Portland's Tent City: Homelessness Crisis & What We Can Do P.2

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Portland's Tent City: Homelessness Crisis & What We Can Do P.2

Portland's Tent City: Homelessness Crisis & What We Can Do

By Vivian Soriano-Cervantes

One of the main issues we face as a nation, let alone as the small (at comparison) community of Portland and the tri-counties, is a lack of understanding for homeless individuals and families. The collective misunderstandings and misconceptions surrounding the homeless population in our country lead to discrimination, lack of empathy for these individuals, and less legislature that is proposed to government officials in support of finding solutions for those who are without a permeant or long-term residence with clean clothes.

Unfortunately, most of us are taken by what we see portrayed in the media, local news, TV shows, and movies portraying homeless people are violent, drug-addicted, wasteful, etc. The stigma can be fought but we must begin by first educating ourselves and those around of us. Out of pure ignorance, most of us will pass a homeless person on the street and not even think twice about how they got they, how they have remained homeless, and what it takes to help them.

Popular misconceptions:

1. People choose to be Homeless

2. Helping Homeless Individuals Hurts Them in the Long Run

3. Homeless People Are Dangerous

To read more of these misconceptions and why so many people seem to believe them, please read:

The 12 Biggest Myths about Homelessness in America (nyu.edu)