"Our voice"

via Jiles Mac Leod

Enabling greater economic sovereignty for Indian Country

Rep. Harriet Hageman
Feb 15, 2024

Economic diversity is key to the flourishing of any community, but the unique challenges tribal communities face can cause a hinderance to greater autonomy and diversification. Through the testimony of tribal leaders today, my subcommittee is pursuing ways to eliminate these barriers and ensure that America's tribes can harness the full potential of their land and resources, invest in their communities, and provide strong, stable economies that will provide lasting benefits to their members.

Enabling greater economic sovereignty for Indian Country Economic diversity is key to the flourishing of any community, but the unique challenges tribal communities face can cause a hinderance to greater autonomy a...

In Chapter 1, our authors share policy options to address the economic challenges facing the continent. Now more than ever, it is vital for policymakers to pay attention to mobilizing domestic resources, to strengthening financial systems, and to ensuring that development funds—whether borrowed or raised through taxes—are used strictly for the purposes intended. These measures are critical especially as policymakers will face future, expensive, and likely devastating shocks due to the climate crisis.

Brookings Institute

Development financing - Foresight Africa 2024 | Brookings Lemma Senbet and others share policy options to address Africa’s economic and development finance challenges in 2024.

'A Long-Term Strategy for Climate, Nature and Energy' is one of the key themes at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos.

Swift and decisive leadership, as well as urgent action, is needed to combat the climate crisis and ensure energy security.

Davos 2024 will bring leaders together to discuss ways to ensure a long-term future that is inclusive, net-zero and nature-positive.

Check back here for regular updates throughout the week and use the navigation bar on the right to catch up on what you've missed.

World Economic Forum

Climate, nature and energy at Davos 2024: Here's what to know 'A Long-Term Strategy for Climate, Nature and Energy' is a key theme at Davos, where leaders will discuss how to ensure an inclusive, net-zero and nature-positive future.

Davos 2024: Earth's Wisdom Keepers


The transfer of knowledge across generations and cultures has shaped our evolutionary trajectory and our interactions with each other and the natural world. How might intergenerational dialogue inform a path that is simultaneously guided by a realism to see the world as it is and an optimism that there is hope and possibilities in a challenging and uncertain future? This session was recorded live January 19, 2024 at the Annual Meeting in Davos Switzerland.

World Economic Forum

Davos 2024: Earth's Wisdom Keepers The transfer of knowledge across generations and cultures has shaped our evolutionary trajectory and our interactions with each other and the natural world. ...

The contributions that Black Americans have made to our society can be felt in every corner of our culture, from scientific breakthroughs and world-renowned inventions to timeless art. Black History Month allows us to recognize the Black trailblazers who have changed our world for the better and highlight accomplishments that have been ignored for far too long. To learn more about how Black History Month got its start, read on.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/654980/black-history-month-facts?utm_source=RSS

7 Facts About Black History Month The contributions that Black Americans have made to our society can be felt in every corner of our culture. Learn about Black History Month's origins here.

While the idea of restitution is a hotly debated one, it is clear that for most of its history, the United States has conspired against the indigenous people … the people who were in North America long before the first White European colonists arrived.

HISTORYENHANCED.COM

The U.S. Government: The Biggest Thief of Native American Wealth – History Enhanced If you saw last summer’s Martin Scorsese film, Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Leonard DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone,...

Those who celebrate the federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in January, and Black History Month in February, are largely unaware that Dr. King was a powerful and dedicated activist for Native American rights. He specifically advocated for the desegregation of Native Americans and inspired much of the modern-day movement for Native rights, including water rights and tribal sovereignty.

In his 1963 book, “Why We Can’t Wait,” King wrote:

“Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. Even before there were large numbers of Negroes on our shores, the scar of racial hatred had already disfigured colonial society. From the sixteenth century forward, blood flowed in battles of racial supremacy. We are perhaps the only nation which tried as a matter of national policy to wipe out its Indigenous population. Moreover, we elevated that tragic experience into a noble crusade. Indeed, even today we have not permitted ourselves to reject or feel remorse for this shameful episode. Our literature, our films, our drama, our folklore all exalt it.”

