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Settler neighbors of a public park that exists on occupied land of the Ohlone /Lisjan people is pushing the City of Berkeley to criminalize and remove a small, humble and clean comUnity of houseless residents. by tiny “WE WANT THE PARK CLEAN AGAIN”  We want the streets clean again We want the sidewalks clean again Clean like when? Like the jim crow south clean Like rafah & khan Yunis clean Like Derik Chauvin clean Like we are not people when we live outside clean Kill houseless people with bulldozers from Huchiun to Palestine clean  Like ethnic cleansing clean..? How clean do the streets have to be So clean we can’t be seen So clean there isn’t one houseless person that can ever even be  How clean must it be ? Like a shiny metal countertop at StarBUx How long must i wash? Do i need lye and bleach and a colonial cross Can i sit - can i hide- can i make myself so small there is nothing left of me inside  just so i dont hurt your eyes when u walk by  Just so the streets stay clean of my dirty life ... .....CLEAN by tiny .... Editors Note: TODAY WEDNESDAY THE SETTLER SWEEPS ARE SET TO BEGIN _ PLS COME OUT TO THE PARK IF U CAN Florescent green paper signs with large black lettering sat calmly in their laps. Grey wisps of hair brushed against their placid cheeks.  One after the other, shoulder to shoulder, mostly wite housed settlers of occupied Huchiun, Ohlone, Lisjan Land aka North Berkeley held signs and lined up at a “community” meeting to make statements demanding the City of Berkeley “do something about the homeless problem.”   They used the hygienic metaphors of “cleaning” and “sweeping”  which are 21st century codes used by poltricksters and hater neighbors alike to describe removal, erasure and the complete eradication of houseless bodies from supposedly public spaces and in this case, referring to a public park in North Berkeley named Ohlone Park. Me and fellow houseless and formerly houseless poverty skolaz at POOR Magazine attended two of these supposedly community meetings held by the oddly named FOOP (friends of Ohlone Park) which i believe  should be re-named EOAPP (Enemies Of All the Poor in the Park) or SUOPWTC (Settlers Using Ohlone People Without Their Consent.) I say supposedly community, because although the main agenda of the meeting was about the houseless community of Ohlone Park, there were no houseless residents in the two meetings we attended. The meetings and the FOOP have existed for awhile and the oddly named “Ohlone Park” itself has a somewhat revolutionary  Herstory tied to Peoples Park resistance back in the 1970’s.  Now the park, as with most of so-called Berkeley, which is best known recently for being one of the few cities across the US who refused to call for a Ceasefire in Gaza over the last year and a half of genocide, has moved to decidedly bugie uses and includes a thriving dog park where mostly expensive dog breeds frolic in a gated area, two play areas for children, many beautiful Mama Trees, acres of green grass and most recently, a very clean, well-maintained houseless ComeUnity.   When me and my mama Dee were sleeping on the streets of so-called Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco, we would always be afraid of that park, not because of our fellow houseless comeUnity members only a few hidden in corners of the park at the time, but because the minute we would sit down on any of the few benches or stop our broke-down car, nearby when we were lucky enough to still be sleeping in our hooptie, we would immediately get hateful stares, odd questions about what we were doing there from random passerbys and poLice calls and drivebys telling us we “needed to move along”   “The recent Supreme Court decision that gives local governments more power to relocate people who are currently camping illegally in public spaces has been hampered by limited local resources.”  ( excerpt of a letter by settler residents of so-called Berkeley in a group called “FOOP, Friends Of Ohlone Park, to the City of Berkeley citing the Grants Pass Vs Johnson Supreme court ruling to force the City of Berkeley to remove the peaceful houseless community)  The Ohlone Park houseless *comeunity (I dont use the word encampment as that word has its roots in the military industrial complex) came to life months ago after the Grants Pass versus Johnson supreme court ruling that essentally stated that houseless peoples were no longer protected by the 8th amendment of the CONstition, therefore that our houseless bodies were no longer considered human. Period   Following the ruling there was a huge push by politrickster Newsom to order “sweeps” of  our houseless bodies  from every settler town and city in so-called California and then a  demand from the City of Berkeley poltricksters to remove ( read; erase) 2/3rds of the houseless population in Berkeley from its streets which was then followed by a resistance movement  of houseless peoples and comrades from Where Do We Go Berkeley to create new comeunities across Berkeley as soon as their previous comeunities were destroyed by non-stop sweeps across the City. “By not enforcing the law prohibiting camping in public parks, the city has effectively allowed part of Ohlone Park to become an encampment preventing full and open use of the park by all its citizens and user groups..”