On Saturday Night I ate at the Qdoba near Kenmore Station. I finished my meal and had some leftover food. I walked across the street with a doggy bag in hand. When I got to the alcove where Tito, a homeless man, lives, he was nowhere to be found. On the door was a sign that said "No Loitering. Police Take Notice." Under the sign was a black and white picture of Tito. This enraged me. I placed the leftovers next to his stuff. I pulled out my phone and started typing this article.

Everyday I walk by Tito's home. He sits with a sign that says his name, that he has HIV, and that he needs help. Every week I try to give him a little something whether it is a little food or some candy. He always thanks me and smiles. I give Tito food because I know if I was in his shoes I would crave delicious food every minute. My leftovers could make his day.

I take my privileged status for granted. Anything I want to eat can be bought with a swipe of my credit card. I sleep in a warm dorm room. I have never had to worry about not having a place to go.

Tito is a simple man that has nowhere to go. On cold nights, he lays bundled in blankets on a mattress.
Thousands of people walk by him everyday. Tito has never harmed anyone. All he does is live day by day like all of us.

I have worked in a number of homeless shelters and soup kitchens. The people I have met have taught me what suffering is. These homeless people are not evil. They are human beings that were dealt an unfair hand.
As a society we have failed when it comes to homelessness. The news makes all homeless people out to be criminals and drug addicts that brought their situation upon themselves. While some homeless people are not nice people, they should not be all be blamed for the faults of the few. The dehumanization of homelessness has allowed privileged people to not feel bad. God forbid a person has to feel pity.

Homelessness is often seen but not spoken about. It is the giant elephant in the room that most politicians choose to ignore. The homeless can’t vote meaning that politicians have no express interest in helping them.
Tito has been a staple of my college experience. While I have no legal power to help Tito, I do have my words. Words can be used not just to rant about what annoys me, but also to address severe problems. As a community, we need to help everyone not just ourselves. Dear Boston University, store owners, and police, leave this poor man alone.