Anyway, PHC was Friday. I don't know if I've completely realized that it's over yet, but the facts stand. And it was amazing. So many people have congratulated me, and I feel like I don't really deserve that, I wasn't one of the big guns or anything. I feel like we really did make a difference in a lot of lives though, and not just of clients. What an eye-opener for the volunteers!
My eyes were opened too, but perhaps in a different way. I already know so much about homelessness. Along with my friends L. and J., we probably know more about service providers and homeless resources and homelessness in Denver than anyone else on our campus. What I learned had to do with the injustice of the criminal system.
My client just turned 21. They also just got out of prison, and will now be on probation for seven years. SEVEN. If that's not trying to ensure that they gets sent back to prison, I don't know what is.
What were they there for? Selling drugs to help their mom pay for stuff. Ok, drugs are bad for the community and for families and individuals, but tell me, with the systems in place in our society, what else were they supposed to do? Now this 21-year-old has a felony on their record, and will always have to go through life as an ex-offender.
They were so nice and interested too. And unsurprisingly interested in civil rights. I asked, "If you could do anything, what would you do?" And the answer was to fight for civil rights. There was a table registering people to vote. We walked passed it because they said they couldn't vote. I know that because they are a felon. I am sure I detected disappointment and perhaps bitterness in their voice that their right to vote had been taken away.
So my client sold drugs to help their struggling family, who are now homeless by the way. This means they have no say in decisions that affect them?
No comments:
Post a Comment