Word: delong
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Former Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Myrth York and homeless activist Macy DeLong led a discussion on homelessness in Boylston Hall's Ticknor Lounge last night...
...DeLong, founder of the homeless assistance organization Solutions At Work, suggested that the most important action that must be taken by activists is to "bring voices of people [affected by homelessness] into the policy-making arena and into the decision-making arena...
According to Macy DeLong, a spokesperson for Solutions for Work, a homelessness empowerment group, the difficulties started several years ago when "a very rowdy crowd [began to] use the grate inappropiately, driving away other homeless people and scaring passers-by." Hathaway H. Green, director of communications for Harvard Planning and Real Estate, elaborated on these disturbances, mentioning that "tenants and customers repeatedly expressed concern" over behavior such as "drinking and defacating...
According to DeLong, the grates were not always dangerous, and both Harvard and homelessness groups tried several tactics to restore the grates to their previous level of safety. Social workers tried to convince the men to stop harassing others, but to no avail. In addition, the police "tried to punish the troublemakers," said DeLong. "We had hoped to separate the people causing problems, and that that would solve the problem, but that was not the case. Each night [the police] would drag away the same people, but they would be back there the next night...
...even homelessness groups have accepted the unjust logic of collective punishment. DeLong, who was once homeless herself, says that she and other workers pleaded with the troublemakers to stop harassing people: "We told them, you're going to lose this...