. From the FOOP to the City of Berkeley   After barely a couple weeks of the ComeUnity being in Ohlone Park there began a string of letters to the City of Berkeley demanding “they take care” of the blight, “clean” the park and other code words used when housed people talk about us without us houseless residents.  “They were coming up to the people humbly sleeping in their tents and saying hateful things, and threats and actual anti-poor people slurs against the houseless residents,” said Andrea Henson, former WDWG staff attorney and one of the leaders of the Where Do We Go resistance at the time “The hate has been non-stop, and yet they never made an attempt to speak to us or include us in their meetings or “strategies” because it was all about getting us out of the park,” said Ian Cordova, organizer with Where Do We Go Berkeley  POOR Magazine received an anonymous tip from an indigenous/1st Nations elder,  who was disgusted by the attack on humble houseless peoples just trying to sleep and forwarded us the letters. After reading the vitriol and the 21st century low-key call out for tiki torches and erasure of this comeunity, myself and other houseless comrades from POOR Magazine showed up to see what was up.  The first meeting was a strange and sad admixture of hypocrisy or what i call HyPoKRAZy. Allegedly progressive Berkeley residents, highly-educated, mostly wite (but not all) people who will throw down for global poverty struggles, against war and genocide everywhere else, but in their own “neighborhood” or as the saying goes, “backyard” they refuse to see it , believe it, or hear it. Or even worse, they demand the same violent erasure, ethnic cleansing, poLicing, harassment,racist and classist, removal of comeUnity, of residents that they lead protests against across Mama Earth.  “The Bathrooms will be locked at 5pm everyday, the police will ensure that,,,”,,,presenter on restructuring plans at the Friends of Ohlone Park (FOOP) mtg.  To which i stood up and responded, “then how will the houseless residents use the bathroom?,”  One after the other, the FOOP members called for the removal of houseless people from “their park” so it could be “safe” for the community.  This referral by the FOOP members to this supposedly public park as “theirs” and their classist exceptionalism in regards to who was community, were odd to me, as how was the houseless community not considered part of the community and why ddnt they deserve to “feel safe in the park too”?  Why weren’t the houseless park residents invited to this meeting considering it was supposedly for the “community” and how was this park referred to as Ohlone Park which at its social justice origins was a soft attempt by settlers to call out whose land this really is, abiding by, asking leadership from and/or even moving in right relationship with the erased ancestors of this very land they were talking about. “In a place that we have always called home since time immemorial, we were the first to be swept from our homes, into prisons we were forced to build,(Missions), into forced labor, and then off the land. What has this society learned over the last few hundred years? History is repeating itself in all the bad ways, continually creating harm and trauma on those who are the most marginalized. When will humans find their moral compass? When will they realize that each of us needs all of us?” - Corrina Gould, Tribal Elder, Prayer-Bringer and Co-founder of Sogorea Te Land Trust.  Corrina Gould, who is one of our family elders council members at Homefulness, who we asked permission and spiritual guidance from before we even began to build the homeless peoples solution to homelessness we call Homefulness in deep East Huchiun,, teaches all the time that the concept of homelessness didnt exist in the time of her ancestors.  Finally, this situation with the FOOP and the so-called Ohlone Park, is another act of settler violence which proves what i call the settler lie of public, i.e. we know that these so-called public spaces aren’t actually for all of the public and that in fact the public land, like private land is all occupied indigenous land and use, presence and even walking through or on it is very raced and classed depending on your melanin, and your position in this class stratified culture.  Landless Not Voiceless "We hope to have a dialogue - to help Berkeley residents understand that everyone, housed or unhoused deserves dignity, safety and place in our city," Berkeley Homeless Union, a humble group of houseless and formerly houseless Berkeley residents held a beautiful gathering at the park last Saturday to try to foster dialogue between housed and houseless residents of the park.  "How are we different just cause we don't have four walls," said Marcus a park resident who we spoke with at the party. As we left the humble and peaceful gathering i was shaking my head thinking, Yes, Berkeley, Housed or unhoused, don't we all deserve to feel safe in public?

