Homeless take center stage on CD; Project yields heartfelt,; poignant songs and poems - The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)

Three years ago, a sport utility vehicle T-boned Pamela Roberts'middle-class life.

The car crash caused debilitating injuries that transformed herfuture into a struggle for survival. As her bills piled up, shenearly became homeless.

'I just never realized what that five seconds was going to do tothe rest of my life,' Roberts said.

Roberts, the mother of a daughter, 7, and son, 11, wrote andrecorded a song about her experiences called 'No Tomorrow.' The songis part of a new CD titled 'The Voiceless Among Us,' a collection ofsongs and poems about homelessness.

About 40 at-risk men, women and children, age 3 and older, sharedstories and feelings that became songs and poems, which the groupperforms.

'I was totally surprised that no matter what your situation wasbefore, when you need help you end up with this stigma that says,'You're poor, you're nothing,' ' Roberts said.

The man behind the project is Redhawk, also known as the Rev.Michael Rice Sauer of Covenant Christian Church (Disciples ofChrist) at 57th and Palouse Highway.

He contacted Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs, which found agroup of homeless volunteers to participate. Using a portablerecording studio that his congregation allowed him to purchase inlieu of his taking a church-sponsored sabbatical, Redhawk spentabout 400 hours collaborating on songs, writing, recording andmixing music for the CD.

As a spiritual leader, songwriter, musician and poet, Redhawkhopes the endeavor will put a human voice on the problem ofhomelessness.

'We minimize people by not paying attention to who they are,'Redhawk said.

The CD is available for $12.99 through Auntie's Bookstore andBorders. It's also available through SNAP (456-7111) and CovenantChristian Church (448-1311). Money raised will benefit SNAP programsfor the homeless.

The group started meeting in February and recording wrapped up inNovember. As the creative process unfolded, Redhawk uncoveredstories of heartache and triumph. He wanted to capture thechildren's joy and sadness, which reshaped his views of society.

'It feels very much like every man for himself and women andchildren be damned,' Redhawk said. 'I don't think God is going tolet us get away with that.'

Jennifer Martin, east office coordinator for SNAP, said somefamilies moved from short-term transitional housing into permanenthousing as the 'Voiceless' project progressed.

During the course of performing together, a core group of sevenfamilies bonded into a community, Martin recalls. Women cooked mealsand shared experiences as their children played and drew picturestogether. A drawing by 9-year-old Katie Van Voorhis became the CD'scover.

The CD opens with a choir of children cheerfully counting downinto a whimsical song about planets.

From there, listeners enter an adult world with spine-tinglinglyrics about a woman's battle to find self-identity while the worldjust stares: 'You just pass me by. I see you shake your head, likeI'm already dead - homeless.'

Ten-year-old Harley Bates' poem, 'Magic and Life,' shares hisdream of helping poor people by pulling money, food and happinessout of a magician's hat.

In 'No Tomorrow,' Roberts says at age 29 'things were goingfine.' As the song continues, her life deteriorates. Frightened andalone, the chorus asks, 'Where will we go and where will we be withno tomorrow?'

Looking back, Roberts, who lacked health insurance at the time ofthe accident, recalls having up to 11 doctor and therapistappointments each week and spending $500 a month on prescriptions.Her son is asthmatic and has a foot disability and the bills wereoverwhelming.

After losing her job, she fell behind on rent and utilities. Thefamily was in danger of getting evicted when Roberts started seekinghelp. One state worker after another turned down her requests andtold her to take her kids to a homeless shelter.

'You are treated like you are just nothing, like you have noplace in society,' Roberts explained.

When she was referred to SNAP, Roberts, who considers herself astrong person, was at the end of her rope.

'You can only take it for so long, it's just so hard,' Robertsrecalled. 'SNAP said, 'Oh God, you need some help' and that was theturning point right there.'

SNAP moved Roberts and her family into a transitional apartment,then into a permanent assisted rental unit that eventually qualifiedfor assistance through the Spokane Housing Authority. They repairedher car and enrolled her in classes to learn to deal with her newfinancial situation.

Roberts used her experience as the former operations manager ofExpress Personnel Services to teach a SNAP class that helps peoplefind employment. From there, she lent her voice to the CD.

More than anything, she wants people to see themselves in theCD's music and poetry. 'Everybody needs to look around and say,'What do I have to give?' Because someday that might be me.'

As Roberts, now a college student, struggles to reinvent her lifewhile dealing with intense pain, her vocal legacy implores peoplenot to look away.

'So when you see someone on the street with holy shoes upon theirfeet. Please remember. ...'

SIDEBAR: ON THE NET 'Voiceless' Download sample tracks from thealbum 'The Voiceless Among Us' at www.spokesmanreview.com.