Unfortunately, Dr. King’s poignant reflection on the tragic history of Native Americans is largely unknown today. However, at the time his words inspired a deeper focus on how the history of oppression has affected all people of color in America, and his legacy lives on in those who continue to seek justice and equality.

At the time, “talking the talk” on behalf of Native Americans and other oppressed people was bold and courageous. But Dr. King also “walked the walk.

via WestRiverEagle.com

Martin Luther King, Jr., an advocate for Native American rights “I have a dream for all God’s children,” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Those who celebrate the federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Ja

Hello World!

Phil Fixico

A landmark agreement to shift away from fossil fuels thrusts U.S. policy into the global spotlight, with campaigners demanding that President Joe Biden’s administration should lead the charge toward cleaner energy technologies.

For the first time in nearly three decades, government ministers from nearly 200 countries on Wednesday approved a deal that calls on countries to move away from using fossil fuels — the chief driver of the climate crisis.

The agreement, known as the global stocktake, was hailed as “historic” by COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber during his closing speech. The European Union welcomed what it described as “the beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era.

But civil society groups and scientists were left disappointed by the absence of an explicit call to phase out or phase down fossil fuels, while a bloc of small island nations criticized what they characterized as a “litany of loopholes.”

A “phase-out” commitment would likely have required a shift away from fossil fuels until their use is eliminated, while a “phase-down” agreement would have indicated a reduction in their use — but not an absolute end.

via CNBC.com

What the COP28 deal means for the U.S. as oil and gas production hits record levels A landmark agreement to shift away from fossil fuels thrusts U.S. policy into the global spotlight.

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USDA Accepting Requests for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program USDA Accepting Requests for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program USDA Agricultural Marketing Service sent this bulletin at 12/14/2023 03:11 PM EST Trouble viewing this email? View it as a webpage. USDA Accepting Requests for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program Farmers, rancher...

Planning for the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference.

Description
In collaboration with civil society actors, the United Nations Department of Global Communications will hold the 2024 Civil Society Conference from 9 to 10 May at the UN Office in Nairobi, Kenya (UNON).

The Conference aims to ensure multi-stakeholder participation in the Summit of the Future preparations, providing tangible space for civil society to contribute ideas and recommendations to feed into the negotiations of the Pact for the Future.

Additionally, it offers the United Nations and the international community a chance to plan the way forward, advance the goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and create a future where no one is left behind.

This DGC-led Town Hall brings together various stakeholders, such as civil society organizations, UN entities, and UN member states, to start the conference planning process, including the launching of the nomination process to select conference co-chairs and establishing conference planning sub-committees.

webtv.un.gov

https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k15/k15grmpin5

Planning for the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference (9-10 May, Nairobi, Kenya) Planning for the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference.

Summary
Round table 2: The Future of Human Rights and Digital Technologies

Description
Artificial intelligence, surveillance technology, social media platforms and a host of other new and emerging technologies present a plethora of opportunities – and challenges – for human rights and efforts to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet uncertainty and trepidation mark many national and global debates about digital technology and our future world, even as their potential benefits seem almost limitless.

This round table will delve into how we can ensure that human rights are central to the way tech is developed, used, and governed, including through recent United Nations initiatives.

