{"id":231178,"date":"2023-09-21T06:05:17","date_gmt":"2023-09-21T10:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=231178"},"modified":"2024-03-02T12:06:19","modified_gmt":"2024-03-02T17:06:19","slug":"soul-stirring-lessons-from-the-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2023\/soul-stirring-lessons-from-the-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"Lessons from the Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin sphnews-block-editorial-leadin is-style-text-over-image has-media has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-text-position-x-left has-light-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-scaled.jpeg\" class=\"\" alt=\"The tent encampment on Atkinson Street, outside of the Southampton Street Shelter at Mass and Cass\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-636x424.jpeg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-755x503.jpeg 755w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-1500x1000.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-450x300.jpeg 450w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-600x400.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-1920x1280.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/atkinson-street-1200x800.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">The tent encampment on Atkinson Street, outside of the Southampton Street Shelter at &#8220;Mass and Cass.&#8221; Credit: Jesse Costa\/WBUR.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner has-opacity-90\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">homelessness<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Lessons from the Kitchen<\/strong>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">Harold Cox shares what he has learned about the power of compassion and listening while volunteering at a local shelter.\u00a0<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar js-block-editorial-metabar sphnews-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">September 21, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/authors\/harold-cox\/\">Harold Cox<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p><em>Viewpoint articles are written by members of the SPH community from a wide diversity of perspectives. The views expressed are solely those of the author and are not intended to represent the views of Boston University or the School of Public Health. We aspire to a culture where\u00a0all can express views in a context of civility and respect. Our guidance on the values that guide our commitment can be found at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2024\/revisiting-the-principles-of-free-and-inclusive-academic-speech\/\">Revisiting the Principles of Free and Inclusive Academic Speech<\/a>.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their preference is mayonnaise.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So on a recent Thursday evening, I passed out lots of packets of mayonnaise, salt, sugar, and mustard to the men passing by my station in the dining room at the homeless shelter. I volunteer there every Thursday as a meal server dishing up food with a smile and greeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a small gesture of support for the unhoused population battling&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcboston.com\/news\/local\/boston-city-councilors-say-state-of-emergency-at-mass-and-cass-cant-wait-its-getting-worse\/3127530\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">an ongoing crisis<\/a> of crime, mental health challenges, and substance misuse\u2014and a shortage of support and resources\u2014around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, known as \u201cMass and Cass.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s be honest\u2014the homelessness issue at Mass and Cass is a mess. I don&#8217;t know how it reached&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wgbh.org\/news\/local\/2023-05-02\/we-dont-know-where-to-go-homeless-encampment-cleared-as-city-cracks-down-on-tents-at-mass-and-cass\" target=\"_blank\">this point<\/a>, and I&#8217;m uncertain about how it will be resolved. But what I do know is that it needs to be addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2021, I wrote a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2020\/the-view-from-my-window\/\">viewpoint<\/a> about the comings and goings of this population as I viewed them from my office window. But I wanted a closer view\u2014I wanted to connect with the people walking by. So I decided to volunteer at the shelter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the shelter\u2019s volunteer coordinator asked me what I wanted to do, I was clear to him that I didn&#8217;t want to engage in social service navigation, housing advocacy, public health education, strategic planning, or grant writing\u2014things I am suited to do. I just wanted to help in a small way to get to know the people from the streets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So he assigned me to the kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I confess I thought I would have deep and lingering conversations with the guests who come in for dinner. I planned on interviewing them, learning and hearing their stories, striking up friendships, and gaining insight into their experiences of homelessness. I wanted to get into their heads and learn firsthand about homelessness straight from the source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it didn&#8217;t work out that way. I learned quickly that people coming in from the streets to get a hot meal aren&#8217;t interested in deep and lingering conversations. They just want to sit down and eat. They don&#8217;t want to recount stories of hardship, drug use, or sexual assault to a stranger, albeit a good-natured one.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I took a different approach. I decided to watch and observe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dinner starts at 4:30 p.m. People file in to pick up plates of food\u2014broccoli, rice, beans, and chicken on one day, spaghetti with meat sauce and vegetable medley on another. There&#8217;s a long line of tired and hungry men, anxious to see what&#8217;s on the menu for the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The kitchen is managed by Miss China, who runs things with authority. She is forceful, direct, and caring. Everyone knows that when Miss China speaks, you listen and comply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most guests remain quiet during dinner, sitting at tables with 4-5 people. There are a few animated conversations among some groups of guests, but most keep to themselves. Occasionally, a few people return to my station to ask for extra tea bags or hot sauce. Some speak words, while others simply point to what they want before returning to their seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One Thursday, a man became upset because I wouldn\u2019t give him an extra sandwich. Miss China\u2019s rule was that no one should receive second servings until everyone has been fed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s ridiculous and makes no sense,\u201d he snapped at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;I understand that this is frustrating and makes you angry,&#8221; I responded, using my best college-trained&nbsp;<em>social worker speak<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;You don&#8217;t understand anything,&#8221; he snorted. &#8220;You don&#8217;t know nothing. Just shut up. Think about my life. I have to ask for everything\u2014even for these stupid packets of mayonnaise, sugar and salt,\u201d he shouted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;You have no idea what my life is like,\u201d he continued.