Poor Magazine/Homefulness will be joining Interfaith4Ceasefire to walk in recognition of the Palestinian Right of Return to their land, and to affirm the human right for ALL people to stay, migrate, and return, and to not face displacement. We are walking with the knowing that borders and settler claims to land are built on violent lies and with the knowing that another world is possible. The walk is 22 miles, beginning in Alameda and ending in Berkeley.

Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025 Time:  8:00pm Location: El Rio ( map ), 3158 Mission Street, San Francisco CA 94110 Solidarity Fam in Yelamu have launched a benefit for Homefulness Yelamu! Join us on June 5 at El Rio. Tickets can be purchased in advance here or at the door for $15. Featuring Poetry by Po' Poets and music from Mild Universe, The Breathing Room, Catnip and Sweet Lew Buy a ticket here!

Por Alvaro Kepokamaztli Tellez/ By Alvaro Kepokamaztli Tellez Mi nombre es Alvaro soy un sobreviviente de desplazamiento de hogar y llegar al punto de quedarme sin hogar y vivir en mi carro por casi 3 años. Despues de vivir “El sueño americano” se convirtió en una pesadilla e impotencia de no poder darle un hogar a mi pareja! Nos hace impotentes ante un sistema capitalista, esto me hizo investigar y leer sobre el desplazamiento que ha sobrevivido nuestra gente desde años atras hasta este tiempo! El desplazamiento de MexicoAmericanos o mudanza forzada de personas de origen Mexicana que vivían en Estados Unidos. No hay una fecha específica para el desplazamiento sino que es un proceso continuo que se ha dado a lo largo del tiempo. Algunos eventos y factores que contribuyeron al desplazamiento de MexicoAmericanos. “La guerra MexicoAmericana {1846-1848} y El Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo” “El Programa Bracero {1940-1964} “Cambios en las Politicas de Imigracion en Mexico {1980} “Discriminacion y Segregacion en Estados Unidos” En resumen el desplazamiento de MexicoAmericanos ha sido un proceso continuo a lo largo de la historia impulsados por factores Politicos, Económicos, y Sociales, así como la discriminacion y segregacion. Tambien me gustaria comentar por lo que la gente de Palestina esta pasando por este desplazamiento que ha llevado a un genocidio sobre civiles incuyendo mujeres y ninos. “Displacement” My name is Alvaro, I am a survivor of displacement. I reached the point of being homeless and living in my car for almost three years. After living “The American Dream,” it turned into a nightmare and the helplessness of not being able to provide a home for my partner! It makes us powerless against a capitalist system. This led me to research and read about the displacement our people have endured from years ago to this day! The displacement of Mexican Americans, or the forced relocation of people of Mexican origin who lived in the United States. There is no specific date for displacement; it is a continuous process that has occurred over time. Some events and factors that contributed to the displacement of Mexican Americans: “The Mexican-American War {1846-1848} and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo” “The Bracero Program {1940-1964} “Changes in Immigration Policies in Mexico {1980} “Discrimination and Segregation in the United States” In summary, the displacement of Mexican-Americans has been a continuous process throughout history driven by political, economic, and social factors, as well as discrimination and segregation. I would also like to comment on what the Palestinian people are going through due to this displacement, which has led to genocide against civilians, including women and children. “NAKBA DAY” Memoria de una catastrofe, dia que se conmemora el Nakba tambien conocida como la catastrofe de Palestina que comprendio la destruccion de la sociedad y patria palestina en 1948 y el desplazamiento permanente de la mayoria del pueblo palestino. “MOHAMED BADR” No vamos a emigrar de Gaza por dificiles que sean las circunstancias, no dejaremos la franja de Gaza aunque nos sigan matando y bombardeando y no contemos con medicinas, alimentos, bebida, ropa, ni refugios. Si creen que nos iremos se equivocan; Aunque