Chair and keynote:
President of Slovenia, H.E. Ms. Nataša Pirc Musar

Moderator:
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union

Panellists:
President of Estonia, H.E. Mr. Alar Karis (closing remarks)
Prime Minister of Liechtenstein, H.E. Mr. Daniel Risch
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mauritius, H.E. Mr. Maneesh Gobin
Minister for International Development Cooperation of Sweden, H.E. Mr. Johan Forssell
Vice-Minister for Multilateral Affairs of Costa Rica, H.E. Mr. Alejandro Solano Ortíz
Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology
Nighat Dad, Executive Director, Digital Rights Foundation
Agustina Del Campo, Director, Centre for Studies on Freedom of Expression, University of Palermo

Respondents:
Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia, H.E. Ms. Anja Šimpraga
Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, H.E. Ms. Karien van Gennip
Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education of Ireland, H.E. Mr. Thomas Byrne
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia, H.E. Mr. Vahan Kostanyan
Vice Minister, Ministry of External Affairs of India, H.E. Mr. Sanjay Verma
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, H.E. Mr. Víctor Verdún
Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, United States Department of State, H.E. Ms. Uzra Zeya
Antoine Bernard, Director, Advocacy and Assistance of Reporters Without Borders
Maria Paz Canales, Head of Legal, Policy, and Research, Global Partners Digital
Teresa J. Hutson, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft

via webtv.un.org

Round Table 2, Human Rights 75 – High-level Event Round table 2: The Future of Human Rights and Digital Technologies

Summary
Round table 1: The Future of Human Rights and Peace and Security

Description
Conflicts are at the highest level since 1945, causing devastating loss of life and unimaginable harm. In a volatile, contested global environment, this round table will examine how we can leverage the full potential of human rights to prevent conflict and violence; strengthen protection; and shape solutions towards lasting peace.

Chair: Vice President of Colombia, H.E. Ms. Francia Márquez Mina

Keynote: President of Senegal, H.E. Mr. Macky Sall

Moderator: Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General, Department of Global Communications

Panellists:
President of Poland, H.E. Mr. Andrzej Duda
Prime Minister of Cameroon, H.E. Mr. Joseph Dion Ngute
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt, H.E. Mr. Sameh Hassan Shoukry Selim.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, H.E. Ms. Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine, H.E. Mr. Riad Al-Malki
Minister of Justice and Public Security of Haiti, H.E. Ms. Emmelie Prophète-Milcé
Beatrice Fihn, Director, Lex International, former Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Thant Mynt-U, Academic, Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the University of Cambridge
Respondents:
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Chad, H.E. Mr Mahamat Saleh Annadif
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Libya, H.E. Mr. Eltaher Salem El-Baour
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, H.E. Mr. Filip lvanović
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tunisia, H.E. Mr Nabil Ammar
Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow
Deputy Minister of Justice of South Africa, H.E. Mr John Jeffrey
Chairperson of the Constitutional Court of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mrs. Elvira Azimova
Eamon Gilmore, European Union, Special Representative for Human Rights
Isha Dyfan, Chair, UN Coordination Committee of Special Procedures
Pablo de Greiff, academic and former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence
Itonde Kakoma, President of Interpeace

via webtv.un.org

Round table 1, Human Rights 75 – High-level Event Round table 1: The Future of Human Rights and Peace and Security

A deal has been struck at the UN climate summit in Dubai that calls for a "transition away" from the use of fossil fuels.

The clear reference to the future of fossil fuels is a first but does not call for fossil fuels to be phased out, as many countries demanded.

The exact text say: "Transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science."

It also includes the goal of tripling the capacity of renewable energies by 2030 and doubling the pace of energy efficiency during this period, something G20 countries have already committed to.

More than 100 states had urged a more pressing formulation, namely a "phase-out."

The approved text left certain back doors open such as the continued use of gas and the use of controversial technologies for CO2 storage and capture.

via DW.com

COP28 strike deal to 'transition away' from fossil fuels – DW – 12/13/2023 Representatives from nearly 200 countries agreed at the COP28 climate summit to begin reducing global consumption of fossil fuels. DW has the latest.

