NSCC students attend homelessness rally

LYNN – Homelessness is on the rise in Massachusetts and a group of North Shore Community College students have joined the fight to stop the epidemic as it reaches critical mass.Just over a dozen students from professor Maggie LaBella’s community problems and social issues class attended a Legislative Action Day, Feb. 26 at the State House in Boston, which featured legislators, public advocates and homelessness experts working together to come up with a solution for homelessness.At the event, sponsored by Lynn-based Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, students not only listened to speakers from a variety of different organizations, but also met with local state Reps. Steven Walsh of Lynn and John Keenan of Salem.”What we try to do (in the class) is examine an issue and learn how public policy responds,” said LaBella. “What is significant also is that at least half of my students had never even been to the State House, so they were able to see that and meet face-to-face with their representatives. It is a chance to see their legislature in action and learn how to advocate for homelessness.”Speakers at the homelessness rally painted a picture of hope in Massachusetts, as legislatures outlined a plan to end homelessness in the state in five years. Gov. Deval Patrick has added a $10 million line item in his fiscal year 2009 budget to support the effort by allocating funds for more homeless prevention and support organizations.”In order to end homelessness we need to be more involved as citizens and as a community,” said student Jackson Gaye.LaBella added that one particular speaker, Rep. Byron Rushing of Cambridge, inspired the students to get involved, noting that homelessness is preventable if people believe that they can stop it, and having a home is “a right for every human being around the world.”Above learning about the serious social ramifications of an increase in homelessness, LaBella said the event helped her class with an overall understanding of local and national government, and what an individual can do to help make a difference in any situation.”The students now know how to get in touch with their state representatives. We went to the mass.gov Web site and learned how to navigate the state’s Web site,” she said. “This class is great because every semester the issues are different.”The trip was made possible through the support of the Public Policy Institute at NSCC under the leadership of Dianna Kerry.