Growing up in a small town in Michigan, I’ve never had much exposure to homelessness. The only homeless people I ever saw were in movies and TV shows. They were either comically crazy or scarily drug-obsessed. Before coming to Boston I had been to Chicago a few times, but always with my family or a school group. It wasn’t until this DukeEngage experience that I came into personal contact with a large homeless community. Our first weekend in Boston was filled with walking tours and everywhere we went I would see people living on the streets. The people I saw weren’t all loud and in my face – many were silently sitting on the street holding a cup or a sign asking for help. I remember one day we were riding the T and a woman standing near the doors was engaged in what appeared to be a heated argument with herself. The woman was muttering about infidelity, war, and her grandfather. When we reached our destination, the woman also got off but slowed to stand on the sidewalk to continue her conversation. We continued walking until we reached the small loading dock where we would begin our boat tour. After arriving, we found out the next boat didn’t leave for another half hour so we had to sit and wait. About fifteen minutes into our wait the woman from the T appeared. She was sitting at a table close by and was still deeply enthralled in her personal argument. With nothing else to do, we listened to the woman and started to giggle at what she was saying. Many of her remarks were crude or unexpected, which made the dialogue very interesting to a group of college students. Soon our boat was ready to go, and we climbed aboard, leaving the woman behind. Later that day we came back to the dorms and had a reflection session about the day’s events. We remarked on the things we had seen and what they meant. Someone brought up the woman from the T. We paused and began thinking deeper about the interaction. We began to feel guilty and ashamed of our actions. For us, a group of privileged college students, it was easy to approach the situation as a funny witnessed experience, but for that woman it wasn’t some small experience – it was her life. She had been alone, who knows if she had family or someone to take care of her, and she was obviously mentally ill. This situation is replicated throughout all people I see living on the streets. All of them have lives and backgrounds impossible to know based on a simple glance. One of our student-led reflection sessions was a discussion on homelessness. The two girls leading the reflection showed two videos that gave a deeper look into the lives of those without homes. The first video was about a man who lost his wife and then entered into a deep depression that landed him in debt and ultimately he found himself without a home. He was not experiencing mentally illness or drug-addicted, but he struggled to get ahead and relied on shelters for help. The second video consisted of interviews with woman living on the streets in which they talk about dealing with periods. The women could rarely afford tampons or pads and had to result to unsanitary methods while menstruating. Both videos gave a view of homelessness that highlighted the humanity of those afflicted. My experience in Boston has given me a different view of homelessness. It has prompted me to think about the humanity of these people. Each person has their own story and their own personal struggles. The stereotypical image of a drug-riddled, insane homeless person needs to change. These men, women, and children are humans. They are people without homes, but not without humanity. They have family, hopes, dreams, and needs like everyone else. My experience has made me want to help these people in need. Whether that be volunteering at homeless shelters or running food drives I am still unsure. But I know that, somehow, I want to help.