Summary
A new deal has been agreed at the UN climate summit in Dubai after days of negotiations
For the first time, the deal calls on all countries to move away from the use of fossil fuels - but not to phase them out, something many governments wanted
The text recognises the need for deep, rapid and sustained reductions if humanity is to limit temperature rises to 1.5C
"Together we have confronted realities and we have set the world in the right direction," COP28 president Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber says
Norway's climate minister Espen Barth Eide earlier said fossil fuels were "the elephant in the room" at the summit
At no previous conference of the parties, or COP, have nations agreed on a concerted move away from oil, gas and coal
Burning fossil fuels drives global warming, risking millions of lives. So far, governments have never collectively agreed to stop using them

BBC

COP28 live: New deal agrees to 'transformational change' away from fossil fuels - BBC News New deal agreed by almost 200 countries at UN climate summit in Dubai after days of negotiations.

Ultimately, the children of California seek to stop EPA from continuing to allow life-threatening levels of fossil fuel climate pollution and do what scientists say is necessary—phase out fossil fuel pollution no later than 2050.

The young plaintiffs are represented by Julia Olson and Andrea Rodgers, of Our Children’s Trust; Catherine Smith, Of Counsel to Our Children’s Trust; Philip Gregory, Gregory Law Group; Paul Hoffman, Director of Civil Rights Litigation Clinic, UC Irvine School of Law; and John Washington, Schonbrun Seplow Harris Hoffman & Zeldes LLP.

OurChildrenTrust.org

Genesis v. EPA — Our Children's Trust Legal Actions GENESIS V. EPAJULIANA V. UNITED STATESSTATE LEGAL ACTIONSGLOBAL LEGAL ACTIONSLAW LIBRARY 18 CALIFORNIA CHILDREN FILED A FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL CLIMATE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE EPA! GENESIS V. EPAOn the Road to JusticeOn December 10, 2023, 18 children from across the state of California, ran...

Register for Free Technical Assistance to all applicants

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Zoom 12/06/2023 7am and 10am PST
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Discrimination Financial Assistance Program Newsletter View as Webpage   December 8, 2023 Program News and Notes   Four Facts about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program The deadline to submit is approaching fast. You can submit an application

The U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally elevates the human rights of women and girls globally as a U.S. national security, diplomatic, and foreign assistance priority.

USAID

United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally 2022 - United States Department of State HomeReportsOffice of Global Women's Issues...United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally 2022 hide United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally 2022 Office of Global Women’s Issues The U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Ge...

By learning about the backgrounds, contributions, and sacrifices of Indigenous leaders, you can take action to break down the systems of oppression that threaten the rights of Indigenous peoples in the U.S. and around the world.

Backed by news articles and historical sources, Stacker compiled a list of 20 influential Indigenous Americans you might not know about, including Littlefeather who died in October 2022. Read on to find out about these unsung Indigenous heroes and revolutionaries from across North America who resisted oppression, broke down barriers, and changed the course of history.

Stacker

20 influential Indigenous Americans you might not know about Most Americans have learned a one-sided version of history that excludes the full Indigenous American narrative. To help round out your education, Stacker has compiled a list of 20 influential Indigenous Americans you might not know about.

National Native American Heritage Day Act, authored by California Congressman Joe Baca, Jr. sponsored by the National Indian Gaming Association, was enacted by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush on October 8, 2008.

It is very appropiate that Red Hawk Casino elder approve the name Polo Oo Boat Launch as we acknowledge and celebrate 2023 National Native American Heritage Day.

Together, we must continue to restore and reclaim the natural flora and fauna between Folsom Dam and Nimbus Dam, today's North Lake Natoma Waterfront while achieving appropriate economic development that benefits distant future generations, A'ho all my relations.

via Khubaka Michael Harris

2023 National Native American Heritage Day - Polo Oo Boat Launch : Indybay California Pioneers of Pan African Ancestry have a long and cherished relationship with our extended family, A'ho all my relations and embrace Polo Oo as Shingle Springs Miwok Elders partner with the managed lands of California State Parks along today's Lake Natoma.

The "First Thanksgiving" as a national story is incomplete and inaccurate. The whole history is more complex and includes the Wampanoag voice and perspective that have been largely absent from this narrative.

The Wampanoag and neighboring Native nations were interacting with European explorers, traders, and enslavers for nearly one hundred years before English settlers arrived at the Wampanoag village of Patuxet in 1620. After careful observation, negotiations, and exchanges, the Wampanoag decided to assist the English settlers.

However, their interactions had much more to do with political alliances and diplomacy than a budding friendship. Cooperation and peace were short-lived. To learn more about the true history that goes beyond a shared meal in 1621, see the Harvest Ceremony: Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth study guide.

As educators, we should select books and other materials that feature accurate and tribally specific portrayals of Native people, both past and present. NK360 collaborated with Dr. Debbie Reese (Nambé Pueblo) of American Indians in Children's Literature to develop a rubric that outlines five criteria groups to consider when selecting additional Native American Literature in Your Classroom.

Projects and crafts that attempt to adapt or copy Native traditions tend to perpetuate stereotypes of Native cultures. We discourage adopting "Native" costumes or crafts into your classroom. For more information, please see our Native American Cultures and Clothing: Native American Is Not a Costume guide. Instead, we encourage you to celebrate the vibrancy of Native cultures with some of these resources while you celebrate Thanksgiving.

AmericanIndian.si.edu

Native Knowledge 360°—Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving NK360° Helpful Handouts: Guidance on Common Questions provide a brief introduction to teachers about important topics regarding Native American life, cultures, and communities. Native Life and Food: Food Is More Than Just What We Eat explores Indigenous relationships with food.

Markers and remnants of the Trail of Tears stretch as a series of scars across the American landscape. The trail's facilitators stand as a representation of America at its worst; its captives a mark of stunning resiliency in the face of indescribable cruelty and terror.

Despite massive encroachment by white settlers on North American lands throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the sovereign Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole nations in the early 1800s accounted for significant swaths of land stretching from northwest Georgia into Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Stacker

The 9 states that forced displacements of Indigenous people during the Trail of Tears Stacker compiled a list of stories behind the Trail of Tears for each of the nine states it passed through based on news, tribal histories, and government reports.

Day 16: Get informed on your rights

Know your rights! Claim your rights!

Human rights are rights we have simply because we exist as human beings - they are not granted by any state. These universal rights are inherent to us all, regardless of nationality, s*x, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status. They range from the most fundamental - the right to life - to those that make life worth living, such as the rights to food, education, work, health, and liberty.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, was the first legal document to set out the fundamental human rights to be universally protected. The UDHR, which turns 75 on 10 December 2023, continues to be the foundation of all international human rights law. Its 30 articles provide the principles and building blocks of current and future human rights conventions, treaties and other legal instruments. Learn more and get to know your rights.

OHCHR.org

Human Rights 75 Countdown The UN Human Rights Office and the mechanisms we support work on a wide range of human rights topics. Learn more about each topic, see who's involved, and find the latest news, reports, events and more.

Prevention, protection, and healing
Globally, countless young individuals are victims of s*xual misconduct and exploitation. Such violations are pervasive, cutting across all nations and societal strata.

Children, especially girls, are at a greater risk of experiencing forced s*x and s*xual exploitation, abuse and violence, including both online and offline, and it’s also a common situation during armed conflicts.

In the global context of multiple challenges – the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, climate change and disasters – the inadequate action, or measures to address the root causes, such as rising inequalities, deepening poverty, and structural discrimination on intersecting grounds, continue to exacerbate the situations that expose children to exploitation, abuse and violence. Child victims and survivors of such crimes can face long-lasting negative impacts on their physical, mental, and s*xual health and development. Such trauma on children may even amount to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Many victims and survivors never disclose and/or seek justice, rehabilitation or support because of the shame. For many victims and survivors, their child abuse experience affects their physical and mental health and well-being, and sometimes there are lifelong consequences.

