The document is an interview between Gianna Simmons and Richard Jones, a homeless man who lives on the streets of Pittsburgh. Simmons was initially uncomfortable approaching Jones but gained his trust to interview him about his experience with homelessness. Jones has been homeless for 20 years since losing his job. He spends his days panhandling in specific areas of the city and sees being homeless as a full-time job. Through their conversation, Simmons comes to understand that stereotypes about homeless people are often untrue and anyone could become homeless due to circumstances outside of their control. She hopes her interview helps raise awareness of the humanity of people experiencing homelessness.
This document contains Addie Bruyr's senior exit portfolio from Newton High School, including sections on her resume, personal essay, transcript, academic accomplishments, honors and activities, letters of reference, service learning, and personal information. The personal essay describes Addie's difficult freshman year when she switched schools and experienced trauma, her struggles with mental health issues in subsequent years, and how she has matured and grown more confident over time.
This document provides introductions and biographies for 7 individuals who were interviewed as part of a project on different perspectives of freedom. The introductions include the name, page number, and a short biography for each individual. It also provides context for the project, which aimed to show that everyone has a different idea of what freedom means based on their experiences and backgrounds. The document explores how freedom has been debated throughout history and discusses Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1944 State of the Union address that outlined four essential freedoms.
This document provides short biographies of 7 individuals who were interviewed for a project on freedom. The interviews focused on what freedom means to each person based on their unique experiences and backgrounds. The document includes an introduction explaining the project's goal of showing that everyone has a different understanding of freedom and how it is shaped by factors like ethnicity, age, culture and life experiences.
The document provides an overview of the author's childhood memories and experiences. It describes how the author was born into a middle-class family in 1951 and felt like a "trouble boy" due to his father falling ill after his birth. His father suffered from tuberculosis in the 1950s and had to be hospitalized for treatment, leaving the young author to stay with relatives. The author recalls painful memories of being away from his parents during this difficult time. Overall, the document shares glimpses into the author's challenging childhood and early life experiences that helped shape his outlook and philosophy.
The political climate of today is different from what it used to be. The Presidential contenders of previous elections would debate fiercely on their own position, but then go out for a drink after their time was up. Respect was expected, and deserved, and given. America’s issues were shared by all citizens. Whoever spoke against integrity, honesty, empathy, and good moral values like these were looked down upon, and thought to be the outliers of American Society. But now, people who don’t hold these values are looked up to, are tolerated, and are gaining support everyday. Discrimination based on race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, mental handicap, and other attributes are now more public than ever, and aren’t questioned. We are divided based on the differences we see in other people. It’s not much different from America’s deadly past that most people think we’ve moved on from. But the truth is, we haven’t moved on at all. Things have only gotten worse.
Koo Jian Xiang discusses experiences where his initial social perceptions of others based on appearances were incorrect. He assumed an old man in a restaurant was poor based on his clothes, but the man drove off in a Ferrari. He lent his phone to a crying girl who seemed helpless, but she was a thief. He also discusses how rumors at school led others to perceive him negatively despite not knowing him well. He learned not to make assumptions and consider consequences before acting. Intrinsic motivation is discussed, like completing homework to watch cartoons as a child or winning a race for a date, which drove him to achieve goals.
The author shares her journey from a mediocre life to finding happiness. She describes growing up as the third of four daughters and feeling like she was never the best or worst. This led to a mediocre life that was exhausting. She withdrew socially for a few years to better understand herself. This allowed her to love herself more and take responsibility for her own happiness. Happiness then became a habit by focusing on her needs and passions like exploring. Now she shares her happiness with others and finds purpose through her passions.
1) The author recounts being sexually abused at age 12 by older teenage boys and struggling with the trauma of that experience for many years through drug addiction, abusive relationships, and sex trafficking.
2) She has since recovered from drug addiction, become a single mother, and found purpose in helping other survivors through mentoring and outreach work.
3) Reflecting on her past, the author wishes she had told someone what happened as a child so she could have received help and support earlier in dealing with the trauma.
This document contains Addie Bruyr's senior exit portfolio from Newton High School, including sections on her resume, personal essay, transcript, academic accomplishments, honors and activities, letters of reference, service learning, and personal information. The personal essay describes Addie's difficult freshman year when she switched schools and experienced trauma, her struggles with mental health issues in subsequent years, and how she has matured and grown more confident over time.
