We the People: Reclaiming My Identity and My Nation in Downtown Tucson.

The U.S. Constitution begins with ‘We the People,’ but as I walk the streets of Tucson, I see a nation turning into two groups: a nightmare of zombies and securities fighting them instead of helping. I am one of the homeless, yet I refuse to be human garbage and I refuse to be a brainless and heartless security. I am people. I have my rights. I deserve to receive back what is mine, and they who made injustice deserve to repent. My children deserve to receive me back too, healthy and with money, the way I was 14 years ago. And if I was a security I would choose to make difference too, wherever I could. Read my reflection on how through personal action we can reclaim one another, our humanity, our country and our Creator.

Reclaiming “We the People”

The U.S. Constitution begins with three of the most powerful words ever written: “We the People.” As I walk through downtown Tucson—and as I think of the downtowns in LA, Vegas, New York, and Seattle and many other American cities — I find myself staring at the “human remains” of our society. I see people who have allowed themselves to look and act like thoughtless, discarded creatures.
I have to ask: Is this what the founders meant? Is this what we envision for a nation under God—a God who is handsome, shining, and kind?

As Abraham Lincoln once said, “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis.”

But to meet a crisis, we must first look and act like a people, not a nightmare of zombies who cares nothing about. DO NOT GIVE UP. DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOURSELF. SAY NO TO ABUSE.

Choosing Humanity Over the Crowd

I write this blog—even when I can’t afford the fancy plugins—to remind the world that I am human. My voice matters. There is a choice we make every day on the street. Instead of asking for a free coffee or laying down like “human garbage,” I rush to find a shower. Aesthetics matter. Dignity matters.
I refuse to turn into an alien or a zombie just because my circumstances are unfavorable. Many on the street have become “agencies to be acted upon” instead of gathering human attributes: motivation, dignity, and self-love. We must be able to say “We Are People” with our heads held high so that the government hears us.

The Invisible Wall of Security

One of the most painful parts of this life became the fear of walking into a hotel lobby, a school, a church where “non-homeless” people gather. It’s not that I’m afraid of the buildings; I’m afraid of the security. I’m afraid of being turned away, yelled at, laughed at, of being made to feel smaller than I already am, and of being treated as “unworthy” because I look like the “ugly” homeless crowd.
We have created a society where security guards act as the frontline protecting the powerful from the needy. But they forget that they have the power to help. Instead of chasing a person away, they could help. If there is an emergency they could call a crisis team, an ambulance, or even reach into their own pockets to help a person in need.

Franklin D. Roosevelt reminded us that “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”

Are You a Carrot or a Cook?

There is a famous saying that the USA is a giant cooking pot, where different ingredients are constantly mixed. But I have to ask you: Are you an ingredient, or are you the cook?
Don’t be the carrot that just sits in the pot, getting soft. Become the cook. Start acting. God empowered us to be reflections of Him—He gave us brains to solve problems and bodies to take action.

As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle.”

My Fight for Restitution and Family

Most people on the street were not always here. Many, like me, once had loving families and stable homes. When I first became homeless, I still acted like the person I used to be—I shared my little money and called crisis lines for others. But now I realize: the job of the rich is to exercise power to make God’s justice happen, while job of homeless is to help ourselves first.
I am a victim of identity theft. I am trapped in a nightmare of bureaucracy, and I need help to:
* Restore connection and communication with my family; restore my identity and my American documents.
* Receive Humanitarian Relief from the USCIS.
* Receive financial restitution for 14 years of loss and damages.

Me and my children had a dream of a house where we can finally come home and where we feel “normal family” again. Where my missing husband might be found, as well. I am not “human garbage”; I am a loving mother, a loyal wife, and a patriot American citizen.

Resources for Action: Don’t Just Watch, Help.

If you see someone suffering inhuman circumstances and lacking basic needs, first reach for your own resources. Your impact is what matters to God. If your own resources are not sufficient, rich out to community help:

Use your phone. We pay for these services with our taxes—make them work.

* Tucson Crisis Line: 520-622-6000

* National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

* Pima County Homeless Services: 520-724-7300

* Crisis Response Center (Walk-in): 2802 E District St, Tucson.

* Call me if you want to share your suggestions and ideas: +1 360-206-0959

Don’t just be part of the mess. Be the one who changes the recipe. Let’s make this nation something beautiful, worthy for God to look upon and say, “Yes, these are my people. I am coming home.”

With love,

Galina Nelson

“Next week: I will be sharing the specific legal hurdles of the Affidavit of Support and how we can hold the powerful accountable for the promises they make to the needy.”