&nbsp;&nbsp;\u201cYou have no idea what it is like to watch people turn their heads when you get too close to them. You have no idea of the indignity of not knowing where to go relieve yourself of urine and feces [he used harsher words]. Then, I come here and I have to ask for salt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNever tell me that you understand. You don&#8217;t.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Miss China watched this exchange and then walked over, gently placed her hand on his waist, and guided him to a seat at one of the tables. He calmed down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I took a deep breath and realized that, in that simple yet intense conversation, this man taught me a great deal about stigma, fear, and compassion. Most important, he taught me to talk less and listen more.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Miss China understood this. She knew exactly what to do to comfort and show respect to this man. There is so much to learn from her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I leave the dining hall after my shift, I&#8217;m always tired. Tired, but fueled with a new understanding, even if just a fraction, about the lives of those who live in the Mass and Cass territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Policymakers are working to tackle the problems in this area. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu claims that the people living on the streets&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wbur.org\/news\/2023\/08\/28\/mayor-wu-files-new-ordinance-to-remove-tents-from-mass-and-cass\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">will soon be gone<\/a>. Whatever actions she takes, I hope she and others never forget to treat the people with dignity and respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>BUSPH students often discuss wanting to study, conduct policy analyses, and design programs for specific populations. To that, I say bravo. Absolutely do that\u2014but also take the time to get to know and understand the population you are studying. Engage with young, pregnant teenagers, people with HIV, caregivers of the elderly, or whichever population piques your interest. Learn about their plights, situations, and feelings. Good and effective public health programming always starts with this kind of respectful engagement and empathetic understanding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just make sure to follow the rule that I learned in the shelter\u2019s kitchen: talk less and listen more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\">\n<p><em>Harold Cox is an associate professor of community health sciences at the School of Public Health. On Wednesday, Sept. 27, Cox will hold a Lunch &amp; Learn session titled \u201c<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/calendar\/?eid=284676\" target=\"_blank\">Know Your Mass and Cass Neighborhood<\/a>.\u201d <\/em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/calendar\/?eid=284676\" target=\"_blank\">Click here<\/a> to register.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories is-style-card has-two sphnews-block-editorial-relatedstories\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-title\">Related<\/h3>\n\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"400\" height=\"241\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2020\/10\/harold-homelessness-reflection-400.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Harold Homelessness Reflection 400\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-category\"><span>Homelessness<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2020\/the-view-from-my-window\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">The View from My Window<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">October 28, 2020<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/0818_mass-and-cass01-1000x667-Jesse-Costa-WBUR.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"People stand and sit on Mass and Cass\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/0818_mass-and-cass01-1000x667-Jesse-Costa-WBUR.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/0818_mass-and-cass01-1000x667-Jesse-Costa-WBUR-636x424.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/0818_mass-and-cass01-1000x667-Jesse-Costa-WBUR-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/0818_mass-and-cass01-1000x667-Jesse-Costa-WBUR-755x504.jpg 755w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/0818_mass-and-cass01-1000x667-Jesse-Costa-WBUR-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/0818_mass-and-cass01-1000x667-Jesse-Costa-WBUR-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2023\/09\/0818_mass-and-cass01-1000x667-Jesse-Costa-WBUR-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-category\"><span>Alumni<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2023\/from-streets-to-stats-findings-from-bostons-landmark-homeless-health-survey\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">From Streets to Stats: Findings from Boston&#8217;s Landmark Homeless Health Survey<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">September 7, 2023<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Viewpoint articles are written by members of the SPH community from a wide diversity of perspectives. The views expressed are solely those of the author and are not intended to represent the views of Boston University or the School of Public Health. We aspire to a culture where\u00a0all can express views in a context of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15205,"featured_media":231181,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"homelessness","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[2070,3420,2178,2548,3649,2023,2526,2000,2305,3887],"bu-publication":[3516],"sphnews-article-category":[3519,3525,3531,3538,3545],"sphnews-topic":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"profile_tax":[447],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/231178"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15205"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231178"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/231178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":237752,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/231178\/revisions\/237752"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/231181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231178"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=231178"},{"taxonomy":"sphnews-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sphnews-article-category?post=231178"},{"taxonomy":"sphnews-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sphnews-topic?post=231178"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=231178"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=231178"},{"taxonomy":"profile_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile_tax?post=231178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}