desaparesca el mundo entero, aunque los peces abandonen el mar nosotros no vamos aemigrar!! -Palabras de ressistencia de un pueblo que solo quiere sobrevivir y mantener sus tierras sagradas! Noquiero comparar el desplazamiento en Palestina con el que estamos pasando en esta parte del mundo, es totalmente diferente pero sigue siendo lo mismo “DESPLAZAMIENTO” Espero unas mejores politicas para evitar este tipo de Genocidios en todas las partes del mundo donde los más debiles son los que sufren mas! Hoy estoy agradecido con mi familia de Homefulness y Poormagazine.org  por darnos la oportunidad de vivir dignamente y a escribir este tipo de Blog Revolcionario. “TLAZOCAMATI” "NAKBA DAY" Remembrance of a catastrophe, a day commemorating the Nakba, also known as the Palestinian catastrophe, which included the destruction of Palestinian society and homeland in 1948 and the permanent displacement of the majority of the Palestinian community. “MOHAMED BADR” We are not going to emigrate from Gaza, no matter how difficult the circumstances. We will not leave the Gaza Strip even if they continue to kill and bomb us and we have no medicine, food, drink, clothing, or shelter. If you think we will leave, you are mistaken; even if the entire world disappears, even if the fish abandon the sea, we will not emigrate!! -Words of resistance from a people who only want to survive and maintain their sacred lands! I don't want to compare the displacement in Palestine with what we are experiencing in this part of the world. It is totally different, but it is still the same: “displacement.” I hope for better politics to prevent this type of genocide in all parts of the world, where the weakest suffer the most! Today I am grateful to my Homefulness family and Poormagazine.org for giving us the opportunity to live with dignity and to write this kind of revolutionary blog. “TLAZOCAMATI”

When:  May 30, 2025, 3 to 6 pm Where:  Wood Street, between 24th & 26th Street, West Oakland, CA  What:  Block Party and Resource Fair Contacts:  Freeway- 510.260.9420 John Janosko - 510.713.7639 LeaJay Harper- 510.484.9774 On Friday, May 30, Wood Street Commons will be hosting our 4th annual Block Party/ Resource Fair/ Fundraiser. We will have live performances by CJ Lawrence, Versoul, The Po Poets Project of POOR Magazine and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. We will also have food, vendors, and speakers, as well as over 30 organizations with resources. We will also be hosting a silent auction.  We are inviting our community of supporters to  help us  spread the word about our upcoming event and to bring friends. We are hoping that this event will help  ease any tensions that may exist  between the unhoused community and their housed neighbors.  "This event is for our unhoused neighbors, but it is also equally for our housed neighbors. Our goal is to bridge the gaps between the house d  and unhoused, and rebuild the sense of community that West Oakland is known for. In this time of political domination from the executive level down, it is vital for us to stand in unity. We must create comm- unity  as a form of resistance. We must create  joy  as an act of resistance. We must remember those no longer with us, and  keep fighting  for their legacy. This event is all of that." - Freeway (they/them)  event coordinator of the Block Party... We are also starting to sell T-Shirts to help fund our outreach and advocacy work. The link can be found here .   Also, we are still looking for volunteers to help with the event, so please contact Freeway, John or LeaJay.  In Community, Wood Street Commons Core Leadership Please follow: @woodstreetcommons @oakland.homeless.union @oakland.revealed  @poormagazine

