From Homelessness to Hope: Insights from an Unlikely Calculus Instructor
Re-entering higher education after a significant absence can feel intimidating—particularly when it comes to mathematics. For many adult learners, juggling jobs, personal commitments, and the demands of advanced studies presents a formidable challenge. However, for one medical student, the path through calculus became linked with a deeply human narrative—one that weaves together economics, homelessness, and the profound layers of social stratification. It’s the narrative of a determined student, a gifted yet displaced tutor, and the significant truths unveiled through their unexpected alliance.
A Cup of Coffee for Calculus
Dr. Tariq Shaheed, currently an internal medicine physician, reflects on his return to calculus after a six-year break from math classes during his post-baccalaureate period. Like many of his contemporaries, he wasn’t merely a student—he was also a worker, financing his education and cherishing every class with intense commitment. Yet, the intricacies of calculus became overwhelming until he encountered a man living on the streets who would take on the role of his tutor—for the simple cost of a cup of coffee.
This was not an ordinary street interaction. The individual, untidy and visibly affected by prolonged homelessness, turned out to be an Ivy League graduate and former professor. His disheveled appearance concealed a keen mathematical intellect. With only a few scraps of paper and impressive mental acuity, he led Shaheed through concepts such as areas under curves and differential equations.
The Hidden Strengths within Homelessness
The state of homelessness in California is grim. According to reports from the Public Policy Institute of California, over 180,000 people in the state are without stable housing—a number comparable to a small city. Contributing factors to this crisis include mental health issues, unemployment, addiction, a dearth of affordable housing, and systemic failures in health and social support systems.
Yet, as Shaheed’s experience illustrates, one cannot truly gauge individuals’ worth or potential based solely on their appearances. The person who mentored him had previously roamed the halls of prestigious institutions, delivering lectures on intricate subjects, guiding students, and making significant contributions to academia. His decline from these heights to homelessness highlights an essential reality: anyone can find themselves without a home, given the right set of unfortunate circumstances.
Confronting Society’s Misleading Dichotomies
The concepts of “success” and “failure,” as well as the distinctions between the “top” and “bottom” of society, are deeply embedded in contemporary culture’s perception of individuals. These divisions often reduce people to their current circumstances, disregarding both their past achievements and their intrinsic humanity. For Shaheed, this insight was enlightening. Collaborating closely with someone whom society deems “less than” shattered his previous misconceptions about value, education, and success.
His tutor was not merely aiding him in passing a course—he was imparting a lesson in humility and ethical clarity. It was a living representation of a well-known quote often attributed to George Washington Carver: “Do not assess a man’s worth by his comfort and convenience, but by his stance during adversity and strife.”
The Realities of Assistance, Charity, and Capability
Shaheed’s aspiration to become a physician was initially fueled by a desire to assist—possibly financially—those around him facing difficulties: friends, family members, or even strangers like the talented man he met on the street. However, after nearly a decade of practice in internal medicine, he has come to understand the constraints of this benevolent ambition. The scale and intricate nature of poverty, homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues cannot be adequately addressed by well-intentioned individuals alone. No single person—regardless of their professionalism, compassion, or economic stability—can bear the burden of systemic failings.
Over time, Dr. Shaheed recognized that attempting to personally rescue everyone could obstruct not only his well-being but also the personal development of those he sought to help. While charity can be commendable, it is not always viable or beneficial when enacted without structural and mental health support systems in place.
Towards Community and Structural Solutions
The most impactful solutions to homelessness and poverty must extend beyond temporary aid. Significant change, as Shaheed points out, resides in grassroots initiatives and multidisciplinary methods that prioritize systemic reform. California, more than any other state, epitomizes the complexity of this dilemma, given its vast number of unhoused individuals.
Community organizations, local faith-based shelters, tiny home projects, sober living facilities, and advocacy networks are rising to confront the crisis with ingenuity and compassion. These grassroots efforts are vital, serving as both an initial line of defense and a blueprint for rebuilding society from the foundation upward—with empathy, inclusivity, and lasting support.
However, these initiatives require collaboration. Healthcare professionals, government representatives, urban planners, mental health specialists, and everyday citizens must participate in open dialogue and cooperative programs. Homelessness is not an issue of “them”—it reflects “us.” And when intellectual luminaries like Shaheed’s tutor are abandoned