Homelessness and Measure H

GUEST OPINION

Homeless woman on skid row (Photo – Mel Tillekeratne).

I would normally never take a photo like this and I never have before. I want the people of Los Angeles County, including Pasadena and nearby towns and cities, to understand why we’re fighting so hard to pass Measure H. To understand what it means to be homeless in LA.

By Mel Tillekeratne

We saw this woman while we were handing out food tonight. She was on 5th street sitting and rocking herself back and forth outside her tent. I had one of our volunteers (Denise) give her a poncho and food.

We got in the car and I could still see her rocking back and forth in the same place. I went back and tried to convince her to put the rain poncho on but she wouldn’t. Everything from her clothes to everything around her was soaking wet. The poncho, chips and water we gave were just sitting right in front of her. It was raining and you know it was raining the whole day.

If I had to guess, from seeing her rock back and forth, I would guess she was autistic and trying to calm herself down. This is the reality for her and thousands more Angelenos who are mentally ill. This is the reality for her and thousands more women on our streets.

This is why just giving out food doesn’t help. Our system is broken and no sandwich will fix it. There is a severe lack of mental health resources and substance abuse recovery services. There are no more open shelter beds in LA and there hasn’t been for years. This is why we’re fighting for Measure H. Because we need more resources and we need you to believe that we can end homelessness.

Our system
is broken
and no sandwich
will fix it

No one, no one should have to go through what this woman must be suffering through right now. Whether or not this is our fault is not the question. The question is this system is broken and whether or not we are going to be the generation that fixes it.

We need you to make sure Measure H passes and to tell Los Angeles that we can end homelessness.

I’m truly sorry to this lady for taking this picture and if you are offended by it, then fight to make sure that people like her in our community are taken care of! Stop with the bulls**t.

Take a good look.

Homelessness is never a choice!

Mel Tillekeratne organizes Monday Night Mission. Monday Night Mission goes to feed the homeless on Skid Row every weekday on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

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