By Monique French Dear…..Mi amor I met you sometime around November 2017 a month and a half prior to me signing my contingency contract with Tesla in Fremont California. I love this man! Nathan Sowell is his name. I have loved and shared experiences with you.  It's personal between us, the both of us. Nathan Sowell and Monique French. So now let me jump into today. 7 years later, I want to remind you of something that's mentally mind fucking me over and over with all consideration of who I am now, and all that I've put you through and you've been through with me and the journeys we've went on together to get here.  About yesterday, I was looking over my medical encounters when I had HMO medical at Big Bad Kaiser Permanente which was my PCP out of Alameda California. I found the day when shit got real I wanted to run away…. from you, from me, from we, from us!  I can honestly say I'm glad I didn't, I'm so amazed you didn't either.  We were at the stupid doctor's appointment, and that day of all days my first appointment of many I have missed and I didn't get to meet with my PCP doctor-- it was her fucking assistant of some profession. I was there to get hand and arm braces for my arthritis and when the doctor assistant bitch scolded me about not coming to my scheduled appointments and why she's there and not my PCP doctors because of blah blah blah blah blah all of her personal opinions that weren't helpful at all and didn't matter much. So I was getting upset and feeling attacked. You Nate was like “don't leave Mo she's only telling the truth.” I got up and wanted to walk out of that cold, White, sterile smelling room.  I noticed that you didn't notice what she said when she came into the room. She said that “I was just looking over your file.” This isn't a busy office in which they like to brag about all their free time, and she had time on her hands to read. Somewhere in my file she must have seen me that I mentioned something to my doctor; my Methamphetamine usage, and the wanting to stop, the urge and need to want to quit, also the multiple attempts. But either way, unless she has ways of seeing other doctors offices medical records, all the records that I have in my possession now from this time the results on my methamphetamine test and penal test all were negative. Two of the reports say that they offered me substance/drug support and I denied or declined help and resources and referrals. Total fucking bullshit!  I for sure would have accepted help if it was ever offered to me, especially back then. I wish somebody would have reached out and told me about the aid and support that was out there.  That assistant chose that day to upset me, and freak me out, and then she waited just as good for me to leave that room and for some reason tell you “‘hey, do you know,” and of course I couldn't hear which you said to her but you backpedaled,  stepped back into that room.  “Monique is on crystal meth”  screamed thee assistant (of African decent, might I add).  “I don't know what that is, what is that?” Nathan said. “Methamphetamine, she's on drugs!” said that assistant bitch! Not caring about my patient HIPAA rights, domestic violence, or extra turmoils she possibly could have erected in my, well, our life, once we left that doctor's office.  Now think about this and reading over my notes and how my skin was clearly acting up, which is when I intentionally started to go to the fucking doctors and them treating me like I was bat shit out of my mind. I believe then I was already pregnant. Crazy,  I was gaining weight, my blood pressure was unmanageable (preeclampsia from my first pregnancy), I had about 4 to 5 scares and 4 to 5 urine and one blood test for gestation antepartum at Kaiser. So frustrating.  I believe we were in the beginning of gestation because I remember at my mom's and me house on her lounge couch and I was writing you like the cowgirl in my Joseline Hernandez voice choice words. I said “oh watch in less than a month we are going, we are pregnant, innate.” (Mi amour tis palabra es por que de palabras tu llama, and if I explained that this will be a book written by me)  Furthermore we were because when I had my abortion it was due to these reasons: found out just about 5 months, no prenatal care for me or the baby, working long hours, stressed, and that's how I lost my first baby and didn't find out until 5 months.   Killing my baby, they could have kept those organs. I don't understand to this day why mothers can't keep their own placentas especially after having a diseased baby or complications at birth. We, women, should be able to keep our whole entire life that comes out of us…women.

