Remembering Rodney Bell: longtime Street Spirit contributor
By Susan Werner on Rodney Bell was a skilled illustrator and collage artist who contributed countless artworks to Street Spirit over the years.
St. Mary’s Center
St Mary’s Center is Featured as Atreet Spirit’s November 2014 Communities in Action. Congratulations St Mary’s on over 40 years of service and justice advocacy!
My teacher lives on a bench
By Janny Castillo on "This beautiful elder is my teacher. In other parts of the world, she may be considered holy because of her ability to sit in the same place for so long"
Landmark report seeks to redefine poverty
“We define poverty as a dollar amount, but if you make a dollar above that dollar amount are you still poor?” This was just one of the questions raised at St. Mary’s Center on April 18, when academics, activists, and advocates gathered to hear the findings of a new report called “Pushed to the Bottom.”
St. Mary’s Center Honors the Lives of Those Living in Poverty
No one dreams as a child that they might become homeless, addicted, disabled, or jobless. It is critical that we change the way that we value people who may have less money and physical possessions by looking at the talents, strengths, and gifts that each soul has to bring to our world.
How We Find Our Silenced Voices and Learn to Sing
This child who had been silenced went on to become a world-famous poet who won three Grammys and spoke six languages. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. She had an abounding love for everyone. She was asked by the United Nations to write a poem for the world.
On Our Way Home Photographers Document Life on the Streets
Homeless photographers create an eye-opening exhibit to document the dire conditions endured by people living on the streets of Oakland.
“On Our Way Home” — Photo Documentary by Homeless Elders
Homeless and formerly homeless elders used disposable cameras to bring to public awareness the conditions facing people on the street. “On Our Way Home” celebrates the wisdom of elders as they offer a personal look at life on the street and show what we can do to help create change.
The Visionary Folk Art of Leon Kennedy
Leon Kennedy loves to paint the faces of those who matter most to him. “I love to see a picture of the beauty of old faces, young faces, all colors. Everyone has their own beauty, everyone has character.”
The National Council of Elders Plants the Seeds of Freedom
There is a flower in Africa that blooms every 80 years. Imagine yourself planting seeds that may not bloom in your lifetime. But continue to water it even if it does not bloom in your lifetime.
St. Mary’s Center Honors the Countless Lives Lost on the Streets
These reflections from the Homeless Memorial held at St. Mary’s Center in December 2013, are in honor of those who died on the streets of the East Bay. We must remember the people who died homeless and poor and reclaim our awareness of the sanctity and dignity of every human life.