Two months after its initial publication, the success of What’s Up magazine, started by Washington University senior Jemal Swoboda, is evident in the people closest to it – the homeless vendors selling it on the streets daily.
“It’s a good opportunity,” said Isaac Smith, a thin 47-year old outfitted with sunglasses, goatee, and a mind critical of modern society. “I’m really appreciative of [Swoboda] and who ever else’s producing this magazine.”
Mike Walker an articulate man in a Rams cap and sweatshirt, agreed with his friend.
“As opposed to panhandling, this makes me feel good about myself,” said Walker. “Makes my self-esteem feel better. I feel 100% better about myself.”
This February marked the release of What’s Up, which is devoted to exploring issues of homelessness from the perspective of St. Louis community members and most importantly, the homeless themselves.
Swoboda has been the creator and main organizational force behind the fledgling publication. Swoboda, who has twelve siblings and hails from the small rural community of Belle Flower, Louisiana, said that early on his family encountered struggles that would temper his understanding of the homeless.
“Growing up on a farm in a rural area, I didn’t see a lot of homeless or poor people very much,” said Swoboda. “However, my family was pretty low-income, and we were always hurting for money, and so I guess I was able relate a lot when I started meeting people in urban areas who were struggling.”
Swoboda stated that during his high school years he first discovered an interest in service for the less fortunate.
“In high school, I used to go out and do community service and do work with the elderly. It did not direct me toward the homeless in any real way, but I got my taste for community service and giving back to the community,” said Swoboda.
The inspiration for the magazine came during some of his earlier years at WU.
“What got me into the homeless was when I met a guy in Boston when I was doing the Americorp program after my sophomore year at WU. I met a guy who had started a homeless magazine in Boston by the same name. I liked the idea of raising awareness and raising views that weren’t being raised,” said Swoboda.
Smith tries to raise those issues every day.
“I try to go with the awareness issue, try to raise awareness of what’s happening around us,” he said. “I try to focus on the younger generation, because a lot of this stuff has an affect on their future. Maybe that terrorist bombing was a wake-up call. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?”
Walker has more personal goals when selling.
“He focuses more on public service,” said Walker, motioning with a smile towards Smith. “I believe in that too, but this is also about helping me. It’s on the job training for a sales position. You learn different skills, how to sell, and how to interact with the public.”
Smith said that he has already turned in applications for a “real” job and is thankful that What’s up gave him the opportunity to stand on his feet in between jobs. He and Smith said that What’s up had been successful in giving opportunities to homeless people to earn a living. Both had been in and out of various temp jobs before they came across Swoboda’s publication.
“The temp jobs [had] no guarantee,” said Smith. “Now, it’s up to you. If you feel good, and are in good spirits, you’re going to do a good job. You’re on your own schedule.”
Smith nodded his head.
“This is just a stepping stone,” he said. “I’m gonna get a real job soon.”
According to Swoboda, some of the toughest challenges involved money and the licensing of the magazine, but the biggest obstacle by far was involving the homeless themselves in the magazine.
“I think the hardest part was pitching this idea to the homeless and going down to the shelters and saying ‘Hey I’m not just a crazy college kid. I actually have an idea, and I want to know what you are talking about.’ I wanted to see how the homeless thought about the project instead of just shooting from the hip and saying ‘Hey maybe we should do this for you guys”” said Swoboda.
To date, Swoboda stated that approximately 100 homeless people have showed an interest in the project.
Swoboda feels that the direction of the magazine is more than just homeless issues.
“Homeless issues are one level of the whole problem. To address homeless issues you have to address housing issues. To address housing issues you have to address impoverished communities. The real problems that are not being addressed by the local news and media. I would say the direction of What’s Up is to raise awareness that there is no real simple solution and that we don’t anticipate finding a solution in the next few years,” said Swoboda.
According to the vendors, the magazine is not a hard sell.
“We get a lot of interest, and not a lot of negativity,” said Walker. “They like that we’re doing something constructive.”
Walker and Smith said that they make around $50 a week, working about four hours a day, which requires them to sell 10-20 magazines a day. They receive 75 cents for each copy they sell of the $1 magazine. But Smith said he doesn’t always receive friendly greetings from the people he approaches.
“We meet a lot of good people, and get a lot of negatives, but we learn to deal with them,” Smith said. “It’s for a good purpose – to make people more aware.”
Swoboda stated that he planned to stay on with the project following his graduation this May, despite financial difficulties.
“When I graduate in May, I will be able to work fulltime on this project. Right now it is not paying me a dime and I am going broke trying to do it. On the weekends I work about forty hours waiting tables at the Melting Pot, and [my pay] is going toward the magazine right now,” said Swoboda.
Swoboda stated that he would like to ultimately see the homeless take over complete control of the magazine from production to ownership.
From his experience at What’s Up magazine, Swoboda stated that students who are interested in helping the homeless should seek more long-term ways to make a difference.
“The poor are always going to be with us. Let us challenge students to leave the soup kitchens behind and talk to homeless people and find out their situation. Handouts don’t build self-esteem, getting people involved in meaningful projects does. I would like to challenge students to think of more sustainable volunteer opportunities,” said Swoboda.
A lofty goal, but one that might be within reach, one stepping stone at a time.
Aaron Johnson contributed to this article.
Contact Rajas at [email protected].