Street Memorial for JT - art by Jaz Colibri By Freeway - Co-founder Oakland Homeless Union and POOR Magazine povertyskola reporter I first met JT during an outreach at E. 12th. His enthusiasm about organizing was magnetic; when I asked him if he'd be down to do an interview about the sweeps, not only did he say yes, he followed up with three other names that would also be down. That was how every conversation with him was- I'd ask for one thing, and he'd come back with that, plus some. His faith in humanity and his compassion for others was unwaivering, despite the repeated disappointments he experienced on the part of the City and those who were supposed to be serving him. He died waiting for something that should be a basic human right- his enthusiasm and passion is what I'll remember most, and carry with me, continuing the fight for housing justice for all. Thank you for sharing your light JT. Thank you for trusting us

For Immediate Release:  Contact:  Tiny gray-garcia (510)-435-7500 POOR Magazine / Jo​hn Jan​osko/ (510) 712-7639 Wood Street Commons   TODAY Prayer Procession Held for East 12th st Resident who died after all his belonings were taken in the East 12th St Sweeps When: 2pm TODAY Thursday, May 22, 2025 Where: East 12th Street & 16th Ave What: Prayer Procession for Ancestors of Sweeps   .. On Monday, May 19, 2025 "JT" aka James Thomas, a long-time resident of East 12th street was found deceased in his camper as the City of Oakland was hooking it up to be towed away. The day before his RV, where he has resided houselessly for several years on East 12th street was seized by the City of Oakland as part of their violent series of sweeps they have been conducting all across Oakland and most recently on East 12th.  Members of JT’s family will join formerly houseless prayer-bringers at POOR Magazine and Homefulness,and comrades from Oakland Homeless Union, Wood Street Commons and Oakland Revealed in a prayer procession down East 12th Street for JT,  James Edward Oakley from Vallejo, who was run over by a backhoe in a sweep  and all ancestors of the violence of Sweeps across the US and Palestine.  “The violence of sweeping people like we are trash killed JT and James Edward Oakley. This system is literally sweeping us to death.”  said tiny gray-garcia, POOR Magazine  The endless attacks of violence on houseless people by the settler government of so-called Oakland accomplish nothing and are akin to genocide. The majority of residents are disabled elders, and they don’t feel safe; they are terrified. Houseless and poor people have solutions that cost a mere fraction of the exorbitant costs of sweeps. Barbara Lee, can you intervene? “Jt’s compassion for others was unwaivering, despite the repeated disappointments on the part of the City, he died waiting for something that should be a basic human right,” said Freeway, co-founder of the Oakland Homeless Union  “As people of faith and conscience, we uphold the sacredness of all people, including those who are unhoused. Everyone is deserving of safety and belonging.  Violent sweeps, criminalization, destroying people’s property, and continuously displacing people from one place to another fail​s to address ​the root causes. People need permanent homes and support for homeless people’s real solutions​.” ​- Rev Deborah Lee, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity. “In a place that we have always called home since time immemorial, we were the first to be swept from our homes, into prisons we were forced to build,(Missions), into forced labor, and then off the land. What has this society learned over the last few hundred years? History is repeating itself in all the bad ways, continually creating harm and trauma on those who are the most marginalized. When will humans find their moral compass? When will they realize that each of us needs all of us?” ​- Corrina Gould, Tribal Elder, Prayer-Bringer and Co-founder of Sogorea Te Land Trust.  In honor of JT and the daily sweeps across Oakland​, POOR Magazine, Wood Street Commons​, and Oakland Homeless Union are demanding that the City of Oakland immediately implement a moratorium on sweeps​. Click on this link  for sanctuary solutions/demands created by houseless and formerly houseless residents and leaders of Homefulness/POOR Magazine and Wood Street Commons  Please follow: @poormagazine  @woodstreetcommons @oakland.homeless.union @oakland.revealed

When: Tuesday, May 20 at 6pm Where: City Lights Books (261 Columbus Ave, San Francisco) Join us for the release of "UnTourBook Across Occupied Turtle Island: Klanmarks, Manuments, and Plakkks!" This new genre "guide Book" is full of truth about genocide as well as poetry, prayer, stories and art on indigenous resistance to settler colonial erasure, poLice terror, homelessness, and the many acts of indigenous/Black/Brown-led resistance from Turtle Island to Palestine all across Mama Earth. Bring your friends and family!

