Our Neighbors On The Streets: A Social Justice Perspective

                                                                        Prayer for Longest Night: A National Memorial Day for those Who Died on the Street By Wayne Martin Mellinger Spirit of Life Transcending Mystery and Wonder Ground of our Being That Which Proceeds All Naming Be present with us now as we gather to remember   our neighbors and our loved ones Who died while unhoused. May we be inspired us with a vision of the Beloved Community,   borne of compassion, Where strangers are welcomed,,,,     Where no one goes hungry or unhoused, Where the weak are protected   and the innocent are safeguarded, And where all of our neighbors are loved. This is the longest night of the year, A time normally set aside to celebrate the triumph of light over dar...

  From Homeless Person to Social Justice Activist APRIL 20, 2021 Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D. Until it happened to me, I didn’t think homeless people had it that bad. I’d often see them, carrying those enormous backpacks with sleeping rolls. It took me having my eyes opened up through first hand experiences before I really saw the suffering and actually got involved in social justice work. My journey through homelessness has given me the opportunity to confront horrible, ugly and unacceptable realities that were largely hidden from me prior to my becoming homeless. I have bipolar disorder and experience devastating episodes of major depression in which I lose the motivation to keep on going and can become suicidal and dysfunctional. To cope with these powerfully dark moods, I have self-medicated with illicit stimulants which elevate my spirits and make life seem worth living again. These challenges have led me to become homeless three times in the past 17 years, to repeatedly lose...