Steven: Streetwise, Streetwise, it helps the
unemployed to become self-employed.  
I've always been poor. I grew up primarily on
the South Side. My mother is dyslexic, she’s
only had one job her whole entire life, which
is Hartshelf and Marr. They used to call them
sweatshops, you know just a big room
with a bunch of sewing machines.
I moved into a subsidized building, and I was
being harassed by one of the tenants,
and it finally came to a head, and I wind up
killing him in self defense. 
I call the ambulance for him, because I didn't
want him to die. I just wanted him to leave me
alone, but I still had to go to jail. I was still
charged with the murder.
They found me guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
I spent six years total in 26th and California.
Within that six year period I lost everything.
Steven: Oh thank you, thank you ma’am,
would you like change?
Customer: Oh no, that’s alright.
Steven: Alright thank you ma’am!
When I went to jail for six years I knew, when
I get out, that I didn't have anything, no housing,
no job, no clothes, no food. I said I had to make
money, quick, fast, in a hurry, right away,
so Streetwise was priority on my list. I came down
here, got my 15 papers and I was off and running.
Steven: Thank you sir. This should be more than
enough to pay this lawyer off.
A lot of people in Roscoe Village, they've been
very approachable, talkable.
Customer: Totally! Yeah Totally!
Steven: And that’s like free advertising for you also.
Customer: I’ll take it yeah!
My very first day at least 25 people said,
"Welcome to the neighborhood.”
Welcomed me with open arms.
Steven: Thank you, thank you. You have a wonderful day.
Customer: You too Steven.
Streetwise gives me the opportunity to help provide
a job for at least 150, 200 other vendors,
Vendor 1: Ain’t nothing can take that away,
you can say whatever you want.
Vendor 2: Well my mother was half Cherokee 
Vendor 3: My grandmother was…
It’s not just a job to me, it's a mission, it's a godly
purpose to help the poor, the homeless, and the unemployed.
In being able to earn your own money, it kind of
helps change a person's self image in a
positive way. It's a beautiful place. It saved
my life. I thank God for the place.
Steven: Would you like change?
Customer: Thank you, no that is good.
Steven: Alright thank you.
Customer: Alright it was nice to meet you and your name is?
Steven: Steven, Steven Riggs.
Customer: Steven? It was nice to meet you!
Steven: Nice to meet you too, and your name?
Customer: Kara
Steven: Kara? Alright Kara thank you!