Date(s) & Time(s) : Saturday May 10, 5pm Duration : 120 mins Venue: Monkeybrains Location: 933 Treat Ave, SF, CA 94110 Sliding Scale Tickets $0 - $20. No-one turned away. Available at door or online at sfiaf.org/2025_poor_magazine About: Po' Poets of POOR Magazine (poor, houseless, disabled, youth and elder poets in resistance) presents writing from street, shelter and community-based theatre/poetry workshops with poor and houseless mamas. Followed by a trailer screening of "Crushing Wheelchairs" (co-directed by Adrian Diamond and Muteado Silencio, cinematography by Green Diamond Projects) featuring poems from their poetry/theatre collection. Both the movie and poetry collection are focused on "Mamafesting" (Tiny gray-garcia) healing-housing called Homefulness (a homeless peoples' solution to homelessness currently housing 22 families in Oakland) in SF. Through cultural art, vision, prayer and poetry with 1st Nations spiritual guidance, Homefulness is coming to Yelamu (SF). UnTour Book Release Ceremony When: Tuesday, May 20 at 6pm Where: City Lights Books (261 Columbus Ave, San Francisco) Join us for the release of "UnTourBook Across Occupied Turtle Island: Klanmarks, Manuments, and Plakkks!"

By Jay Paulino The krapitalist army coming for ComeUnity.    Why? Does the Government want to divide us and sweep us off the streets?    The reason why is because we are houseless and can’t afford a roof over our heads. We try to survive by sleeping where we are most comfortable and out of the way. The issue is police follow us everywhere we go. I’m in that tough situation at a young age where it’s difficult to Live. I'm in California for gosh sake, it's really expensive out here. I’m at that age of adulting where I'm trying to get myself on the real world path. I graduated from school last year. I can say life is difficult but it’s just the start.  All of this flooded into my mind as I heard about the devastation coming for East 12 St - one of the largest remaining houseless comeUnities in Oakland.      Around the month of April, Tragedy hit the wall once again. The Police and Caltrans sweep a whole street of houseless folks right off their feet and there goes their housing. Wood Street Commons and POOR Magazine, two houseless/formerly houseless, poor people led movements providing street based advocacy, support, solutions and resources to fellow houseless residents of the Bay Area, could definitely help others in crisis. The Problem with the Government now is the pay California Highway Patrol (CHP), San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), Oakland Police Department (OPD), and all of CalTrans get. Some examples that point to this Issue is the Oakland’s Mayor sweep all of these people out and spend millions on homeless people like Where exactly did that money go? I can’t forget about the action where the Government swept Shattuck and 51st street, more people went houseless and the houseless population just went up an extra percent or two.   The  Lake Merritt sweep is a prime example of the City destroying Community. Look at all of the violent sweeps at the Lake Merritt “Public Park." Where people can’t rest their head at night when there are houseless, not hurting a damn soul. Just trying to survive and these violent street sweep workers, California Highway Patrol (CHP), City Officer Departments are all so ridiculous that they are calling it “Cleaning the Community.” When the Government is destroying lives. When our people are hurting, the Government destroys us and tears us apart, taking their belongings and getting told “You have 10-15 minutes to pack your life in a bag and get on.” You get what I’m trying to put down. The audacity of the Government when there is real crime going on in this world and most of the people talking about how bad the houseless percentage is going up more and more. Government says they’ll fix it but never does.  Here’s the stupid  “Solution” The City of Oakland had when they made us Houseless Once Again. After bringing up a houseless solution they kicked us to the curb once again. “Wood Street Commons”,”Oakland Homeless Union" and “POOR MAGAZINE’’ are trying to make a drastic change on houseless folks. We  would like to work together because the Government isn’t trying to make a change, so we will. ”The feces gushing out of the cabin's plumbing is just the final proof they would rather kill us than listen to us.” concluded Tiny the Cofounder of Poor Magazine/Homefulness. When the City has solutions, they never come through with their solutions. It's all talk! Why do Police keep sweepin us off the streets? maybe because of the money the government pays Police/State Troopers, CalTrans and the rest of the Government that doesn’t let us lay our heads outside. When there's all of this crime, They just stuck on houseless folks. (HKNH) Keys Not Handcuffs.