This document provides introductions and biographies for 7 individuals who were interviewed as part of a project on different perspectives of freedom. The introductions include the name, page number, and a short biography for each individual. It also provides context for the project, which aimed to show that everyone has a different idea of what freedom means based on their experiences and backgrounds. The document explores how freedom has been debated throughout history and discusses Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1944 State of the Union address that outlined four essential freedoms.
This document provides short biographies of 7 individuals who were interviewed for a project on freedom. The interviews focused on what freedom means to each person based on their unique experiences and backgrounds. The document includes an introduction explaining the project's goal of showing that everyone has a different understanding of freedom and how it is shaped by factors like ethnicity, age, culture and life experiences.
The document provides an overview of the author's childhood memories and experiences. It describes how the author was born into a middle-class family in 1951 and felt like a "trouble boy" due to his father falling ill after his birth. His father suffered from tuberculosis in the 1950s and had to be hospitalized for treatment, leaving the young author to stay with relatives. The author recalls painful memories of being away from his parents during this difficult time. Overall, the document shares glimpses into the author's challenging childhood and early life experiences that helped shape his outlook and philosophy.
The political climate of today is different from what it used to be. The Presidential contenders of previous elections would debate fiercely on their own position, but then go out for a drink after their time was up. Respect was expected, and deserved, and given. America’s issues were shared by all citizens. Whoever spoke against integrity, honesty, empathy, and good moral values like these were looked down upon, and thought to be the outliers of American Society. But now, people who don’t hold these values are looked up to, are tolerated, and are gaining support everyday. Discrimination based on race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, mental handicap, and other attributes are now more public than ever, and aren’t questioned. We are divided based on the differences we see in other people. It’s not much different from America’s deadly past that most people think we’ve moved on from. But the truth is, we haven’t moved on at all. Things have only gotten worse.
Koo Jian Xiang discusses experiences where his initial social perceptions of others based on appearances were incorrect. He assumed an old man in a restaurant was poor based on his clothes, but the man drove off in a Ferrari. He lent his phone to a crying girl who seemed helpless, but she was a thief. He also discusses how rumors at school led others to perceive him negatively despite not knowing him well. He learned not to make assumptions and consider consequences before acting. Intrinsic motivation is discussed, like completing homework to watch cartoons as a child or winning a race for a date, which drove him to achieve goals.
The author shares her journey from a mediocre life to finding happiness. She describes growing up as the third of four daughters and feeling like she was never the best or worst. This led to a mediocre life that was exhausting. She withdrew socially for a few years to better understand herself. This allowed her to love herself more and take responsibility for her own happiness. Happiness then became a habit by focusing on her needs and passions like exploring. Now she shares her happiness with others and finds purpose through her passions.
1) The author recounts being sexually abused at age 12 by older teenage boys and struggling with the trauma of that experience for many years through drug addiction, abusive relationships, and sex trafficking.
2) She has since recovered from drug addiction, become a single mother, and found purpose in helping other survivors through mentoring and outreach work.
3) Reflecting on her past, the author wishes she had told someone what happened as a child so she could have received help and support earlier in dealing with the trauma.
This document is a collection of life events and memories from Jessica Lynn Wamsley's life from her birth in 1986 through 2009. Some key events included growing up in Santa Monica with her childhood best friend, her parents' divorce in 1989, experiencing the 1994 Northridge earthquake, graduating high school in 2004 and community college in 2009, and the loss of her grandmother to Alzheimer's in 2007.
This document is a personal essay written by Cori Muller discussing her experiences with prejudice and discrimination as a biracial woman. She describes facing prejudice from an early age through insensitive comments and questions from peers about her race and family. In high school, she felt excluded and judged by both white and minority groups. She analyzes how media portrayals may influence prejudices by stereotyping people of color. At college, she continues to face exclusion and unfair treatment from her residence hall floormates, who ignore and make rude comments about her and the only other black student. The essay examines how her experiences have shaped her views on racism in society.
The article reviews the opening scene of the new James Bond film "Skyfall", which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the franchise. The intense scene depicts Bond working with a fellow female agent on a mission aboard a moving train, where their target is pursued. Their supervisor M must decide whether the agent should take a risky shot that could hit Bond. This sets up the film's storyline of stolen classified data and Bond's pursuit of the thief.
This document contains voices from the Traveller, Roma, and Gypsy communities in the UK discussing their lives, traditions, discrimination they face, education, and desire for freedom and rights. Some key points:
- The voices want the settled community to "get to know us" rather than make assumptions about Travellers.
