Just to talk about

Giving A Voice To The Homeless

The power of street papers

‘Street Sheet’ newspaper sold on the streets of San Francisco, May 2009. Ron sells the Street Sheet and spreads cheer to passersby in his neighborhood. (Description provided by the photographer)/ Photo by Robert Bruce Livingston at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Invisibility

In the comment section of my poem “An Ordinary Day”, Natalie mentioned David Weldy who works with the homeless. Nat talked about synchronicity and I was amazed, as she also mentioned another word I had in mind when writing the poem: “invisible”.

Homeless people are often invisible in the cities, or sometimes people pretend that they can’t see them. Their struggles and ways of getting by may also seem out of grasp for people who have never experienced homelessness.

What are “street papers”?

Internationally, street papers create earning opportunities for homeless individuals. They create a feasible way for homeless individuals to earn some money by selling newspapers or magazines. Homeless individuals receive a certain number of such papers daily and sell them on the streets.

This process provides a source of income for individuals who may find it difficult to obtain employment due to their homelessness. This extra cash allows these individuals to access necessities that they cannot otherwise afford.

Moreover, street papers serve as a platform for the homeless to express their thoughts and experiences…