Homelessness is a national issue. This photo was taken in Washington DC September 2017.
This point-in-time count is a snapshot of people who are homeless in Spokane, counted by local teams on one night in January, a statistic that is limited by a variety of factors and not considered the complete picture. Because more homeless people were in shelters, and fewer were outside in hard-to-find places, it was easier to get a count, according to McCann and city officials. That might apply particularly to the chronically homeless, who are more likely to use emergency shelters.
In particular, the city’s super-tight rental market – with an estimated vacancy rate of 0.7 percent – makes it very hard for people to find affordable housing and pushes the homeless numbers upward. Nearly 500 people are qualified for federal housing vouchers but can’t find a place to use them in town, said Dawn Kinder, the director of the city’s Community, Housing and Human Services Department.
This year’s count showed:
1,090 homeless individuals, an 11 percent increase over last year. Eighty-seven percent of all people counted were in shelters. Around three-quarters of those were in emergency shelters, and one quarter were in transitional housing.
Rev. Walter Kendricks, Pres. of SCAR (Spokane Community Against Racism)
Cecily Wright, Chairwoman of the Spokane County Republican Party, invited James Allsup, alt-right provocateur and member of Identity Evropa, to speak before Republican legislators and office holders at a Northwest Grassroots meeting in the Spokane Valley. The Rev. Walter Kendricks MC’d a demonstration at the Spokane County Courthouse where speakers expressed their disapproval and to asked for the resignation of these Republican politicians. The demonstrators also condemned all those who invited him, listened to him, and did not walk out or stand up against white supremacists and their message.
“We cannot podcast, livestream, or tweet our way to victory,” said Allsup. “We can only change consciousness so much before we have to start changing the political infrastructure.”
This change, according to Allsup, started with taking over vacant seats in Republican offices. “The Republican party is comprised largely of white, aging, baby-boomers,” he said. “And as baby-boomers age out, the positions they hold will become vacant all throughout society and somebody will have to fill them.
This doesn’t just include elected offices but state representatives, county commissioners, precinct officers, and county party chairs as well. Allsup himself was a precinct officer; he said it takes up about five hours of his time per week.”
For all the publicity alt-right groups receive for cross burnings and tiki-torch protests, their ultimate goal is to become invisible, inserting themselves into the mainstream political process. Groups like I.E. adopt the business casual uniforms of polo shirts and khakis, and have strict rules against using “vulgar language” or mentioning “divisive topics” like National Socialism or the Third Reich. The rule prohibiting “vulgar language” states that “in order to foster a more positive culture for our people’s future, the use of crude and unbecoming language is not permitted. This includes, without limitation, excessive cursing, and any use of vulgar racial epithets.”
I was asked by the Washington State Democratic Party to participate in a 30 second spot announcement. Being a visual artist I worry about the production process. When your ideas get turned into sound bites you never know what you are going to look or sound like. So here is the original full text of my testimonial about why I vote Democratic.
My Name is Bob Lloyd. I Am A Democrat.
I vote Democratic because I fought for self determination. I fought for desegregation of schools. I fought for public accommodations. I fought for the right to vote. I fought for open housing. I fought for economic development. I fought for affirmative action. I fought for equal and fair employment. I fought against the War in Vietnam.
All my life I have been fighting for the elimination of exclusion. The only place short of civil war is the democratic process. In all of my struggles for civil rights and social justice the Republican Party has been absent on all of the things that I hold dear. So I choose to vote Democratic and struggle within the party for inclusion, civil rights and social justice.
In This exhibit was first seen at the Spokane downtown library from January through March. Now we will be moving two E. Central Community Center we were able find it’s permanent home. But it will be made available to other institutions and galleries if you’re interested contact Robert Lloyd at rdlloyd@comcast.net.
Coming soon to East Central Community Ctr. 500 S. Stone.
If You Really Knew Me you’d know that I’m the Black guy photographing your events and meetings. If You Really Knew Me you’d know I am a supporter of community building (4comculture.com). If You Really Knew Me you’d know I taught my photography students that good photographs have four components.
This exhibition has
Impact – size 4 x 5 feet
Technique – cutting edge technology: CherryPIX video
Design/Composition – bold colors, striking brush strokes and textures, interaction
Content – in depth storytelling, stereotype blowing, media mixing, community building
If you would like to take part and meet new friends, you’ll visit East Central Community Ctr. 500 S. Stone Spokane WA for First Thur each month at10 AM coffee discussion.
IF YOU REALLY KNEW ME Stories of Survivors and Warriors.
EXHIBITION
This exhibit we’ll be House & display at the E. Central Community Ctr. May.
This will be a traveling exhibit and can be made available for exhibitions at your gallery or institution. contact Robert Lloyd at rdlloyd@comcast.net
Photographs by Robert Lloyd
Video by Doug Dalton and DaShawn Bedford
Wendy Levy for The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture
A collaborative, interactive photography exhibition in honor of Human Trafficking Awareness month in Spokane, these photographs were created with local women survivors and warriors. We hope these images and stories raise awareness, engagement and political will, so all those still in risk may find safety and freedom.
A project of The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture, The Spokane Human Rights Commission, Community-Minded Television,The Jonah Project and Spokane Arts Supply