- Traditions are changing due to circumstances, but family comes first. Discrimination in areas like housing, employment and accessing services is still an issue.
- Education is valued but discrimination caused some to leave school. The desire is for children to be proud of their culture and identity.
- Nomadism and freedom to travel is central to their way of life but
Final Multigenre Project by Shanequa PerryShanequa Perry
This document is a multi-genre project by Shanequa Perry dedicated to five men who have impacted her life. It includes letters to her uncle, cousin, and father who passed away when she was three months old. It also includes a poem about her father and a reflection on meeting cousins from her father's side of the family for the first time. The men honored helped encourage Shanequa after her father's passing and stood in as father figures in her life. The project allows her to express gratitude for their support and share memories.
This multi-genre project by Shanequa Perry is dedicated to five influential men in her life who helped support her after her father passed away when she was an infant. The project includes letters to her uncle, cousin, and grandfather expressing gratitude for their encouragement and role in her life. It also includes a poem about missing her father and meeting her cousin from her father's side of the family for the first time. The overall project pays tribute to the father figures who helped raise Perry and stand in the gap after losing her father at a young age.
The document provides advice on being a gentleman, including maintaining proper hygiene and grooming, dressing stylishly, behaving politely through etiquette and manners, respectfully conversing with women on dates, showing respect in relationships, and resolving conflicts reasonably without violence. The overarching message is that a gentleman prioritizes caring for others through kindness, consideration, and chivalry in both appearance and conduct.
This document is a social identity paper written by Jacqueline Benitez-Alfaro. It discusses her social identity as a Catholic, Hispanic female from a lower middle-class family. She views her identity positively but acknowledges it can be seen negatively depending on the situation or location. She then interviews a white, male friend about his social identity and insights he gained. Both discuss how their identities influence interactions and when they are more or less likely to behave in certain ways due to their identities.
This is a project I completed for my Intro to Marketing class. The project describes my roles as a consumer, but also provides a "sneak peak" at my story.
Canterbury Hero Defined Sociology Award Highest Excellence 2014 Post UniversityRebecca Canterbury
This document is Rebecca Canterbury's paper titled "Hero Defined" discussing her realization that she has heroes in her life that she didn't previously recognize. These include strong women who have overcome challenges, as well as her paternal grandmother and father. Her grandmother provided wisdom and kindness to others, while Rebecca came to appreciate her father's commitment to providing a stable home for her despite marital issues. She concludes that small acts of kindness and understanding towards others is what defines her, and her motivation to pursue her degree is intrinsic and personal.
The patient, a 40-year-old woman, has been experiencing stomach pains, difficulty swallowing, and an aversion to certain foods. She feels she has always had to adapt too much to others' wishes and not allow herself to be who she truly is, both currently with neighbors and friends and in her childhood family. Her analysis finds themes of not being able to take up her own space and having to comply with others' expectations throughout her life and relationships. Aluminium metallicum is prescribed to address her confusion in relationships and lack of sense of her own identity.
This is an amended, mini version of the Social Health curriculum, focusing on the key issues within the Healthy Relationships unit. Could be downloaded, double sided and made into booklets for the class to be used individually or shared and completed as a group project.
Onlywhatsappstatus.com 10000 whatsapp status whatsapp status quotes amp fb st...onlywhatsappstatus
This document provides a list of 50 WhatsApp statuses on various topics like love, friendship, motivation, sadness and more. The statuses range from short phrases to longer paragraphs and cover different emotions and situations people may want to express through their WhatsApp status.
This document is the prologue of a story that describes how the author receives an email from a man in Ahmedabad, India identifying himself as a businessman and saying he has taken sleeping pills as a suicide attempt. The author contacts his professor from business school in Ahmedabad for help locating the man. The professor and some students search hospitals in Ahmedabad and find a Govind Patel who matches the description, who is alive but not speaking to anyone. The prologue ends with the author still wanting to know more about what happened to Govind Patel.
Zach and Lacy were best friends for many years until one day in 2009 when Lacy suddenly deleted Zach from Facebook without explanation and stopped responding to his messages. The document discusses reasons why people sometimes suddenly cut off contact with friends without explanation, such as not wanting to deal with relationship issues, secretly having issues with the other person, not considering the relationship important enough, politeness, a change of heart, having other issues in their own life, or wanting more independence. It advises that when this happens, the best thing to do is let go and move on rather than chasing after the person, and to focus on surrounding yourself with people who will be there for you.
