Allen Jones Allen Jones was born on Feb. 25, 1957, in Washington, D.C. He has lived in Washington most of his life. One of the most interesting things about his childhood was that he was among the first group of children to be bussed to schools outside of his neighborhood. This was the prevailing climate of the times, the 1960s, when the city attempted to create equal educational opportunities for its children. Jones attended school in Anacostia in southeast Washington and later took a school bus to upper Georgetown in the northwest part of the city. He graduated from Western High School in 1973 and pursued a degree in journalism at the Washington International College. A lack of finances forced him to end this dream after a year. Jones has worked in telemarketing and sales and was employed by the Shoreham Hotel for five years, and the Washington Post for six years. He left D.C in 1990 for the West Coast, traveling to Irvine, Calif., and Los Angeles. He returned to D.C. in 1993. How did you become homeless? I developed a penchant for illegal drugs and as a result I got involved in an activity which got me incarcerated. Upon my release, I lived with a family member for a time. However, I did not want to be a burden on them so I decided to leave. Unfortunately, I had no place to go. Therefore, I became homeless but drug-free. Why do you sell Street Sense? It has been, and still is, hard to get a job once you have a record. One day I was approached by a person who said he was recruiting for Street Sense, so I leaped at the opportunity. Here is a chance to empower myself, to gain self-esteem as well as to get an income. The information given in the paper is pertinent to people just like myself plus I belong to something good for the community. Favorite music? Jazz, jazz fusion and R&B Favorite movie? “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” Favorite food? Chinese food Favorite book? “Awaken the Giant Within” by Anthony Robbins and “It Only Takes a Minute to Change Your Life” by Willie Jolley