In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the dignity of children and their right to live free from violence is placed as a priority of the international development agenda through the implementation of the range of goals and targets of the 2023 Agenda relevant to ending exploitation, abuse, trafficking, torture and all forms of violence against children, as well as eliminating all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female ge***al mutilation, which place children at risk of experiencing child s*xual exploitation, abuse and violence.

United Nations

World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence | United Nations The purpose of the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation is to raise awareness about child s*xual abuse, promote quality education, and support survivors while emphasizing the need to prevent and eliminate such exploitation and hold perpetrators accountable. This...

Less than a block from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that’s brought thousands of diplomats and world leaders to San Francisco, a young man in the throes of drug addiction lay crumpled into a ball as a city worker with broom and dustpan calmly swept the downtown plaza near Fifth and Mission streets.

Down a nearby alley, a half-dozen people huddled around a light post and passed butane lighters, some slowly nodding off after inhaling milky white puffs from glass pipes.

Around the corner, just across from a heavily guarded entrance to the summit, a man in a dark hoodie slept on the sidewalk, resting his head on a bright orange backpack as foreign emissaries in neatly pressed suits strode past.

If you’ve followed much of the news coverage leading up to APEC, you might be led to believe that San Francisco had, at least temporarily, rid its downtown of scenes like this in hopes of putting its best face forward to the world and flipping the unrelenting “doom loop” narrative surrounding its post-pandemic challenges.

But while the city did move homeless people out of the designated summit security zone, many didn’t go very far.

“People were just forced to go to the alleys,” said Javier Bremond, human rights organizer with the San Francisco advocacy group Coalition on Homelessness. “And a lot of people are under the freeway.”

To be sure, city officials did clear out many tent encampments, scrub major streets and promise to open some new emergency shelter beds. And at places where open-air drug use is typically common, such as the Powell BART Station and United Nations Plaza near City Hall, things have been noticeably quiet in recent days.

“They’ve definitely been moving people around from the areas that were going to be inhabited by the fancy people,” said homeless resident Zach Wiseman, 28, sitting hunched over a suitcase beside a bus stop across the street from the APEC entrance at Mission Street. “Dress up for the show, and once it’s over, go back to whatever.”

Still, instances of human suffering were difficult to avoid during the conference.

On Thursday, a delegate from Thailand waiting to enter a summit checkpoint said he had heard about San Francisco’s struggles with homelessness but was still shocked to see how many people were languishing on the street.

“I didn’t believe it at the time until I witnessed it myself,” he said, declining to give his name while representing his country in an official capacity. “It’s sad to see, especially since I lived here before. It was a romantic city.”

San Francisco officials did not immediately respond to questions about the city’s homelessness response during APEC.

Bremond, the advocate with the Coalition on Homelessness, noted city efforts to move homeless people away from big events are nothing new, pointing to encampment clearings in 2016 when San Francisco helped host the Super Bowl, an event that still put a national spotlight on the local crisis.

Late last year, the coalition won an injunction against the city restricting its ability to clear many camps for months. But a federal court in September clarified the order, allowing officials to disband encampments as long as they first offer homeless residents a shelter bed.

An estimated 7,750 homeless people sleep outdoors or in shelters on any given night, according to the latest count last year.

Bremond said he was disappointed APEC organizers and federal officials didn’t do more to help add shelter options during the summit, such as temporary motel rooms for displaced homeless people.

“How many billions were at that conference?” Bremond asked. “It would be like dropping a quarter on the ground for them.”

The city doesn’t have nearly enough shelter beds for everyone, though homeless people often decline shelter for a multitude of reasons, from safety concerns to a reluctance to follow curfews.
Asking shoppers for spare change outside a Walgreens on Market Street, Tracy Phan, 38, said this week she’s seen more people staying at the group shelter where she sleeps most nights.

The conference could have something to do with it, she said. But the weather is also starting to turn as the winter months approach.

“It’s raining,” Phan said, “and it’s cold out here.”

Mercury News

Where did San Francisco’s homeless people go during APEC? Not very far Scenes of human suffering were difficult to avoid during the conference.