El agua se mueve de forma natural a través del ciclo hidrológico. El agua se evapora de los océanos, lagos y ríos, se condensa en las nubes y cae de nuevo a la tierra como lluvia, nieve o granizo, regresando así a los océanos para comenzar el ciclo nuevamente.
When it comes to innovation, green technology is poised to turn the energy industry on its head. More companies than ever today are pioneering sustainable technology (also known as cleantech), setting the stage for environmentally conscious energy consumption across the globe.
Some nations are better incubators for green innovation than others. In these locations, entrepreneurs have the ability to dip their toes in the cleantech pool, or even dive head first to make waves in the industry. Learn more on the list!
XYZ Mobile is a major car company that manufactures vehicles and parts. It employs thousands of people across the United States and has been recognized as one of the best companies to work for. To retain employees, XYZ Mobile offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, holidays, vacation, and potential bonuses to all full-time and part-time workers. The document provides details on the specific benefits and costs for employees.
Mohamed Allam is an ambitious architect with over 5 years of experience working on a wide range of building projects in Sharjah and Dubai. He has expertise in liaising with clients, designing innovative concepts, and supervising construction to ensure projects meet specifications. Allam holds a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from Al Azher University in Cairo.
This document is a collection of life events and memories from Jessica Lynn Wamsley's life from her birth in 1986 through 2009. Some key events included growing up in Santa Monica with her childhood best friend, her parents' divorce in 1989, experiencing the 1994 Northridge earthquake, graduating high school in 2004 and community college in 2009, and the loss of her grandmother to Alzheimer's in 2007.
This document is a personal essay written by Cori Muller discussing her experiences with prejudice and discrimination as a biracial woman. She describes facing prejudice from an early age through insensitive comments and questions from peers about her race and family. In high school, she felt excluded and judged by both white and minority groups. She analyzes how media portrayals may influence prejudices by stereotyping people of color. At college, she continues to face exclusion and unfair treatment from her residence hall floormates, who ignore and make rude comments about her and the only other black student. The essay examines how her experiences have shaped her views on racism in society.
The article reviews the opening scene of the new James Bond film "Skyfall", which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the franchise. The intense scene depicts Bond working with a fellow female agent on a mission aboard a moving train, where their target is pursued. Their supervisor M must decide whether the agent should take a risky shot that could hit Bond. This sets up the film's storyline of stolen classified data and Bond's pursuit of the thief.
This document contains voices from the Traveller, Roma, and Gypsy communities in the UK discussing their lives, traditions, discrimination they face, education, and desire for freedom and rights. Some key points:
- The voices want the settled community to "get to know us" rather than make assumptions about Travellers.
- Traditions are changing due to circumstances, but family comes first. Discrimination in areas like housing, employment and accessing services is still an issue.
- Education is valued but discrimination caused some to leave school. The desire is for children to be proud of their culture and identity.
- Nomadism and freedom to travel is central to their way of life but
Final Multigenre Project by Shanequa PerryShanequa Perry
This document is a multi-genre project by Shanequa Perry dedicated to five men who have impacted her life. It includes letters to her uncle, cousin, and father who passed away when she was three months old. It also includes a poem about her father and a reflection on meeting cousins from her father's side of the family for the first time. The men honored helped encourage Shanequa after her father's passing and stood in as father figures in her life. The project allows her to express gratitude for their support and share memories.
This multi-genre project by Shanequa Perry is dedicated to five influential men in her life who helped support her after her father passed away when she was an infant. The project includes letters to her uncle, cousin, and grandfather expressing gratitude for their encouragement and role in her life. It also includes a poem about missing her father and meeting her cousin from her father's side of the family for the first time. The overall project pays tribute to the father figures who helped raise Perry and stand in the gap after losing her father at a young age.
The document provides advice on being a gentleman, including maintaining proper hygiene and grooming, dressing stylishly, behaving politely through etiquette and manners, respectfully conversing with women on dates, showing respect in relationships, and resolving conflicts reasonably without violence. The overarching message is that a gentleman prioritizes caring for others through kindness, consideration, and chivalry in both appearance and conduct.
This document is a social identity paper written by Jacqueline Benitez-Alfaro. It discusses her social identity as a Catholic, Hispanic female from a lower middle-class family. She views her identity positively but acknowledges it can be seen negatively depending on the situation or location. She then interviews a white, male friend about his social identity and insights he gained. Both discuss how their identities influence interactions and when they are more or less likely to behave in certain ways due to their identities.
