Series Finale: All Good Things…

“If y’all really want a solution to homelessness, you might want to go talk to the homeless.”

– Rashad recollecting the words of Larry James of CitySquare

After nearly 2 1/2 years, the Street View Podcast team comes together one last time to give some insight and perspective on the issue of homelessness. The team talks mental health, affordable housing, drug abuse, rehabilitation, tent cities, parting thoughts and how everyone you meet is on their own timeline. As much as we want people to be on our timelines, we must meet people where they are and help them how we can in that place. The Dallas Public Library’s Homeless Engagement will continue to provide one-on-one assistance and engagement programs to people experiencing homelessness. To follow the program, visit http://dallaslibrary2.org/homeless/.

Series Finale:

Season 3, Episode 7: To Conform or Not to Conform?

Rashad is joined by colleagues Corey, Vanessa and Nick as they explore the ins and outs of conformity.

Season 3, Episode 7:

Season 3, Episode 6: Wonder Women

“Rashad: Adena, where were you a year ago?

Adena: Homeless. …

Rashad: Where are you today?

Adena: I am not homeless. I am staying in a boarding home. … And I work and serve with the Dallas Public Library AmeriCorps/CitySquare program.”

– Adena Jones, CitySquare AmeriCorps at Dallas Public Library’s HELP Desk

Season 3, Episode 6:

Season 3, Episode 5: If It’s Broken, Fix It

“I’m not saying I can get rid of all my problems, but I’m a firm believer if your life ain’t going the way you want it to go, you need to change it.”

– Wayne, library music class participant

Join the team for a special “Folk” edition of Street View Podcast. The team is joined by Bill Smith, a library associate on the Fine Arts floor and one of his guitar students, Wayne. The library’s music classes are open to anyone – from home school kids and homeless adults – and have successfully ignited people’s passion for music. Wayne shares his story on becoming homeless, his journey out and plays a few tunes for the group.

Season 3, Episode 5:

Season 3, Episode 4: State of Homelessness

“If you want to understand a problem, you need to know the nature and the extent of it.”

– Cindy Crain, CEO of Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance

Cindy Crain, the new CEO of Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA) joins the team to talk about homelessness in Dallas and MDHA’s new strategies to understanding the issue and coming up with creative solutions, including increasing the number of volunteers who help with the annual Point In Time Count each January and increasing street outreach staff to bring direct and ongoing case management to people experiencing homelessness. Since the recording of this episode, MDHA has released their 2016 PIT Count data and conducted their annual State of Homelessness Address. Based on this year’s results, unsheltered homelessness has more than doubled since 2015 and homelessness across the board has increased approximately 24% in Dallas County.

Season 3, Episode 4:

Season 3, Episode 3: Compassion Fatigue

“Housing is a step, not a solution.”

– Pastor Wayne Walker from Our Calling

Pastor Wayne Walker, Executive Director of Our Calling, joins the Street View Podcast team again to discuss Compassion Fatigue, Tent City and the new Our Calling app for iPhones and iPads, Help I’m Homeless, that offers people instant access to resource referral to help someone experiencing homelessness and better coordinates existing resources.

Season 3, Episode 3:

Season 3, Episode 2: Time and Energy

“The only thing anyone can say they possess in this world when they get here is time and energy. … Individuals, including myself, should hone in on how we use and spend that time and energy.”

– Rashad discussing how we choose to use our time and energy

In episode two of the new season, the original crew, Rashad, Jasmine and Ryan discuss some topics that are weighing heavy on Rashad, including relationship problems, stagnancy, time and energy, selflessness, low-rent housing conditions and living life without regrets.

Season 3, Episode 2:

Season 3, Episode 1: Streets, Shelters and Society

“I remember when I first became homeless, the little lady at the Stewpot told me the same thing. She said, ‘Don’t be on these streets.’ She said, ‘These streets, they’ll trap you out here.’ And she was right.”

– Rashad reflecting on the need to get out of homelessness sooner than later

The crew is back for an all-new season of Street View. On the season premiere, Rashad, Antoinette, Ryan and Jasmine catch up and talk about a variety of topics, including how respect is learned, the library’s new projects, being named Best Local Podcast by Dallas Observer, conformity, capitalism and the idea of self-sufficiency in an increasingly interdependent society.

Season 3, Episode 1:

Season 2, Episode 10: The Vagabond

“If we were supposed to be selfish God would have just made one of us. If we were supposed to be selfish, He would have just stayed up there by himself. He didn’t need us, you know what I mean? So I truly believe that we are supposed to be selfless individuals. … Whether you’re homeless or housed or whatever, I encourage you to be selfless in some sort of sacrificial way. I think that is the true human experience.”

– Rashad Dickerson urging listeners to give back to each other and be selfless

The Street View Podcast Team catches up on the past year and what the future holds for the podcast and the library’s Homeless Engagement Initiative. Rashad reflects on how much life has changed since the podcast started almost two years ago, how much the library has meant to him in that time, and his inner conflict about currently being stable and “selfish.” The future of the podcast is up in the air as Rashad debates whether or not it would be best to “hand over the mic” to someone else next season.

Season 2, Episode 10:

Season 2, Episode 9: Working It

“There are so many things that I did not know…I feel like we really need to do what we can to educate our community on these issues because everyone has their opinion about what should happen, what needs to happen, but recognizing that these resources are out there and that at the end of the day we all want to go to work, we all want to have a place to live, we all want to have the basic needs that makes us happy.”

– Shonta Bradford, Library Associate, Central Library, on what she has learned working at the library

The Street View team is joined by new library staff person, Shonta Bradford, library regular Charlie Piano and library volunteer Luis Cabrera. The team discusses the struggles of ex-offenders in seeking work as well as the resources available to those in need at the library. Luis was released from a 14-year sentence in November 2013 and found his way to the library to access up-to-date listings of employers who hire ex-offenders. He has since started his own organization aimed at helping ex-offenders find employment. The team also gets an update from Charlie Piano who was featured in Season 1 of Street View. Though he is now living in a tent, Charlie continues to find happiness through his quilting and his strong relationships with the Stewpot and the 4th floor of the Central Library.

Season 2, Episode 9: