The closer you stay to emotional authenticity and people, character authenticity, the less you can go wrong. That’s how I feel now, no matter what you’re doing.
– David O. Russell
I met my friend Andrew Sturm a few months ago at ReImagine:Ed. He’s about one of the most kind, thoughtful and creative people you could hope to meet. Among his other duties, Andrew was at Re:Ed to provoke by sharing his work with 5750 Dallas.
5750 Dallas is so named because there were 5750 men, women, and children who were homeless in Dallas at last count. Their goal is to reduce that number while guided by research that supports the idea that the best way to get people off the street is to give them a home and training rather than training toward a home. A model guiding by the organization Housing First.
Inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 5750 took to the streets populating public spaces with plywood cut-outs in the shape of homeless people holding cardboard signs with Dr. King’s words on them.
The signs also included things like:
A frozen yogurt store sells $250,000 worth of product every month. That could buy 500,000 meals for the homeless.
or
For what you spent on your iPod and music collection, you could buy 598 pairs of shoes for those in need.
and
On Super Bowl ticket gives you a seat for 4 hours. That money could give a homeless person a bed for two years.
The 5750 site has more information on the installation and accompanying next steps they organized for those moved to act.
—
This is amazing work that combines art, math, social sciences, civics, and English.
Why aren’t projects like this starting in schools? The creativity is there, the knowledge and resources are there. And I’ve a hunch Sturm and everyone associated with 5750 Dallas would have been happy to work with teachers and students if they’d been approached.
These are lessons and unit plans waiting to be written. The algebra, research, persuasion and design skills here are all nestled snugly in the Common Core (though you wouldn’t worry about that if you were in Texas).
I’m blown away by the simplicity, beauty, and impact of the work of 5750 Dallas. Since I met Andrew, I’ve shared the installation with a few dozen people.
Think about it this way, what would students who designed and executed a project like 5750 Dallas know and be able to do when they were done? What would they feel compelled to do next? How long would that learning last?