This is a project I completed for my Intro to Marketing class. The project describes my roles as a consumer, but also provides a "sneak peak" at my story.
Canterbury Hero Defined Sociology Award Highest Excellence 2014 Post UniversityRebecca Canterbury
This document is Rebecca Canterbury's paper titled "Hero Defined" discussing her realization that she has heroes in her life that she didn't previously recognize. These include strong women who have overcome challenges, as well as her paternal grandmother and father. Her grandmother provided wisdom and kindness to others, while Rebecca came to appreciate her father's commitment to providing a stable home for her despite marital issues. She concludes that small acts of kindness and understanding towards others is what defines her, and her motivation to pursue her degree is intrinsic and personal.
The patient, a 40-year-old woman, has been experiencing stomach pains, difficulty swallowing, and an aversion to certain foods. She feels she has always had to adapt too much to others' wishes and not allow herself to be who she truly is, both currently with neighbors and friends and in her childhood family. Her analysis finds themes of not being able to take up her own space and having to comply with others' expectations throughout her life and relationships. Aluminium metallicum is prescribed to address her confusion in relationships and lack of sense of her own identity.
This is an amended, mini version of the Social Health curriculum, focusing on the key issues within the Healthy Relationships unit. Could be downloaded, double sided and made into booklets for the class to be used individually or shared and completed as a group project.
Onlywhatsappstatus.com 10000 whatsapp status whatsapp status quotes amp fb st...onlywhatsappstatus
This document provides a list of 50 WhatsApp statuses on various topics like love, friendship, motivation, sadness and more. The statuses range from short phrases to longer paragraphs and cover different emotions and situations people may want to express through their WhatsApp status.
This document is the prologue of a story that describes how the author receives an email from a man in Ahmedabad, India identifying himself as a businessman and saying he has taken sleeping pills as a suicide attempt. The author contacts his professor from business school in Ahmedabad for help locating the man. The professor and some students search hospitals in Ahmedabad and find a Govind Patel who matches the description, who is alive but not speaking to anyone. The prologue ends with the author still wanting to know more about what happened to Govind Patel.
Zach and Lacy were best friends for many years until one day in 2009 when Lacy suddenly deleted Zach from Facebook without explanation and stopped responding to his messages. The document discusses reasons why people sometimes suddenly cut off contact with friends without explanation, such as not wanting to deal with relationship issues, secretly having issues with the other person, not considering the relationship important enough, politeness, a change of heart, having other issues in their own life, or wanting more independence. It advises that when this happens, the best thing to do is let go and move on rather than chasing after the person, and to focus on surrounding yourself with people who will be there for you.
El agua se mueve de forma natural a través del ciclo hidrológico. El agua se evapora de los océanos, lagos y ríos, se condensa en las nubes y cae de nuevo a la tierra como lluvia, nieve o granizo, regresando así a los océanos para comenzar el ciclo nuevamente.
When it comes to innovation, green technology is poised to turn the energy industry on its head. More companies than ever today are pioneering sustainable technology (also known as cleantech), setting the stage for environmentally conscious energy consumption across the globe.
Some nations are better incubators for green innovation than others. In these locations, entrepreneurs have the ability to dip their toes in the cleantech pool, or even dive head first to make waves in the industry. Learn more on the list!
XYZ Mobile is a major car company that manufactures vehicles and parts. It employs thousands of people across the United States and has been recognized as one of the best companies to work for. To retain employees, XYZ Mobile offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, holidays, vacation, and potential bonuses to all full-time and part-time workers. The document provides details on the specific benefits and costs for employees.
Mohamed Allam is an ambitious architect with over 5 years of experience working on a wide range of building projects in Sharjah and Dubai. He has expertise in liaising with clients, designing innovative concepts, and supervising construction to ensure projects meet specifications. Allam holds a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from Al Azher University in Cairo.
O documento discute várias abordagens para melhorar a segurança do Android, incluindo hardware separado, multi-boot, webtops, recipientes criptografados, tipo-2 hypervisors, sandboxes construídas sobre a areia e segurança física. Ele conclui que a criptografia em camadas como uma defesa em profundidade pode aumentar a garantia dos serviços baseados em Android, mas não deve executar ambas as camadas dentro do ambiente Android e deve isolar cuidadosamente funções críticas fora do sistema.
