Before today, my imprinted impression of a place called “Skid Row” was the song from the musical Little Shop of Horrors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0kSBiu1IGk
In the scene from the movie adaptation Skid Row takes place in NYC, but I get the impression that the feelings and the struggles are the same no matter which Skid Row you visit. And, well, we sure visited it today. We walked through the main drag over four times traversing from one social service organization to another. Early in the morning the streets were fairly quiet and sleepy. By midafternoon, the community had come alive.
Community is the word that sticks in my mind from today. Adam told us before we left that the 50 square blocks of severe poverty and homelessness known as Skid Row is very much a community. I distinctly felt this communal atmosphere as I strolled through the neighborhood. There was a palpable familiarity and comfort level between the residents. People were shooting the breeze, joking around with each other, and straight chilling. There were convivial regulars and accepted sections of sidewalk real estate. This insider knowledge was most apparent in contrast to our own group. We clearly didn’t belong. My first time walking down the street I felt quite uncomfortable. As I mentioned in my previous post, this is the way I imagined I would feel. I was tense and closed off, yet trying my best to play it cool. No one treated us badly or gave us nasty looks – quite the opposite, most residents were pleasantly friendly. And, in fact, by my third or forth time passing through I began to feel more and more comfortable. I recognized the corner store, the sidewalk hustlers, and the mural art work.
Upon deeper reflection I can now see my initial discomfort as a reflection of my own values preconceived notions, and not about the reality of the inhabitants. At the same time I also imagine that the community members of Skid Row must be a bit territorial. Even though I felt no maliciousness, I couldn’t help but think that the people I passed must get some small pleasure from labeling me as an outsider. This community is perhaps the only place they have ever belonged anywhere and as such they feel protective of their space. Myself, and our group, represent the status quo of society – a place they have never fit in. It must be refreshing for the tables to turn and to witness the privileged, adjusted class feel insecure and unwelcome. I am not even sure it is a conscious thought, but I feel like that power dynamic reversal must be cathartic in some way. This strong sense of belonging and not feeling judged also helps explain why so many residents choose to stay on the streets even though they have other options.
View of downtown from the Skid Row STAR apartment balcony (efficiency apts for the homeless)
