Thanksgiving Highlights by Ginger and Eric
For the past three years, Ginger and Eric (both formerly homeless) have dedicated their free time to volunteering at the “Thanksgiving Outreach” and “Feeding the Homeless” projects.
"We know how it feels,” says Ginger, “we once were there, moving from beach to beach, trying to find a warm, dry place when it rained, getting swept of our worldly goods and ticketed by police officers and many times having nothing to eat.”
“What changed us? One of them was Kaulana Park.” Ginger explains. “His kind words of encouragement and many visits to Malili Beach Park., MAHALO for sharing Thanksgiving (2006) with us and thanks to our Governor for addressing our need of a safe place to stay until we got back on our feet again. Your words were a gift of comfort.
Wai'anae's "Blue Tarp City"
On Friday, October 16th, “Blue Tarp City,” a short documentary focusing on the houseless communities living along the Wai’anae coast, had its Hawaii premiere at the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) at Dole Cannery.
The film, directed by Henry Mochida, a Hawaii local who currently attends UH Manoa, tells the story of the native Hawaiian houseless population, their resistance to criminalization and their struggle “to exist on the edges of society juxtaposed against post-card beaches and palm trees.”
Sidewalk Sleeping Bill Put To Rest
A bill outlawing sleeping on city sidewalks was rejected by a City Council committee on the 8th of October after being criticized as unfair.
The bill, introduced by Councilman Charles Djou, came after hearing complaints from Waikiki businesses and residents that there has been a steady increase of people onto Kalakaua Boulevard in the past year and a half.
At the bill’s hearing, Daniel Gluck, senior attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, blamed Waikiki’s rising numbers on “the closing of parks one after the other” and the enforcement of bans on camping in city parks. He believes that these motions are attempting to make it “essentially illegal to be homeless.”