Fascinating profile of a park ranger in San Francisco who works with unhoused residents and has adopted the novel tactic of treating them like human beings, building relationships, and helping them access resources on their own timeline.
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As more Americans lose it all, people like this can be life or death for innocent homeless. Trump will bring homelessness to millions of Those kicked off Medicare and SSDI and out of nursing homes. Our elderly will be dieing in the streets by the hundreds a day.
Had a convo with someone else here about how you can find people like this in the system, and they’re golden when you do. But they burn out, they move on. If the system were kinder, we wouldn’t need to depend on the saints.
'And how exactly is this profitable? My tax dollars weren't meant pay park rangers to be social workers! This is dei at it's worst!' - the most awful fucking people
For sure Barrows could be a city employee. Also true, city parks may receive federal grants for specific programs. I hope Barrows keeps her job. But, these days, public sector employment seems iffy.
I had assumed she was federal Park service. But totally agree. They can just start auditing her forever . No one is safe after doing good for others in America.
Decency and goodness are undervalued in our technodystopian hellscape. Thank you to this woman for holding up a mirror to our failure and modeling a better way.
This resonates so deeply with the work I do in public libraries. We try so hard to be a space where our unhoused population can exist and feel safe. We make resources like community peers accessible so they can reach out when ready, but in the interim we’re a space they can just “be”.
Having been homeless in the past I can say that libraries are fantastic. It’s a free, comfortable indoor space with entertainment, where as long as you follow the rules you’re as welcome as anyone. I still frequent my local library just to keep their numbers good.
My local does that as well, and far from discouraging me to use the library I value the different interactions I have there. Your policies are enriching more lives than they are aimed at.
Especially now that the majority of US homeless are senior citizens, many bilked out of their homes by insurance companies run amok with home liens against medical debt.
My daughter died on the streets after 11 years it was crazy trying get help for her with so many road blocks, from ER to jail to rehab, drugs,alcohol and a mental illness with undiagnosed autism I had all 3 of her children to care for I will forever be haunted by everything I did to help her failed
If everyone could be like this park ranger, the world would be a better place. The current administration's policies are going to make the homeless issue far worse. We have to fight, for that and hundreds of other causes.
i like the story because in my work in North Carolina after Helene the homeless became better off, more resources became available to them and most are off the streets now. like there people pitched in to help. this woman is a disaster aid just because of her actions, it is an incredible example
Democrats have been completely asleep on Republikan Party media takeover. They're working from a tremendous disadvantage and they do nothing!! This is because they've got no guts, there's no fight in them. These dogs don't hunt. Their well-reasoned arguments easily pushed aside.
Republikan party tax cuts for the rich beginning with Reagan have greatly impoverished the nation. By transferring massive wealth to the upper 10%, and leaving a massive debt for the middle class to pay off. Republikans have all but obliterated the middle class.
I once wondered what would happen if everyone collectively stopped paying taxes.
I believe what would happen is society would fall apart, the upper middleclass and upperclass would have to pay for security guards (because law enforcement is funded by taxes) and figure out how to purify water, etc.
Parents to pay for tuition at the end of every year.
There's a lot more to go into in this thought exercise, but essentially, people who wouldn't be able to pay for the increased Upfront Costs–this means anyone who isn't at least upper middleclass from the beginning–would go straight to crushing
Everyone else (except billionaires since they already have most important things set up, including water) would get poorer temporarily, (at best) then get much richer over time while the very poor get even poorer.
That makes her the sworn enemy of this administration. Those are clearly and obviously the opposite of the goals of this administration. Good luck to her, because she and people like her are only hope for a future America anything like what we might hope for.
This feels so familiar to the stories and interactions of my years working in chronic homelessness. Loving people who have fallen through the gaping hole at the bottom of our safety net is both a sacred and devastating experience. They deserve so much better.
Barrow's client, Morrisette, had med needs exacerbated by living outdoors. Barrows stated Morrisette had ER trips 2x a month (est $2600 ea) & was put in a medically induced coma for 9 days (est $20-50K). Hsg for him was $165 month; emergency med care $50K+ for 2-ish yrs outdoors. Wtf r we doing?
Some will come around by happenstance. My late husband grew up in that, but then he went to college, where he noticed something FASCINATING: all the nicest people were progressive and/or Dems. So he was more progressive than me by the time we met.
I do have a question from your post, Lex--Why do you mention it was in the 60s that we needed to deprogram the evangelicals? What happened with evangelicals then or in history then? Thanks in advance.
It's just the period scientists finalized the fact "there's no God in these heavens"
Since the telescope allowed us to peek, humanity has been sort of reluctantly creeping away from dieties that were all based on earlier sun worship stories
There's more with science and tech but that's the big thing that happened that decade and also why people like to deny it, because we visited the place the gods are supposed to have resided
Which is much more amazing than any god could dream of being even if they were real, when you understand it
There are easy solutions to problems, imo, just like she is doing, it takes lots people but it is much cheaper than "housing" them in jails and such....
