2024

STREETZine

Street Newspapers - A Voice for the Homeless & Impoverished What is STREETZine? STREETZine is a nonprofit newspaper published by The Stewpot of First Presbyterian Church for the benefit of people living in poverty. It includes news, particularly about issues important to those experiencing homelessness. STREETZine creates direct economic opportunity. Vendors receive papers to be distributed for a one-dollar or more donation.

Distributing STREETZine is protected by the First Amendment. STREETZine vendors are self employed and set their own hours. They are required to wear a vendor badge at all times when distributing the paper. In order to distribute STREETZine, vendors agree to comply with Dallas City Ordinances. If at any time you feel a vendor is in violation of any Dallas City Ordinance please contact us immediately with the vendor name or number at streetzine@thestewpot.org

CHAPTER 31, SECTION 31-35 of the Dallas City Code PANHANDLING OFFENSES Solicitation by coercion; solicitation near designated locations and facilities; solicitation anywhere in the city after sunset and before sunrise any day of the week. Exception can be made on private property with advance written permission of the owner, manager, or other person in control of the property. A person commits an offense if he conducts a solicitation to any person placing or preparing to place money in a parking meter. The ordinance specifically applies to solicitations at anytime within 25 feet of: Automatic teller machines; Exterior public pay phones; Public transportation stops; Self service car washes; Self service gas pumps; An entrance or exit of a bank, credit union or similar financial institution; Outdoor dining areas of fixed food establishments.

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