May the 4th be with Us!
Alas, I could not help myself, as I post this, my last blog-post for the semester. Seeing the culmination of the efforts of all three student groups working together with “Marty and the Professors” was more than words can express. The art students’ wall design just fascinates me. It should be incorporated into any part of social engagement hence forth! I like the presentation space to boldly get ideas communicated along with the awesome listening exchange spaces and the “pop-up performance” piece for public expression. I want my own wall. I do! The architecture students’ scale models were so wonderful and very well thought out and designed for different people and spaces. I wanted to shrink myself and take a walking tour.
I have been in contact with Betty Palmer, director of the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter,
to find out more about getting involved there. I kind of slacked off the last couple of years due to other obligations and my studies. This course has reignited my desire to have a positive impact on my community’s homeless population. I really hope that the little house community becomes a reality, sooner, rather than later.
Next to being in love with the wall, my favorite thing about this project was the listening exchanges with the public. I fell like the frigid temperatures did stall this somewhat, and that is unfortunate. That said, the exchanges that I participated in were pretty valuable, for the most part. I got to learn some pretty colorful details about a few folk’s lives, but hearing about their thoughts on the topics was great.
Two young maybe high school or junior high school aged girls were my favorite. They jointly shared their opinions and experiences with the homeless population in Portland. The significant thought from their conversation was the importance of ownership in survival. They both shared their thoughts on the hobo news, written and distributed by a homeless gentleman.
http://tides.bangordailynews.com/2014/09/11/home/rediscovering-portlands-forgotten-road-a-journey-into-hobo-jungle/
They told me how they thought it was fantastic that this man was able to access resources to be able to write, produce, print, and distribute his paper, asking for a donation for a product instead of just asking for money. They shared how they saw that he looked like he was happy and that he had enthusiasm for what he was doing and that even in his circumstances; he was trying to help others by sharing about being homeless in his paper.
There were others, their faces sort of blending together now, but the sentiment was the same. “We, the community, need to figure out better ways to meet the needs of our vulnerable population” and that “We are all not that far away from people in their situation.”
I had the experience of working with an ESL person, assisting him to read and understand quotes on the board. He was very interested in what we were doing. It was heartwarming that he pushed through the communication barrier with me and the interpretation of our English quotes to get a better understanding of what was being presented.
I hope to stay on top of hearing about how “Hearts, Minds & Homes: an Arts & Civic Listening Dialogue on Homelessness, Gentrification & the Middle” impacts Portland’s public housing.
I carried my camera with me during the event, but didn’t remember to utilize it. I did get some great shots from the 2nd floor dining area of the market as I sipped on coffee and had some warming soup. I can’t wait to see other’s photos or the film that was captured during the event.
This has been by far, the most interesting course I have taken at USM. I’m still trying to piece together what was learned from the experience.
San conversing with two officers (after gaining permission to take their pictures)
Architecture students interacting with interested public citizens
Jess and Kate conversing with, I believe, the writer, publisher of "Hobo News"
View from above the Market, second-floor dining area, warming with some coffee.
Some filming going on - no idea about the content or persons.
Significant Statements being applied to the wall, the beautiful wall <3
My significant statements:
"Homeless?! Why are you REALLY out here?" - rehab nurse
"You can't really ask, "Hey, how'd you get this way? What happened?" - clinic dentist
"Services that out state provides draw homeless people from other places, inCREASING the homeless population and STRAIN our limited resources." - rehab nurse
View of the goings on from above, in the warmth of the upper room dining area.
View from above.
Arriving at the wall; I parked at the campus and walked to Monument Square.
Marty and Michael, caught on film atanding still. Rare photo.
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