Ash Wednesday

It has been a little while since I last wrote a blog. I think I’m running out of things to say, perhaps hitting the proverbial wall, which is probably natural in February at the midpoint of the JVC year.

This year so far has been simultaneously a blessing and a struggle filled with ups and downs. At times it’s easy for me to walk the streets of Oakland and wonder how things could be any worse and question whether I’m making any difference at all. This year hasn’t necessarily filled me with great optimism that things in Oakland will improve any time soon, but last Friday’s Homeless Court session held here at SVdP was a reaffirmation that my work here is meaningful. The thing I especially like about Homeless Court is that Judge Gordon Baranco isn’t looking for a grand apology or clients to grovel, only that they exhibit progress and a sincere understanding that it’s a one time chance to move forward with a clean slate.

As always my favorite part of the process is witnessing the spectrum of reactions the clients have after their charges and fines are dismissed, it ranges from one woman who fought back tears as she hugged her two-year-old son to the 21-year-old guy whose grin stretched from ear-to-ear as he bragged to me that his $5,000 in fines dismissed had been the most of anyone all day.


“You are dust, and to dust you shall return.”