Mundane Transformations
Ten friends and I are hoping to raise $37,500 by April 30 to support Lava Mae, an organization that provides hot showers and other services for the homeless in San Francisco. A recent census counted 7,500 homeless people in the city. Our goal represents one shower for each of the 7,500 individuals, and we will match every dollar that we raise.
My first significant interactions with those experiencing homelessness began in college when I attended UC Berkeley in the late 90's.
Berkeley was (and still is) known for its many homeless residents who are a visible presence on the busiest streets near campus. Coming from a traditional Chinese home, I was taught to avoid such people, to be afraid of them, and to privately criticize them for being unable to improve their situation. But I couldn't reconcile that with my belief in people's inherent dignity.
I bought the occasional meal for people I met in Durant Food Court. I would engage in conversations on Telegraph Avenue. But after such encounters we quickly returned to our contrasting life tracks: me back to my dorm room to study, and them back to surviving on the street.
I took A LOT of visual acuity exams. In talking with, conversing with, and pointing to row after row of letters and asking people to cover their eyes - it was a great reminder that these are just regular people. There are rude ones, nice ones, patient ones, stubborn ones, just like the rest of us. What was truly striking was how bad some of their vision was! The majority could not read the “E” at the top of the chart. How is anyone supposed to get by if they can’t see well enough to perform basic functions? How can people expect these folks to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" when they can’t read the street signs? I was realizing that something so simple as a pair of glasses had the potential to transform that person’s day, week, and maybe their entire life!
My first significant interactions with those experiencing homelessness began in college when I attended UC Berkeley in the late 90's.
Berkeley was (and still is) known for its many homeless residents who are a visible presence on the busiest streets near campus. Coming from a traditional Chinese home, I was taught to avoid such people, to be afraid of them, and to privately criticize them for being unable to improve their situation. But I couldn't reconcile that with my belief in people's inherent dignity.
Looking back I realized that despite the token meal or handshake, I felt extremely helpless to change a situation complicated by economic injustice, government bureaucracy, mental illness, city politics, and social stigma. For a long time, I conveniently put this entire group to the side and decided it was too hard to change anything.
In 2016, I volunteered to help homeless residents in SF get updated prescription glasses. (Shout out to my optician college friend Scott who invited me and has been supporting this cause for years.)
In 2016, I volunteered to help homeless residents in SF get updated prescription glasses. (Shout out to my optician college friend Scott who invited me and has been supporting this cause for years.)
I took A LOT of visual acuity exams. In talking with, conversing with, and pointing to row after row of letters and asking people to cover their eyes - it was a great reminder that these are just regular people. There are rude ones, nice ones, patient ones, stubborn ones, just like the rest of us. What was truly striking was how bad some of their vision was! The majority could not read the “E” at the top of the chart. How is anyone supposed to get by if they can’t see well enough to perform basic functions? How can people expect these folks to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" when they can’t read the street signs? I was realizing that something so simple as a pair of glasses had the potential to transform that person’s day, week, and maybe their entire life!
There are so many daily aspects that we take for granted like finding food, getting clean, finding a restroom, and being able to see clearly. We consider them pretty mundane since our needs are usually met without us thinking much about them. For these folks, on that particular day, I experienced the potential for the mundane (lenses) to be transformative (sight).
I think that’s what makes the work of Lava Mae so special to me. They know that sometimes people just need to be given the mundane, daily, gift of dignity in the form of a shower, a handshake, a hug, a plate of food, an outfit, a smile.
I still struggle with how to help an intractable problem like homelessness. I still have the internal dialogue in my head about whether I want to give money to the person asking me for it. But I do know that giving the mundane gift of dignity in the moment, to meet a real felt need, is necessary, potentially transformative, and doesn’t have to conflict with efforts to solve the “larger problems” of urban poverty and economic justice. We can do both, and we should do both.
“Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have sent you.” Jeremiah 29:7
updated 4/15: changed goal date to April 30
updated 4/15: changed goal date to April 30
Comments
Post a Comment