I don't believe it! Ranger Bastard gave me a ticket in mountains for using Golden Bear Pass on Black Friday!
I'm glad if this one is human- most are egotistical trying to throw weight around politically & don't care whom they smear. Our Rangers refer to rapist pigs in every emergency- so not safe.
Wow. It begs the question what if the whole system and society as a whole treated unhoused residents like human beings? With each case described in the article the progress is constantly derailed by a unaccommodating system that punishes people by making taking away their housing.
Thank you for posting. This man was failed so many times by people and the system. It’s remarkable that this woman was able to secure any kind of trust from him. Kudos. Our Foster program is so lacking and yet, here we are forcing young women to have babies.
This is the difference between living in a maga shithole and not. It's the reason a 2 bdrm townhouse in SF will always be worth more than a 9 bdrm estate on 20 acres in Texas.
Mostly, I wanted to make sure the man with the doggie got to keep the doggie no matter how much trouble he got in. They never said what the dog did while he spent 9 days in a coma.
It heals the soul to learn about extraordinary people like Ms Amanda Barrows Specially in the midst of the evil we’re experiencing That kind of spirit is also hard to understand but in a way that humbles instead of enrages.
The only thing worse than seeing broken people living on the streets is all the doomers who act like helping them (and each other) will "paint a target on their back." Enough with the cowardice. Try doing something other than spreading fear.
That’s nice. But for those of you in the know, you know there’s waitlists not “ own timeline” and there aren’t any real resources or these people would be housed.
A human helping humans. What a shame this is considered a novel concept these days. This woman needs to be celebrated for doing what SHOULD come naturally to us.
I’m speechless in the face of that ranger’s courage and compassion. This is the way we can transform people and places with love. One person CAN be a change agent, and kindness always matters.❤️We have to choose to commit to this way even as the world around us rages and tries to win with hate.
We had E. coli issues in a nearby creek because the homeless population used it to bathe and relieve themselves. Instead of keeping them out, our DEQ built public restrooms for them AND it resolved the water quality issues
So you wasted taxpayer money on building the restrooms for them, and probably spend a bunch to maintain them, instead of providing housing or better options to the homeless in the first place?
Sounds like a dumb move. Why are you proud of this?
We had E. Coli in our river which was blamed on unhoused people and they passed anti camping policy based on it. After some studies, it turned out it was from birds, not humans!
I moved to San Francisco when I was 19. Still remember the friends I made then. I used to help some runaway teenage boys, bought a cheap lunch for us (I wasn’t rich). Just anything to keep them from selling their bodies around Union Square.
Yes, young gay males, some thrown out of their families…
The fact that California is still trying to figure out that criminalizing poverty or homeless creates more poverty and homelessness shows how far our country needs to progress.
Or, more cynically, prison labor is too profitable, and our leaders care about profits more than human dignity.
Exactly! And we all need to understand and accept how much effort and how caring persistance is needed. Americans are such short-attention-span people, and to often despair or give up when problems don’t have a quick fix.
Also, a way to rid ourselves of 75M+ barbarians like the magats gleefully cheering stories of starving African infants and freezing Ukranian babushkas.
We were poisoned by Reagan way back in '80. Gangrene has set in. I'm not sure this patient can be saved, or is even worth saving anymore
I am constantly astounded by the punitive nature of the religious right. The idea that they have to inflict pain and shame is pathological. There are many good people working to serve their communities with humanity and kindness. We need to be telling these stories on many platforms.
"Barrows by all accounts has taken the job further than any of her predecessors, winning praise from her bosses. In nominating her for a departmental award
in 2021, the late director of operations Denny Kern applauded “her innate ability to connect and sincerely engage with people” as her “superpower” that enables her to help unhoused people."
There’s a very good chance that the reason Kane had no ID to help him get into housing was because it was thrown away during a sweep. A cop took my ID and belongings after beating me when I was sleeping outside as a homeless teenager and it made everything so much harder
No, they were completely unhelpful. I had to save $$ to buy a copy of my birth certificate from another state. I was also dealing with the IRS hounding me for my dad/trafficker’s tax debts accrued in my name and SSN when my dad stole my identity and named me CEO of his company when I was 5 yrs old
An interesting story. I know a homeless person who is living in Golden Gate Park. It's a wrenching situation, involving serious mental illness, and there is no obvious way to get them into a safe and warm shelter. They reject that option. Even getting them back on their meds would be a help.
Where I live, the municipality is mandated by law to institutionalize people who clearly need it. We can’t have them living on the streets after all. I take it this is not the case in your state.
