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By: P. S. Wilcox

Universities, colleges, public and private education.
We know, as they say, to learn as they dictate,
leaving the minority of free thinkers with a failing grade.
Is the message, the medium we strive for, or is there
some old lesson we have forgotten in the process itself?
Is our knowledge finite with only one answer, or is the lesson
of how we learn more important?
We do we fail the youth with rigorous control?
Let us think like the eagle, who soars as it wishes.
Inspire the youth to see what others have failed to see.
Burst open the box of education so the trained teachers
can learn lessons from their youth.
What fear the establishment has of the knowledge that
an open heart can bring.

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By: My-Ha

My education not as good as my brain. I been hurt and in pain. Now I am homeless. Lived in a 24-7 place. Nothing to do, eat, shit, and sleep. I cried and cried in my bed. Staff was okay. What you want, what you need they say, helping if I needed help while I lived here. Some other homeless there too, a few of them were okay to talk with, some of them, oh my gosh, very rude. I don’t talk I don’t argue I am nice and friendly with some, getting along somehow. My housing counsellors and staff workers talked to each other, and for a few months they taught me to muddle with some kind of medicine. I learn what they teach, then suddenly one day, two other homeless women like me come in and good lord they very rude with staff. I don’t know why staff is scared of these women. I can’t sleep at night, I am sick. I walked downstairs quietly, the staff guard at night was snoring too loud. I stayed on the sofa next to the staff sleeping there, and waited while she wakes up. I close my eyes for a bit then the two rude homeless women wanting something needing something can’t find the night worker. They saw the guard staff snoring, then pushing and yelling at them, they said they will report the guard, and kicked the guard who did not do her job well, lying asleep. It was three o’clock in the morning. For about 10-15 minutes the two women and then the staff asked me why don’t you go to bed, My-Ha. I say I am sick I think I catch a cold, coming down see if you have Tylenol. I see you quiet and don’t want to make noise, wake you up, I lie down here a while ago.

The staff said sorry, next time if you need something if you can’t sleep or you need to talk come down and talk to me, we talk.

So far so good, I have not cried much, have some staff here who are nice, and they know I understand cooking Chinese and Vietnamese and they liked my cooking. Staff is taking us group shopping, taking us to Value Village to buy cheap not expensive clothes and doing different activities. My counsellor takes me to a lawyer office looking for pro bono, looking for help. Think I’m going to get help, things getting smooth again. Good things and I am happy, but not for long. Suddenly one day some other young homeless girl come and take my clothes out of the wash machine and put her clothes in. I tell staff, however staff scared of her and told me I am sorry, let her do it and when she does, you put yours back please. Because staff scared to lose their job. I do what staff say. Forget and forgive.

I have moved on to another shelter. I am not dumb, I am just nice and kind with people, and help people.  That is why people like me, others jealous. Three women like me, trapped me, shaped me and failed me because I am too kind, too easy to get hurt. Well what, I still starve.