Food Not Bombs Reno and Hairstylists Along the River
As she helped organize hairdressers parking alongside the river and another Monday evening food distribution, Goletto said "not good", when asked about the number of tents currently propped up along the very high Truckee River.
"Gentrification is happening," she said. "We are dealing with that and we have 25-40 over in this area, and 15-20 over there, just in this tiny part. It says a lot about how rent these days is theft essentially and how we're falling into that trap and we're just excluding people."
She said the idea of adding free haircuts was important in combating some of that exclusion.
"Our friends by the river can't always get a haircut so we just asked people if they would like to help and we got a really good response," she said of hairdressers from Maxwell's Barbershop and Tabu who showed up. "People did want to help. Good haircuts, they make us feel so much better and cleaner, and it makes us feel included. A big part of the lives of our friends by the river is exclusion and feeling lesser of a person, and so we are all about solidarity and we are here to show them that we are all equal. Having a haircut, feeling like you're just like everyone else is important," she said.
"I do believe camping should be legal. I don't understand why there's a problem with that," Golleto said. "We have a lot of old motels and housing that we can really make into affordable housing or even free housing for our homeless. Other cities have done this. We need to give and not be greedy."
Relying on Help Previously and Now Helping Others
Goletto works as a photographer, photo editor, artist and as an assistant gallery manager in Carson City at Western Nevada College. She says it's important even with her busy schedule to find time to help others, as she once was helped.
"I think it's important to show people how much we need solidarity, how much we need equality," she said. "This is the way that I can show it. This is the way I can be a part of it. Being busy is not an excuse."
She also knows first hand the difference these types of events can make in a person's life.
"When I was in high school, I actually couch hopped a lot, so I didn't really have a stable home life," she said. "I grew up very poor in the Bay Area and in central California. It was actually through programs like Food Not Bombs and the Salvation Army that some days I wouldn't have eaten without these people. I've come through a few precarious situations but things like this, and the love of strangers, who had faith in me and they didn't even know who I was, was the most beautiful thing I've probably ever experienced."
"Food Not Bombs Reno ... we are an anarchist collective. We are all about that food is not a privilege it's a right. We believe in solidarity for everyone and we are all about hands on action. We're not a charity at all," Golleto said. "We are just friends helping friends as equals and that's our purpose and that's what we do. We see a problem and we do our best to fight it."
Joining In
Dozens of people lined up for the food and many of them also walked away with new haircuts. Volunteers for Food Not Bombs includes teenagers, college students, young professionals and retirees. Goletto says anyone tempted to join on a Monday around 5:30 pm is more than welcome. Businesses can also reach out she said if they want to offer food.
"Come on by. We would love to have you," she said. "We all make food from our own kitchens. We also have local places donate. Every single one of us it comes from pure love and from our heart. We don't ask for anything. We just want to be here. A lot of us know what it's like to need someone. It's every Monday without fail at 5:30 pm. You can bring something that you make. We usually feed between 30 and 50 people. When it's a nice beautiful warm day, we've gotten 50 plus. If you feel like you can't bring anything, or you're not sure, just bring yourself and you're always welcome. Just say 'hey I'm here and I want to help'. That's all you need to do."
Other Food Not Bombs volunteers prepared the food. Goletto said she would like our culture to be less judgmental of those in need. "We say 'oh I worked hard, I deserve this. And they didn't just work hard, they did drugs and that's why they are there, so they don't deserve my help. I'm going to just do nothing,'" she said. "But I don't think any person has the right to judge another person. Or what they need, or what help they deserve. And if we can just have empathy and have the courage to be kind, that is important. Just open your heart. Just maybe look outside money and look outside greed."
"We all Need Somebody"
"Time I personally don't really have it, but I do it anyways, because I'm no better than these people and I've been in tough places in my life, and we all need somebody to be there for us and sometimes strangers are the best people with the kindest hearts, and so to see people, it feels good to know there are others out there who have love for you, who are helping you, so that is what inspires me," Goletto concluded before getting back to coordinating the event, as those helped ate their meals and went back along the river. "My inspiration comes from I feel good. It makes me feel good knowing that I am doing more for others and not just for myself. "
Interviews and Reporting by Our Town Reno on a recent Monday Evening along the Truckee River