Life is all a pose
By Ace Backwords on Life is all a pose in a way. And I don’t mean that in a fake way. We all have
Opinion
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We must take matters into our own hands
By Tracy Lee on Oakland is a city of so many races and cultures. Different, diverse, and from so many kinds of backgrounds. But one thing that unites us is the caring and loving people we are. No matter how hard the struggle may be, we always take care of each other. We are all in the same boat—struggling to live. We take matters into our own hands to get through life.
Moms 4 Housing: Oakland’s Robin Hood
By Terry Messman on The brave and strategically brilliant members of Moms 4 Housing have given the entire nation a wake-up call about the disastrous shortage of affordable housing and the power of civil disobedience to confront the injustices of gentrification and the eviction-for-profit system.
Money buys choices and I don’t have it
By Jack Bragen on I’m prefacing this essay with a personal statement: I’m in favor of money and I’m in favor of me having
This is a community
By Terry Messman on The poet T.S. Eliot once addressed a deeply disturbing question to city dwellers everywhere, a profound challenge to our consciences that cuts to the heart of everything that has gone wrong in our society.
Are homeless people beautiful?
By Osha Neumann on This very odd question occurred to me after Terry Messman, the editor of Street Spirit, suggested I write something for the paper in conjunction with the publication of my book, Doodling on the Titanic: the Making of Art in a World on the Brink.
Democracy for some, inhumanity for many
By Tracy Lee on This country preaches love and commitment to Democracy. But government officials and staff send government workers to come and demolish our houses and curbside communities. Officials cry, “Democracy!” But decisions hit us like the bombs the United States uses to destroy homes and communities in other countries.
Lose your ID, lose your identity
By TJ Johnston on A few months ago, I lost my ID. I retraced my steps to the stores where I took it out when fishing for store cards and cash in my pouch. No luck—it wasn’t at any of them.
Rainstorm ritual: checking my secret stash spots
By Ace Backwords on One of my post-rainstorm rituals is, I go around to all my stash spots to make sure all my stuff
Hating the holidays
By Timothy Busby on After a series of horrific events I found myself living on the streets at the age of 49, and Christmas suddenly took on a whole new meaning
Remembering Michael Diehl
By Lydia Gans on For over 40 years Michael Diehl was a presence in Berkeley, on the streets and the parks, connecting with people, talking, listening, or just being present. Many were homeless or inadequately housed.
Intimidation: the cost of disability benefits
By Jack Bragen on Many people with disabilities are dependent on government benefits in order to survive. However, the process of acquiring these benefits is nowhere near easy. It can be deeply intimidating, making it feel inaccessible for those who already struggle with disabilities.