“I don’t think it should be sitting comfortably for anybody in the wealthiest country in the world to say: ‘Yes, we should be creating semi-permanent shantytowns,’” said Eric Tars, senior attorney at the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. “But they can actually play a productive role.”
- The Guardian
Classes continue on Saturdays at the Othello Tiny Village. Saturday afternoons are a time of community engagement and wellness support. While many of the residents are still cautious in their approach to the program, a few have opened up to sharing in our yoga practice. It can be a process to get people to emerge from habits, especially if those habits have been shaped by trauma.
In addition to class participation, some of the residents have shared their stories with me. Individuals who have overcome tragic upbringings, who have experienced debilitating loss, or who are fighting unseen battles within themselves face their days in a system that is hostile to their existence. In the past two weeks, there has been a drive-by shooting and an assault on one of the residents. I walked with the head of security, a resident of the village, who showed me the bullet holes that tore through the wooden fence surrounding the community. This recent shooting was not an isolated incident and it is amazing that no one has yet been hit. Fed up with the threat of danger, he told me of his plans to build a gabion along the perimeter to ensure protection from within the camp. Outside of the camp, protection is not guaranteed. Another resident was assaulted on the bus without apparent cause. No one came to his support.
This animosity is not a new development. Residents feel misunderstood and scorned by many outsiders. Despite the improvement from tent cities, despite the requirements and accountability residents of tiny villages face, and despite the fact that this social and economic crisis is the product of systemic inequity, many in Seattle blame homeless people for their predicament. The reality that I have witnessed is far removed from the caricature that is painted in the media. I am welcomed in this community by people that work tirelessly every day at work and in efforts to maintain the village. When I told them of my personal struggles, they empathized with me. I know how hard it is to find affordable accommodation in Seattle. I know what it is like to worry if I will have money to pay my rent next month. I, like many thousands of Americans, am living paycheck to paycheck. I live this way not because I am lazy or irresponsible, but because we live in a nation wherein the disparity between the wealthy and the poor has returned to the levels experienced in the Great Depression.
In this stark, have and have-not existence, the Othello Community is appreciative for what they do have: a solid roof and relative security within the fenced area. What we at Maya would like to add to this is a reminder to value oneself, to turn inward and recognize the security, peace, and improvement that can be achieved internally. We hope to strengthen the bonds of this community by offering group practice and collaborative growth.
We also want to connect this community with our own. We appreciate the support that has been offered from Maya clients in the way of mat, clothing, and monetary donations. Further, the Othello Community extends its thanks. I look forward to sharing new highlights from this program as it progresses.
Namaste.
In addition to class participation, some of the residents have shared their stories with me. Individuals who have overcome tragic upbringings, who have experienced debilitating loss, or who are fighting unseen battles within themselves face their days in a system that is hostile to their existence. In the past two weeks, there has been a drive-by shooting and an assault on one of the residents. I walked with the head of security, a resident of the village, who showed me the bullet holes that tore through the wooden fence surrounding the community. This recent shooting was not an isolated incident and it is amazing that no one has yet been hit. Fed up with the threat of danger, he told me of his plans to build a gabion along the perimeter to ensure protection from within the camp. Outside of the camp, protection is not guaranteed. Another resident was assaulted on the bus without apparent cause. No one came to his support.
This animosity is not a new development. Residents feel misunderstood and scorned by many outsiders. Despite the improvement from tent cities, despite the requirements and accountability residents of tiny villages face, and despite the fact that this social and economic crisis is the product of systemic inequity, many in Seattle blame homeless people for their predicament. The reality that I have witnessed is far removed from the caricature that is painted in the media. I am welcomed in this community by people that work tirelessly every day at work and in efforts to maintain the village. When I told them of my personal struggles, they empathized with me. I know how hard it is to find affordable accommodation in Seattle. I know what it is like to worry if I will have money to pay my rent next month. I, like many thousands of Americans, am living paycheck to paycheck. I live this way not because I am lazy or irresponsible, but because we live in a nation wherein the disparity between the wealthy and the poor has returned to the levels experienced in the Great Depression.
In this stark, have and have-not existence, the Othello Community is appreciative for what they do have: a solid roof and relative security within the fenced area. What we at Maya would like to add to this is a reminder to value oneself, to turn inward and recognize the security, peace, and improvement that can be achieved internally. We hope to strengthen the bonds of this community by offering group practice and collaborative growth.
We also want to connect this community with our own. We appreciate the support that has been offered from Maya clients in the way of mat, clothing, and monetary donations. Further, the Othello Community extends its thanks. I look forward to sharing new highlights from this program as it progresses.
Namaste.
Hillary Jasper Rose
Yoga Instructor and Community Outreach Coordinator at Maya Whole Health. Her philosophical focus while pursuing her Yoga teacher training at Nepal Yoga Academy was on the effects and treatments of chakras.
This blog was started to engage more deeply with our Maya Community. If you would like to make contribute then please contact Hillary:
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