What a gripping and informative story. She's an exceptional person, but our systems shouldn't rely on heroes to function properly. If the City can spend money on sweeps and tickets, why can't they spend that same money on collecting homeless people's trash and laundering their clothes?
Honestly, I think part of the problem would be solved if people "stop cutting down trees." The people in the article used nature to cope with other problems.
We need more urban gardens and greenery, and less pollution.
Imagine the magat outcry. They'll be convinced that people will give up their homes for free laundry service. Because that's what they would do. We can't have a humane social safety net as long as magas project their own basest, laziest and most worthless and cruel insticts onto everyone else.
This story makes me miss all our old neighbors -- the unhoused folk of our SF area neighborhood. Some of the kindest people to be with, nagging me when I didn't dress for the weather. My then toddler would bring fruit and snacks to share when we saw folks. Most are good people in bad situations.
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EARLY ELECTIONS NOW
Write your reps and protest at capitals at Noon for the 17th & 28th!
https://bsky.app/profile/mick2mark.bsky.social/post/3libo7zbbrk2w
The individualism disease is eating our society alive.
But, what a shining example of humanity and real problem solving.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/15/us-forest-service-national-park-service-layoffs
But the plutocrats will be livid for sure.
Thank you for the work that you do. 💙💙💙
💔
They know "too" much.
https://5calls.org/issue/constitutional-crisis-trump-musk/
#Musk, #PeterThiel, #Zuckerberg, #Murdoch, #Koch #plutocrats #Project2025. #Trusk
Not enough trees, or plants. Concrete jungle. No biodiversity. Pollution in the air.
Hi, this is [FIRST & LAST NAME], a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].
I’m calling to express my outrage over how Project 2025 and Elon Musk’s DOGE are ruining the nation. I ask
[SELECT: 1 - 3]
— Protecting our precious National Parks
— Keeping popular National Parks closed to the public until understaffing ceases.
— Maximizing preservation instead of tourism.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
https://5calls.org/issue/constitutional-crisis-trump-musk/
#Musk, #PeterThiel, #Zuckerberg, #Murdoch, #Koch, #plutocrats #Project2025.
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/toronto-can-end-tents-in-parks-heres-a-city-that-solved-street-homelessness-and-how/article_d369e0fa-a29e-11ef-bfbf-53a0febb150f.html
I believe what would happen is society would fall apart, the upper middleclass and upperclass would have to pay for security guards (because law enforcement is funded by taxes) and figure out how to purify water, etc.
People would have to pay bills for every instance of calling the cops, the upfront payment for land would increase, and public schools would require
There's a lot more to go into in this thought exercise, but essentially, people who wouldn't be able to pay for the increased Upfront Costs–this means anyone who isn't at least upper middleclass from the beginning–would go straight to crushing
Everyone else (except billionaires since they already have most important things set up, including water) would get poorer temporarily, (at best) then get much richer over time while the very poor get even poorer.
Oops, sorry for the rant.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/15/us-forest-service-national-park-service-layoffs
Reminds me about reading about cult deprogrammers. Turns out the ones that work slowly, being kind, have better long term results.
and so now we have no choice but to be mean to all the believers
It's tragic, but unavoidable and still better than the alternative
Since the telescope allowed us to peek, humanity has been sort of reluctantly creeping away from dieties that were all based on earlier sun worship stories
Which is much more amazing than any god could dream of being even if they were real, when you understand it
Thanks!
You're an example for the people AND instantly a target
Amazing story.
I'm glad if this one is human- most are egotistical trying to throw weight around politically & don't care whom they smear. Our Rangers refer to rapist pigs in every emergency- so not safe.
That’s pretty much exactly how the park rangers in Portland, Oregon do it, too.
Hmmm
People willing to neglect medical care due to myriad problems, which includes staying un the forest.
Humans are mammals and mammals need nature.
You need to look into who he is because his involvement in SF's local politics is awful.
https://sfstandard.com/about/
Otherwise, she'll be fired in 1,2,3...
belongs to, and is managed by, the city of san francisco
Sounds like a dumb move. Why are you proud of this?
https://youtu.be/K1VusCG1x2g?si=psJZZ5RJD5GRz_MM
City decided to destroy it, and the adjacent water fountain, and replace it with nothing. The idea of a public toilet was foreign to them.
Yes, young gay males, some thrown out of their families…
(I write my reps, I take action)
Or, more cynically, prison labor is too profitable, and our leaders care about profits more than human dignity.
Compassion is so important 🫶🏼
I think they should all be forced into poverty while it still exists
It would speed things up
We were poisoned by Reagan way back in '80. Gangrene has set in. I'm not sure this patient can be saved, or is even worth saving anymore
The plutocrats will be livid.
If you don't mind my asking, how did you get ID again? Calling health and human services?
I suppose it could certainly be used. But it is in need of great reform.
We need more urban gardens and greenery, and less pollution.