Cornell Coalition for the Homeless
More Advisory Board Input - with Professor Tom Hirschl
Professor Hirschl is a GREAT resource that we have not used sufficiently this year. I need to preface his comments with the statement that he approaches work with the homeless from a moral perspective. His motivations derive from the Bible, but he accepts all forms of moral/ ethical justifications for helping the less fortunate. Basically his point is that "charity work" is not something we get to do when we feel like, but rather we are called to help the less fortunate by basic morality that extends through all faiths and cultures.
He views the coalition as a venue to spur the moral debate regarding homelessness here on Cornell's campus. With this role, we should take a much stronger stand than we have taken in the past. This strong stand that incites controversy is what creates succcessful student groups. For example both the Cornell Review and the Cornell Greens have taken such strong stands as to attract attention.
He would be happy to use his position as a professor to help our group - because his course and our work are closely connected. He teaches a course in the Fall semester for which students can receive extra credit by working in the community. It would be possible that students could help plan or could participate in the Sleepout. Prof Hirschl would have to work with the Coalition to design an appropriate project. We might also be able to find a group of students interested in investigating the local question of homelessness - researching the numbers and demographics in today's Ithaca homless population.
Prof Hirschl has a working relationship with the Poor People's Human Rights' Organization (Kensington) and he suggests that we contact them to speak at our sleepout. They are an international group that works to protect the civil rights of the poor. You can contact them through their homepage at www.kwru.org They also have summer positions for students.
In terms of getting a voice on campus, we might want to find a way to get a spot on a radio show on a regular basis. Jessie Lind is one of Prof Hirschl's friends. She works with WEOS radio station, and might be able to help us get some air time, if we could construct a meaningful conversation and segment. She is friends with Jeremy who does the annual homeless marathon. She is a professional radio person, so only contact her if we are ready to present a professional proposal and see it through. jessielind@hotmail.com
As far as the Financial assistance fund... if we give money to someone, we should ask them to work towards ending homelessness by voicing their problem. Along the idea of starting a discussion up here on the hill... anyone we help should voice their story. If they like to play the guitar, they should come to campus and play on Ho Plaza one afternoon in front of a crowd. If they like to write, we could help them get an editorial in the Sun. We can help them speak for themselves in the way that best suits their abilities... this "repayment" assists the Coalition by promoting our organization, it works towards ending homelessness by instigating conversation, and it empowers the people that we are trying ot help.
Professor Hirschl would like us to contact him early next year, early in the fall so that we can work together throughout the year.