INTERNATIONAL STORY PAGE TITLE ARE YOU REALLY LISTENING? STREET PAPER VENDORS ENGAGE IN EVERYDAY ACTS OF COMMUNICATION BY JO REDWITCH Jo Redwitch, a L’Itinéraire vendor at the Rosemont metro station in Montréal, conveys the importance that comes with listening and communicating with customers and other people that pass by her pitch. THE NEED TO COMMUNICATE with another human being is quite human. Passers-by also have their share of stress on a daily basis. Here’s what I tell my clients: “I’m here to sell a magazine, but I’m here for you first.” Selling is important, but so is listening to passersby. THE PINK FLOWERY HIJAB In a cheerful tone, and spontaneously, I call out to her: “Your hijab is beautiful! She smiles. Then I add: “You are very pretty”. Seeing her radiant face, I understand that I have touched a sensitive chord. She moves forward, rummaging in her bag. I refuse the money. She doesn’t understand. I am just happy to see her smile at me and I feel grateful. She insists on giving me the money. I refuse it and wish her a nice day by giving her the magazine. THE ELDERLY LADY An elderly lady stops, wallet in hand: “Would you like a magazine, ma’am?” She answers me with a nod. “Do you want today’s or the one November issue, which contains two pages I wrote? It’s the article called ‘Letter to my younger self’.” I show her the photos that accompany my article. She might be the more visual type, you never know. She holds her purse tightly, it’s rush hour and it’s crowded, but this detail doesn’t bother her at all. “My niece just had a baby. Her husband works a lot and my niece is exhausted. I’m going to her house to help her cook. “ I listen to her patiently in spite of the traffic in the subway. It’s 5 p.m. sharp. Her story over, she leaves me with a big $10. “Keep the change, thanks, Jo.” THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR Another woman stops and calls out to me: “I read your piece: ‘Letter to my younger self’. Then, as you suggested, I tried to do the same – I wrote as if I were talking to myself as a child. I wondered if I had made the right choices, especially in early adulthood. As I reread it, I started to cry, tore it up, and threw it in the trash.” “Why ?” I asked her. “You know, I work in daycare and have had some serious health issues this year.” I nodded... “And I had an epiphany. Since the health thing with my heart, I’ve come to the realization that I never thought about myself. I sacrificed my whole life for my husband, and my children. Now I feel stuck.” I listened to each of them. The elderly lady needed empathy and recognition for helping her niece. My regular client needed me to tell her PHOTO COURTESY OF L’ITINÉRAIRE that it was not too late to take care of her own needs instead of those of others. While the young woman in the hijab simply needed to be told a compliment. Active listening, for me, is listening without intervening. Just listening. I try to understand the other person’s inner world, show real empathy, and then give the person time to tell their story. Also, it’s always good to validate with the person to make sure that I have understood. Maybe the person doesn’t need you to help them solve their problems, maybe they just need an ear. Genuine listening gives importance and value to people who need to talk, and even more to the person who is too often silent. ■ Courtesy of L’Itinéraire / International Network of Street Papers @DenverVOICE February 2023 DENVER VOICE 5 Drop-offs are accepted Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., or by appointment. NEW ITEMS NEEDED: Socks Toiletries (individual or travel-size) Toothpaste, deodorant, chapstick Bottled water GENTLY-USED ITEMS NEEDED: Men’s shoes or boots (sizes 8-12) Men’s jackets/shorts (sizes L, XL, XXL) Women’s jackets/shorts (sizes M, L, XL) Backpacks, carrier bags USB-C charging cables WINTER DONATIONS MADE EASY During the winter, Denver VOICE vendors experience increased heating and housing costs. Meanwhile, their income decreases because cold temperatures means less foot traffic and fewer paper sales. If you would like to help out your vendor by donating a few extra dollars, scan the QR code below to make a payment through Venmo. Please be sure to write your vendor’s name in the comments. Thank you! WINTER WISH LIST
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