Refugee: The Scope of the Challenge and of our Approach

We've recently become privy to (just barely aware of) the complexity of issues that face those who don't have a home. Simultaneously, the term, "Homelessness," is quickly coming to light as a misnomer for the larger scope of the problem that faces both those with and without roofs; a panoply of challenges accompanies the widespread lack of housing in our city. Indeed, the full collection of issues and our approach to them highlight how strongly connected we are to our nation and other nations that face what is indeed a refugee crisis.

Many of our fellow citizens are without homes, jobs, stable sources of nourishment; survive despite medical and legal difficulties; many of our fellow citizens live under a social stigma, which itself tells the story of how we have allowed our system to continuously stack the odds against the underdog, to all but preclude second chances for those who didn't start off with pocket full of rabbit's feet, for those without parachutes--golden be they only in dreams; many of our fellow citizens are refugees.

Let us acknowledge, not only the complexity of the issue, but our capacity to address its multiple facets. Though we focus on providing shelter and a sense of home within it, we do not work on this or remaining gamut of challenges alone. We have several comrades in arms to tackle the many sides and take the many inroads; it is perhaps our broader challenge to focus as well as collaborate.

I intend explore the parallels between our national (and local refugee) communities and those throughout history and the globe; this may afford a broader understanding of the issue and provide some new avenues of attack.