There was a really good comment from CynDe after we posted the names of the people who passed away over the last year.
"It is just as tragic to see a list of names as it is to know their fate. A list of names is just as impersonal as a statistical number. Most of the grief I feel is because they are just a name, nothing more."I have been thinking about this comment for a couple of days. There was a longer piece about Anthony Waters in the Homeless Grapevine, which does give some background about Mr. Waters. But CynDe is right that we do not feature much background on the men and women who pass away. We have a hard time even getting the names let alone any more information. It is nearly impossible to get personal information on people who become homeless. There is a great deal of embarrassment, so very few people are willing to admit that they were homeless. Families also are embarrassed, and so they do not want to be viewed as having abandoned a relative. There are strong privacy laws that protect the release of information of homeless people. We can get names once a person dies, but would not be able to get much more.
I wish that there was some way to get more information about homeless people--even just their talent or skill that we lost in the community. I have thought about how many talented people are wasting away in our shelters and drop in centers. How many great photographers, artists, community organizers, leaders, inventors, and diplomats are sleeping in America's shelters. With 1% of America becoming homeless every year, there have to be hundreds of potentially great Americans who will never get to show their true talent because they cannot find housing. How much does our society suffer, because such a large number of people are focused on survival? CynDe's point is valuable. I wish there was a way to give the full measure of those who passed and not just the name.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
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