Photo of red blood cells by MdougM from Wikimedia Commons By Freeway Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! “That was definitely a gun.” These were the words I feared the most. After sustaining a gunshot wound of my own in 2021, I have consistently had a fearful reaction to loud, popping noises. Typically, my sympathetic nervous system kicks in; most often, in the form of either freeze or flight. However, I am surprisingly calm at this moment. Instead of ducking, my ears are perked and my eyes lock with my team member, Monte. In a moment we share the unspoken acknowledgement: “We have to check on folks.” Without saying a word, we both move towards the community members living at E. 12th Street.  “I've got my first aid kit,” says Monte as we walk towards residents, many of whom are trying to make sense of the loud noises as well.  “Is anybody hit?” I yell to the residents. No answer. “Is everyone ok? Did anyone get hit?” I yell again.  Then, I see him. There, to my side, is a young man. Everything else goes silent–I see the blood. His hand is covered in it; bright red blood–a sign that it's worse than I thought.  I know from my years of IV drug use that bright red, thick, milky consistency is a tell tale sign of artery blood.  “Were you shot?” I ask him, confirming the nature of the situation. Before he can answer me, I've taken off my flannel hoodie and begin wrapping his hand. I don't take time to even assess the wound; the blood is gushing and it needs to stop. Monte has left to fetch his first aid kit and a couple tourniquets from the harm reduction supplies.  “My name's Freeway, do you want me to call an ambulance?” He says yes. At this point, I'm still trying to put pressure on the wound, keep his hand elevated and keep eyes for any further danger. As Monte returns, I tell him to hold the jacket and put heavy pressure on the wound. I take the two tourniquets, and begin to tie off. For a second, in the chaos, it occurs to me: how ironic that all my years of self-sabotage, through behaviors often frowned upon and stigmatized by society, has led to this moment; who knew that someday my skills used to slowly kill myself, would help me keep someone else alive?  As I juggle the phone with my ear, I give the dispatcher what little info I have–location, nature, and phone number. “Send somebody NOW,” I say, dropping the phone to my side to focus on his injury.” About a minute later I hear the sirens. Instinctively I begin waving, only to realize that it's not an ambulance. Two cops in an SUV are approaching. I freeze, realizing what's happening. “Is this the guy that's shot?” They ask; for a fraction of a second I freeze–everything in my natural thought process is saying don't talk to them. It doesn't matter now–they know. Suddenly they're out of their car, and it's too late.  “C'mon Freeway–let's go” Monte says. I understand why; I don't want him to be there anymore than he wants to be there. I nod him on. “Go ahead; I'm gonna stay with him” I say. I begin recording the police.  “DoyouknowwhoshotyouWherewereyouDidyouseeanythingma'am?” The questions bleed together, almost as much as his hand. They've now tied his arm off with a stronger tourniquet, one used by pigs, not IV drug users.  Then the ambulance arrives. They bring him over to the ambulance and begin questioning me. I know better than to talk to pigs, but I also know that there's a LOT of unhoused residents now surrounded by them. If I don't interact, they'll be forced to. I tell them as little as possible, which, luckily for me, is the truth; I didn't  see anything, I don't  know what car they were in… I just heard shots and went running. As uncomfortable as it is, I force myself to maintain composure. Suddenly, yelling starts in the ambulance. It's the pig on the bike. It's hard to make out what he's barking about, then I see it. The injured resident is also packing. I instantly realize my mistake. My mind starts reeling with all the “should'ves”: I should've  asked him if he had anything on him before they came; I should've  warned him that they would  come if it was a gunshot wound; I should've, I should've, I should've…I see the list flooding into my head, in the form of his blood. It pours around my brain, drowning me in guilt, embarrassment, regret. I was so focused on the bleeding, I forgot that he was vulnerable. I can't help but feel responsible for this moment.  Now, all I can do is stand by and document their actions.  Another pig approaches me, asking me the exact same questions. I tell them I've given my answers already, give them the same answers, and ask if I can leave. I'm told I'm free to go, so I do.  It's only after I am back at our table that I realize: I literally have his blood on my hands.