Lavell

“I just want to warm my sandwich…but they treat me like I’m a criminal and kick me out.  I don’t want to act like one, but if they keep pushing me….I can”

"나는 단지 샌드위치를 ​​따뜻하게하고 싶을뿐입니다.하지만 그들은 나를 범죄자처럼 취급하며 나를 쫓아내려합니다. 
나는  다른 사람들 처럼 나쁜 행동을 하고싶지 않지만 나를 계속 범죄자로 취급하면 범죄자처럼 행동할수 있죠"

I met Lavell today in Downtown LA.  I saw people getting agitated at him, so I walked up to him and asked him what was going on.  He had burns and scars on his face so people already judged him before he even opened his mouth.  He explained to me that he had moved from Atlanta, GA and was not getting enough money to live from the state.  He wants to work but has a debilitating seizure disorder that makes it impossible for him to hold a job.

나는  LA 다운타운 레스토랑앞에서 Lavell을 만났습니다. 식당밖에서있는 그에게 마구대하는는것을 보았기 때문에 나는 그에게 다가 가 무슨 일이 일어나고 있는지 물었습니다. 그는 얼굴에 화상과 흉터가 심하게 딱정이져있었고 그를 대하는사람들은 이미 그를범죄자로 판단하고 문전박대를 했습니다.  그는 조지아주 애틀랜타에서 이사 왔고  지금은 스키드로드에 있다가 할리우드로 옮겨다닌다고했다. 내가 그에게 물었다....소망이 있다면? 그는 일하기를 원하지만 간질병 발작 장애를 가지고 있어서 일자리를 가질 수 없단다....

He laughed when I asked him why he isn’t on Skid Row - he could get a hot meal or at least food there, or warm his sandwich.  He explained to me that there are two Downtowns - this one, the one I live in with the nice buildings and the people.  And the other one, the one on Skid Row, that is controlled by gang members who have been around long before he was born.  I asked him how those homeless people could make money - but he said they will always find a way.  They will steal, trade…whatever it takes and rip off the other Skid Row Residents.

Skid Row에살면 적어도 음식을 먹을 수 있는데 그곳에 머물지않는 이유를 물어봤을 때 쓴웃음을지며 두 개의 다운타운이 있음을 나에게 설명했습니다. 그중하나는 지금 내가 좋은 건물과 사람들과 살고 있는 곳  그리고 다른 하나는 스키드로우 (Skid Row)에있는 것 입니다.   나는  노숙자들이 어떻게 마약을 구매하는지 물었을때 돈  그들은  어떤수단 방법을 선택하던지길을 찾을 것이라고 말했다. 스키드로우는 내가 태어나 기 오래 전부터 있었던 갱단에 의해 통제 됩니다.  그들은 훔치고, 거래를 하고, 다른 스키드로우 주민들로부터 빼앗아갑니다.

We keep forgetting that the homeless people are human beings, we treat them like second class citizens not even trying to help them with a simple request, “Can I please warm up my sandwich?”  Are we really so heartless that we cannot take one minute of time to help someone?  We need to recognize that the judgments we have had for so long about the homeless are not true. They are people, with good intentions and sometimes just need help. I know that is not all of them, but we need to recognize the ones who are good people and just need a helping hand so we can give #life4homeless.  Let's have more #awarenessforamerica.

우리는 노숙자들도 시민이라는 사실을 자주 잊고 삽니다, 마치 그들은 2 등 시민처럼 말입니다. "제 샌드위치를 ​​따뜻하게 해 주시겠습니까?" 이런 간단한 요청도 도와 주려고 하지 않습니다.  우리의 마음은 점점  무디어져 단 1 분 정도 걸리는 도움도 줄수없는걸까요?   우리가 생각하는 노숙자에 대해  편견이 사실이 아니라는 점을 인식해야 합니다.  노숙자들중에도 마약과 범죄를 하지않는 좋은사람들이 있으며 그들은 도움의 손길이 필요하다는 것을 알아야 합니다.  우리가 합치면  #life4homeless 를 그들에게 줄 수 있습니다. #awarenessforamerica