This document is a resume for Ali Raza Yunas, a mechanical engineer from Dubai, UAE seeking a career in manufacturing, welding, fabrication or production management. It outlines his relevant work experience including roles as a technical engineer designing machinery, a mechanical maintenance engineer, and assistant engineer. It also lists his core qualifications such as knowledge of machinery, manufacturing processes, and ability to maintain quality and safety standards.
Marketing Museale in pillole - confezione n°1chiara sparacio
10 Pillole di Marketing Museale
posologia
1 pillola una volta al giorno per 10 giorni
controindicazioni
miglioramento dell'attività del tuo museo e nascita del sospetto che la cultura possa essere un lavoro
-----
10 suggerimenti pratici e veloci da mettere in pratica per dare una marcia in più al tuo museo
così, giusto per cominciare
Se vuoi restare informato sulle attività di Marketing Museale e scaricare il Report 10 Semplici Mosse per Ottenere il Massimo dal tuo Museo, vai su www.marketingmuseale.it e lascia il tuo indirizzo email nel form dedicato
SEM 4 : BUILDING STRUCTURE MODULE OUTLINEDarshiini Vig
This document provides an outline for the Building | Structure module taken by Bachelor of Science in Architecture students. The 3-credit, 12-week module covers principles of structural systems, analysis, design, and codes. Assessment includes two group projects accounting for 70% of the grade, and a final exam for 30%. The module aims to develop an understanding of structural behavior and load analysis, and apply this to element design. It is delivered through lectures, tutorials, and self-study, and assessed based on a pass/fail portfolio in addition to the graded assessments.
The document discusses the various editing techniques used in Adobe Premiere Pro to create a music video. Audio tracks were used for the song and talking segments. Video clips were filtered with black and white and tints, split into four sections on the screen using key frames, and transitioned from corners to the center. Key frames were also used to fade clips from black and white to color. Speed adjustments changed the pace of some clips. Overlapping shapes and double exposure effects were added to clips.
1. Simmons 1
Gianna Simmons
ENGWRT 0610
The Problem with Homelessness
I had seen him every day since I started attending Pitt. He was always in the
same spot on the corner of Forbes Avenue and Atwood Street, leaning against the
Forbes Rite Aid and a faded gray metal structure. I usually walked past him, felt
sorry, and avoided eye contact. Today, though, I
was going to talk to him.
I approached apprehensively, unsure of
what to say. “Hi, are you Rich?” I asked, trying to
seem as normal as possible.
“Yes, I am,” he replied.
“I was wondering if I could interview you and write a story about you for one
of my classes?” I held my breath, hoping that he would say yes, because my other
options had been exhausted at this point.
“Yes! Of course,” he said with a smile, showing the lack of teeth he had in the
top front of his mouth.
I offered to take him to McDonalds or Subway and get him some lunch so we
could sit and talk for a while where it was warm. It was a frigid day in February and
I thought that the warmth could benefit both of us. I wasn’t sure how else I could do
the interview; it wasn’t like he had an office and there’s something about inviting a
homeless man to my dorm room that made me feel incredibly uncomfortable.
He politely declined. “If I leave the spot, I lose money” he explained, “but
you’re welcome to sit here and talk for a while.” He gestured toward the end of his
2. Simmons 2
green blanket. I looked at the spot that was just large enough for me, decided that I
didn’t really have a choice, and took a seat. “People are going to see me,” I thought.
“They’re going to wonder what the hell I’m doing hanging out with this guy.
“Thanks,” I said with a smile as I took out my notebook and forced my knees
to bend into a position so my thighs could act as a table. My legs were already cold
and the thought of staying out here for an hour or more was not pleasant.
His name is Richard Jones. He’s been homeless for around 20 years, since he
lost his job as a pharmaceutical and medical supplies salesman. He came to
Pittsburgh in 1976 from his hometown of Atlantic City, New Jersey.1
Rich has a beard that is almost completely gray, except for a portion on his
upper lip that is a reddish-blonde color. His
graying eyebrows can be seen only a little bit
from under his hat, above his somewhat
sunken blue eyes. When he smiles, he has no
teeth in the front. His skin is wrinkled and
somewhat discolored, due to the elements he
has faced over the years. On his hands, he wears either thick black gloves or thick
yellow mittens, removing one occasionally, only to smoke a cigarette.
He has his sleeping bag wrapped between him and the ground and a green
blanket pulled up to his chest. He wears a black jacket over a thick brown coat,
zipped to his chin. He wears a black hat and keeps the hood on the brown coat up.
There is no denying that he is homeless.
