I get social justice. Who doesn’t? Why wouldn’t you? It’s good. It’s fair. It’s for everyone. But it may not pave the best way forward.
I work on ending homelessness in Concord. Why? Because it gives meaning to my life. It is a gift, really. The writer Victor Frankl taught us that the key to his surviving Auschwitz was having something yet to do with his life — something that gave his life meaning. This work on homelessness gives my life meaning.
Who are the homeless? They are multitudes. Some homeless persons couch surf with relatives or friends. Some live in the rough. Some sleep in a shelter and mark time during the day. Others live in their cars. Some panhandle at traffic stops. Some work full time jobs. Some are working their way back from domestic violence or job loss or addiction. Others seem to be stuck in self-destruction and despair.
Residents in my neighborhood are worried about walking in the woods with their kids where homeless persons camp. Some people are having their propane tanks stolen. The city spends taxpayer dollars to clean up campsites littered with trash and needles. Local businesses are put off by panhandlers.
For me, reducing homelessness is part purpose and part method. The purpose is to love, to care for people in my community. To do what I can during my turn on this earth. It’s one piece of our creating the beloved community.
But love does better when coupled with smart methods. You can kick a dog to get it to move, but it’s not a smart way to train a dog. The methods I have found most helpful are a suite of ideas developed by smart people in the social sciences termed ProSocial.
One key element is mindfulness. Noticing is part of the secret sauce. All of us get distracted at times by unhelpful thoughts and actions. It is called being human. Pausing to notice and then acknowledge our shortcomings promotes self-compassion. When we pause and notice, we can choose to act ever more effectively, ever more aligned with what we value.
But there is more. Noticing and accepting both the light and the dark side of who we are as individuals, builds acceptance and compassion for the imperfections of others. This dynamic also occurs in groups. Accepting the full range of who we are in our working groups grows acceptance of each other and supports more effective action.
Homelessness is the result of a complex system that no single solution will fix. But many agencies work on solutions. For example, Family Promise has one approach working with faith communities. The Friends Family Emergency Shelter has another approach. Waypoint works with youth. Concord Coalition to End Homelessness runs a winter shelter for adults and a resource center. The Friendly Kitchen provides meals. CATCH builds affordable housing. The Belknap-Merrimack Community Action Program does street outreach. Christ the King Parish runs a food pantry. All are experts in what they do, like master musicians. But I wouldn’t call this work a symphony.
What is a symphony without a score, without a conductor? We wouldn’t go to its concerts. No one would want to listen.
Communities across the country are solving homelessness. We can learn from them. Concord’s homelessness system needs a common aim and a coordinator. We need accountability to each other. Otherwise, people get stuck trying to get rehoused. They don’t get the message about an available apartment. They miss doctor’s appointments. They can’t shower before a job interview. It’s unimaginably stressful.
Each agency has its own worthy aim but there is no common, community-wide aim to end homelessness. Faith communities do their thing. Nonprofits do their thing. Developers build homes. Government departments act within their scope. Foundations and charities fund projects.
I am reminded of the story about two stone cutters. You ask one “What are you doing?” and he responds, “I’m cutting stone.” You ask the other “What are you doing?” and he answers, “I’m building a cathedral.” Acknowledging that we are part of something bigger grows the meaning found in this work. It grows our effectiveness. We are not alone.
I don’t do advocacy. Advocacy does not solve complex problems. I am a learner, who has discovered again and again that for solutions to last all of the players need to contribute —each according to their role, each according to their resources. We have to try stuff, discard the stuff that doesn’t work and build on the things that do work. Learning our way forward. Notice, act, learn. Repeat. Notice, act, learn.
This work sustains me. Sure, it is social justice. But it’s more than that. It’s also about safety for residents, dignity for the unhoused and fairness for all. Homeowners and renters and homeless persons alike. Justice is important.
But for me, it’s not about what is right or just, it’s about what is possible. What is possible to build in our community. What is possible to create, aligned with our values. Ending homelessness is possible, here, now, together. Join me. Learn with me.
Jim Schlosser is the Concord City Councilor for Ward 7.