Learning from the homeless

(This is a re-post)
I watched a documentary called Storied Streets, about the homeless in America. After it was over, I wanted to blog. But I made myself wait until I really had time to think about what I had learned. I discovered that many of the concepts I talk/think about as I set up my nonprofit are the same as those discussed in this film:

• It's not necessarily the fault of the homeless that they are in the position they are in, just as it's not necessarily the fault of high school dropouts that they didn't make it through school. In both cases, it's more that the system they try to operate within failed them. 
• According to the experts as well as the homeless featured in the film, the top problems contributing to the homeless problem are as follows: lack of 1) affordable housing, 2) jobs that pay well enough to live on, and 3) affordable healthcare. It's not so much about drug addiction or mental illness as many think.
• The attitude we have toward the homeless is much like the attitude that many schools demonstrate toward their struggling students. We put the blame on the homeless (or struggling students). There must be something that a homeless person did wrong to end up in this situation. As one person in the film asked, "How much do the homeless have to suffer before we deem them worthy of help?" ...which leads to my next point...
• We have to practice a little humility. No one is better than anyone else. It only takes a small twist of fate, through no fault of your own, and you could be out on the streets, too.
• We can't count on government to alleviate the problem; they only pass legislation that keeps people in poverty. More and more cities are passing laws to keep the homeless off their streets, but little is done to help them find places to live (I think this is starting to change for the better). Homeless shelters are not used as a means to help the homeless pull themselves out of poverty. It's like a war against the homeless. 
• It will take a grassroots effort to change the situation, just as it will take a grassroots effort to change how we teach our kids. The homeless need to get their power back. Teachers need to get their power back, too, and no one is going to do it for them. They have to fight the good fight themselves. And they are up to it!!
• Although the homeless and our teachers are ready to fight the good fight, they need help, as we all do from time to time. Instead of blaming and shaming them, instead of putting up more and more hoops for them to jump through (instead of telling teachers how to do their jobs and basing their worth on how their students do on stupid tests), let's do something to help them get their power back. 

How does this tie into my vision for L&LNM? In the film, one homeless person complained about how the shelters make them get up at 5:00 in the morning, even though they don't work until 8:00 or 9:00. They have to get up early but there isn't much to do. 

I think that would be a great time to offer a high school equivalency class for those who need to get their high school credentials, or for anyone who wants to attend. I'm an early bird. I could be there at 7:00 or so and teach for an hour or so. My hope is that, in a small way, I can help the homeless get their power back. 

Whaddayathink? I rarely hear back from my 8 - 10 regular readers, and I need feedback!!