1 See question 1.
3. Simmons 3
I asked him questions and he volunteered a lot of information, especially
about what he had learned since becoming homeless. He spoke softly at first, but as
our conversation continued, he got louder, smiled more, and I think got more
comfortable with me being there. I hadn’t thought that, at first, I could have made
him almost as uncomfortable as he made me.
I took notes on what he was saying, but took advantage of the pauses that he
gave me in my writing to look around at the faces of people passing by. Most didn’t
look at me at all or looked away when they noticed I was looking at them. Others
met my eyes, occasionally raising their eyebrows in that way that says, “What are
you doing?” Those eyebrows made me look back at my paper and wonder the same
thing myself.
Here I was, hanging out, sitting on the end of this guy’s blanket. Of course it
was strange. The problem is, most people see homeless people and assume that
they’re just lazy, druggies, alcoholics, or crazy, but the truth is, they’re just people.
The more I talked to Rich, the more I realized how true this was and wondered why
more people couldn’t find the time to find out their stories.
I understand that a lot of people don’t have time to spend with a homeless
person and that there’s something about it that makes people uncomfortable. I was
uncomfortable at first, especially since I was sitting with him outside on the corner
of Forbes and Atwood, one of the busiest intersections in Oakland. According to an
article from Boston University’s Community Service Center’s First-Year Student
Outreach Project, most people who pass by homeless people stereotype that person
4. Simmons 4
as being mentally ill or suffering from addiction. “These negative attitudes are
unjustly made generalizations that contribute to a cycle of stigmatization.”2
What people don’t understand is that some people do choose remain
homeless, though becoming homeless may have been out of their control. Rich is
one of these people. He explained that after he lost his
job, he got a DUI, which prevented him from driving.
Since he couldn’t drive, he couldn’t get another job so
he just said, “hell with it, I’ll just go out on the street
and live.”3 He doesn’t seek help from shelters or soup
kitchens because “they’re all nuts” and he prefers to
live and survive on his own.4
Rich explained to me how being homeless is actually a full time job and that he plans
to retire this spring and hopes to head back to Atlantic City. While you probably
can’t fathom homelessness as being a full time job, especially one that you could
retire from, I can see where he’s coming from now. He sits on the corner of Atwood
and Forbes everyday from eight in the morning until two or three in the afternoon.
After that, he heads over to Shadyside, gets a cup of coffee at Wendy’s, and
panhandles over there until evening before heading to one of his storage units
where he sleeps at night.
“You gotta make money to survive,” he noted.5 So how is this any different
from any other “real” job?
2 http://fysophomelessnessandhousing.wordpress.com/the-stigmas-of-
homelessness/
3 See question 6.
4 See question 11.
5. Simmons 5
During three separate days, I spent roughly three and a half hours sitting at
the end of his blanket and each time I had never been more excited to be able to get
back to my dorm where it was warm, people weren’t constantly walking around me
and staring at me, and where I had a comfortable chair and bed. I came to enjoy the
time I was spending with Rich and part of me wanted to stay longer, but physically, I
couldn’t more than an hour at a time. The ink in my pen froze, my legs got so stiff
that it was difficult to walk, and my nose ran constantly from the cold. The one-day
it was actually warm enough to write comfortably, the snow was melting off of Rite
Aid and I was constantly being dripped on and chunks of snow and ice fell on me. My
notebook got soaked and my pages turned into a sea of purple scribbles. Would I
want to be out there everyday in hopes just to make a few dollars? Absolutely not.
I was one of the people who walked by with my head down to avoid eye
contact at all cost. I always felt bad about it, but I didn’t know what else to do. While
I was with Rich, some people stopped, but not many. Those who did stop didn’t
acknowledge me at all. A few handed him money in passing, hardly breaking stride
as he took it. There were a couple who seemed to know him and asked him how he
was doing and offered him a couple dollars or a cigarette before continuing on their
way. A policewoman stopped and gave him a hot chocolate and a bag full of things
like gloves and tissues; she told him that while she usually patrolled the North
Shore, if she was ever in the area, she’d stop by. A group of students stopped and
gave him a box with two donuts, one of which he gave to me. Like me though, most
people just walked by with their heads down, avoiding eye contact with both of us.
