On Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, tents populated near the steps of St. Louis City Hall. The people inside these tents claim this encampment is a deliberate protest of the city’s lack of comprehensive and accessible resources for homeless individuals.
Protesters stated that police made contact with them, attempting to disband but failing to remove the encampment. “They tried to disband us, but since this is a legal protest they can’t do it their way,” said Christopher Perry, a protester and father.
Perry described the help he received from official entities, but the support felt conflicting. “How can you be helping me if you’re hired by the people harming me?” Perry said.
Perry feels one of the biggest issues is the city’s refusal to give the homeless community a genuine voice. “We have no voice in any legal matters,” Perry said, “I have to fight all by myself.”
Perry explained along with feeling voiceless, the public places unfounded blame on them. After bags of food and clothing are brought to encampments, the individuals living without resources for storage are blamed for the items left behind.
“If you come to a place where there’s homeless people and bring 30 pounds of food, where do you think we’re going to put it? We don’t have a place for it,” Perry said.
The resources that do exist do not support the diverse needs of the homeless community. When Perry’s daughter was two weeks old, he came into his role as a single father. Perry explained the challenges in finding support as a homeless man and father.
“I can’t go to the women’s shelter, I’m a man. I can’t go to the men’s shelter, I have a daughter,” Perry said.
This challenge is not uncommon; Perry said he knows others in similar situations. “You will get help if you are a major drug addict, or a mother with kids.” For those who do not fit these roles, accessing resources is extremely challenging.
With a lack of resources and pressure to support his daughter, Perry found the struggle insurmountable. “When they took her I had a nervous breakdown, everything just collapsed,” Perry said.
With Perry and other protesters desperate for help, he said treating homeless people with humanity is the best thing SLU students and St. Louis residents can do. “Acknowledge our existence. We understand you can’t always give us your change, but please don’t ignore us,” Perry said.
For those who can give, Perry recommends cash. “Everybody has different needs, so a couple of dollars is best,” Perry said. Perry expressed gratitude for every bit he has received, describing the intent behind one’s gift as the true blessing. “My grandma always told me to give with your heart. You can’t control how the person uses their blessing, the intention is the real blessing,” Perry said.
It is unclear if those within City Hall plan to respond to the protesters’ demands and needs. At the time of publishing, Mayor Jones’ office has not responded to the University News’ request for comment.
Despite the reality many homeless people face, the community survives. For Perry, survival comes from the hope of being with and providing for his daughter one day. “I asked God, give me a reason to stay. He showed me her,” said Perry.
In the meantime, Perry relies on the community around him that became family. “We family. They’re the closest thing to family that I got,” Perry said.
Editors’ note: While scholars and many institutions are coming to use the term “unhoused” more frequently, the writers used “homeless” as Christopher does, in an attempt to more authentically share the story of the community represented by using their preferred terminology.
