Show up, show out: it’s time to stand with our humanity

First They Came (2025–26 version)

First they came for the immigrants 
And I did not speak out
Because I was not an immigrant

Then they came for the activists 
And I did not speak out
Because I was not an activist

Then they came for the human rights 
workers and the civil rights lawyers 
And I did not speak out
Because I was neither a human 
rights worker nor a civil rights lawyer

Then they came for the homeless
And I did not speak out
Because I am not homeless

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

—Amber Whitson

In June 2024, the Supreme Court’s decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson overturned a Ninth Circuit ruling that required cities to offer alternative shelter to those they sweep from encampments. People who live on the streets here in Berkeley have noticeably felt the resulting squeeze.

When Trump took office just over a year ago, those of us who live on the streets weren’t sure what to expect. During his first term, the pandemic occurred and there were a number of actions taken by local officials that actually made life easier—or at least less miserable—for unhoused people in Berkeley. Project Roomkey moved particularly vulnerable unhoused people into residential hotels, a safe parking site was opened in Berkeley for RVs and trailers, and other programs were implemented.

But as it often goes for unhoused people in Berkeley, we also knew that there was a very real possibility that things could get worse.

A year has passed since the Trump administration again took office, and they are actively working to chase down and deport—and, in some instances, kill—anyone whose skin isn’t white, unless they have pledged allegiance to the president.

There have been cuts to federal funding, policy changes, and executive orders that stand to have devastating effects on unhoused people across the country. Thankfully for the most part, we have yet to really start feeling the effects here in Berkeley, but it’s only a matter of time before the actions of our federal government start to noticeably reduce the already-scant resources that are available to our unhoused communities.

Meanwhile, the State of California has pivoted several times with regards to what it considers to be the best way to “solve” homelessness. On June 30, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he was going to “zero out” the state’s budget for homelessness services, but in mid-January 2026 announced the allocation of more than $400 million in grant funding to cities that can meet bolstered accountability standards, including the development of housing, shelter, and mental health programs. 

But these numbers are mere drops in the bucket, and billions would be needed to effectively address homelessness across the state, let alone in the Bay Area. For every person who eventually receives services and housing from this most recent round of funding, many more will be further marginalized by the stark reality of these new accountability measures—particularly the removal of so-called “dangerous” encampments. For those of us waiting at the bottom of the list for available housing and services, the state’s efforts to push unhoused communities out of public view will continue to have a profound impact on our day-to-day lives.

I sometimes wonder if the average housed person understands how the allocation of funds for homelessness services actually works; that a majority of those funds do not get spent on the daily necessities for unhoused people, let alone transitional or permanent housing. This is not to say that some of those funds aren’t used to develop housing or connect people with services, but running a nonprofit accrues a lot of expenses, and staff salaries—including high-paid executives—are sourced from the same funding that is supposedly going to support the needs of unhoused people.

We don’t pay rent or property taxes, but we still have to pay for food, fuel for our vehicles if we are lucky enough to have one, and any other expenses that one incurs simply by existing. 

I’ll use myself as an example. I receive approximately $1,200–1,300 in Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) each month, and only $24 in monthly food stamps due to my SSI status. It begs the question: If the rent was already paid, could a housed person in Berkeley live off of that much money each month? 

At the same time, I also wonder if the average unhoused person spends any time thinking about the struggles most housed people are experiencing these days. Jobs are being either shipped overseas or replaced by AI, wages are not keeping pace with the actual cost of living. Money doesn’t stretch as far as it used to, for all of us. Meanwhile, the constitutional rights of nearly every person who lives or sets foot in this country are rapidly eroding away. 

Fascism is no longer sneaking its way into our country, it’s here. The current administration has outright said that “Antifa” (aka anti-fascism) is the number one threat to how they are trying to run our government. If you aren’t part of the one percent, or you don’t agree with how Trump’s White House is conducting themselves, you are at best the cannon fodder of their operation, if not the target.

Now is the time when Americans need to show up and show out for each other—for the sake of our humanity.

Go out and volunteer in your community. You don’t have to attend a protest in order to show your solidarity with your fellow humans. You can donate some of your time at a local food bank or church. You can contact Where Do We Go? in Berkeley and drop off unwanted tents and sleeping bags—items frequently lost to encampment sweeps or heavy rains—or help with outreach to distribute those items.

Going out and getting to know your neighbors is one way to help bridge the gap between socioeconomic classes. If you don’t feel comfortable going out and doing this alone, don’t feel bad! Contact Where Do We Go? or Consider The Homeless! and let them know that you want to volunteer.

And if we are so unfortunate as to be descended upon by federal agents, let us take notes from our brothers and sisters in Minnesota. It’s not illegal to let people know when ICE is near. Observe and document and keep a safe distance. What ICE and DHS have been doing on the streets of our country violates the United States Constitution. We cannot forget this.

Lastly, speak out and vote! Let your state and local representatives know that you will not support them if they support violations of our Constitution, and you will do your part to ensure they are unseated by someone whose values match your own. And if there are no candidates who you feel comfortable backing? Maybe it’s time you ran for office. Every candidate is a human being, just like you and I. 

There is nothing stopping you from taking action except the decision to do so. This is not a time to focus on our differences and disagreements. This is a time when we should all help each other, to give and receive much needed support for one another.