5 See question 8.
6. Simmons 6
“Most people don’t know what to give homeless people because they don’t
know what it’s like,” Rich tells me. “I can’t eat a lot of food at one time, they don’t
understand that.”6 Growing up, my mom always told me not to give homeless people
money because it’s not certain what they’ll use it for. She told me if I wanted to help
someone out, to give them food. Apparently, a lot of people have that philosophy and
I think it comes with the stereotype that all homeless people are alcoholics or drug
addicts. You could give them five dollars and that will go toward their next fix rather
than something useful. Rich understands these cultural reasons behind why he
receives what he does though and accepts everything graciously with a “thank you,
God bless you.”7
“I get mostly food because people either don’t understand that it’s not what I
need or they don’t want to give me money
because they don’t know what I’ll use it for.”8
Rich explains. “What I need, I need money
and tobacco.”9 He admits that prior to
becoming homeless, he had some of the same
concerns and mixed feelings about homeless people he passed on the street. Like
many people he didn’t understand them—how or why they were living on the
street. If I would have asked him then, he said that he never thought he would be
6 See question 3.
7 See question 3.
8 See question 21.
9 See question 3.
7. Simmons 7
homeless. “I had a college degree and a job. I’m not an alcoholic, so no, I never
thought I’d be out here.”10
I know most people that I come across in college have this idea that once they
have that degree, everything will be smooth sailing and they’ll be set for life just
because of a piece of paper. It’s not just those who are lazy, drug addicts, mentally ill,
or alcoholics who find themselves in the street, it could be any of us. “Any one of us
could descend into a life of homelessness due to job loss, unforeseen illness or an
unfortunate accident.”11 Of course, there are some pretend to be homeless and those
who are alcoholics and drug addicts and set out to take advantage of other peoples’
kindness; in doing so, objectify real homeless people, like Rich, and continue to add
to the stigma surrounding the homeless.12
Even the government, whether intentionally or unintentionally, has laws that
in a way further support the shaming of homeless people by the public. Rich reveals
that in the street, rights are limited. “People in third world countries have more
rights than homeless people in the United States and that’s the goddamn truth!”13
However, many states are adopting a “Homeless Bill of Rights,” such as Rhode
Island, California, and Oregon. “The language of the bill makes it clear that
discrimination against the homeless population is unacceptable.”14 Pennsylvania is
not yet one of those states. Despite these steps toward improvement, there are cities
that are actually making it harder to be homeless than it already is, such as
10 See question 21.
11 http://www.remnantreport.com/cgi-bin/imcart/read.cgi?article_id=649&sub=24
12 See question 11.
13 See question 10.
14 trcfwpa.org/homeless-bill-of-rights-is-it-enough/
8. Simmons 8
Philadelphia, by making it more difficult to find places to sleep and eat, which only
further supports the discrimination against those living in the streets.15 Hopefully,
this Bill will circulate to many cities and help to end the shame that homeless peple
often face.
I think a lot of stigma, not just surrounding homeless people, could be
dissolved if only people knew more about one another. If people took the time to
understand why homeless people were homeless and how they got there, it would
do a lot to end the stigma that exists. I think that everyone should take some time to
find out about other people. Even though it was difficult to sit there at first, I’m glad
to have met Rich. In the time I spent with him, I learned a
lot about him and from him, as well as about homeless
culture, which I never would have known otherwise.
Rich has lived in Pittsburgh almost 30 years, yet he
claims he won’t miss it at all when he leaves for Atlantic
City. I asked him what the best moment he had in
Pittsburgh was, if he had to pick one, to which he replied with a smile, “giving this
interview to you.”16
“Come back anytime,”17 Rich said as I stood up. I could feel how stiff my legs
were from sitting there, even though it was a fairly short period of time. I couldn’t
imagine sitting in a position like that all day; I would probably have to crawl
everywhere I went. I brushed myself off and thanked him, telling him how much I
15 huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/19/is-homeless-crackdown-a-s_n_1607235.html
16 See question 17.
17 See question 18.
9. Simmons 9
appreciated his time. He removed one of his thick yellow mittens and shook my
hand with a smile. I’m not afraid to go back now. I’m not afraid to sit at the end of his
blanket and have a conversation with him and I don’t care how many people stare at
me. They may think he’s lazy, an alcoholic, or a druggie, but I know that he’s not.
He’s just another person with a story.
Richard Jones, outside of Rite Aid on Forbes and Atwood from 8 AM to 2 or 3
PM everyday, he has no phone or email, met 2/10/14 from 1:30 to 2:30,
2/11/15 from 10:30 to 11:30 and 1:15 to 2, and 3/4/14 from 1:15 to 2.