1 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Previously on Weedian House. 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 2: The issue of doubling up, like you're saying, oftentimes the 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 2: idea has been, oh great, well you have someone to 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 2: stay with, but there hasn't been as much conversation around 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 2: what that actually looks like. Oftentimes, what we see is 6 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 2: that when individuals double up, the whole household is often 7 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 2: also in financial strain. Then then also the experience for 8 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 2: the individual that's staying in, you know, whether that be 9 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 2: CouchSurfing or doubled up in another type of manner, people 10 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 2: experience a lot of angst, like mental health issues because 11 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 2: of what that looks like, and then eventually deciding to 12 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,160 Speaker 2: leave the whole household and experience street homelessness because of 13 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,839 Speaker 2: the shame and the just like feeling like a burden 14 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 2: onto family or friends. 15 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 3: Welcome back to Edian House. I'm your host, Theo Henderson. 16 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,839 Speaker 3: Thank you for following. For part two of our. 17 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: Series, Weedian House goes to Washington. 18 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 3: As we discussed in our last episode, last month, I 19 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 3: attended the National Conference on Ending Homelessness and Capitol Hill 20 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 3: Day and got to speak to a wide array of people. 21 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 3: This week, we'll continue our conversations and exploration of DC 22 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 3: and I look forward to what you have to say 23 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 3: about it. 24 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: But first and House. 25 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 3: News Weedian House wants to take a moment to remember 26 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 3: one of our unhoused residents who passed away recently. Her 27 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 3: name is Chante. Her memorial was on August sixth, twenty 28 00:01:51,160 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 3: twenty four. The recent ruling from the United States Supreme 29 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 3: Court has produced hostile and violent results. These sweeps have 30 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:17,559 Speaker 3: taken place in Chula Vista, California, Watsonville, California, San Diego, California, 31 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 3: San Francisco, California, and Lancaster, California. If you know of 32 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 3: any new places where there are going to sweep the 33 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 3: unhoused community, please reach out to me. And in addition, 34 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 3: if you have any former stories or eyewitness account of 35 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 3: the previous sweeps, please reach out to me at medianhouse 36 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 3: dot com. San Francisco Mayor London Breed has ordered that 37 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 3: the un housed be ticketed and encouraged to move to 38 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 3: other places before we offer housing and sheltered. This is 39 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 3: a developing story and I will give you more when 40 00:02:54,600 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 3: I have more. And finally, Los Angeles City Controller kid 41 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 3: of Mahiah's office is calling attention to financial corruption in 42 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 3: the city of Los Angeles City officials found that the 43 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 3: unhoused community residents were being served ramen noodles daily. The 44 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 3: contractor was supposed to be giving hot regular balanced meals. 45 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 3: After an anonymous tip, Mahia's office found the service provider's 46 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 3: inventory consistent almost entirely with instant Ramen. They also found 47 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 3: that the food did not meet the needs of many 48 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 3: dietary restrictions. And that's on House News. We'll be right 49 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 3: back with more from Washington. Welcome back to Weedian House. 50 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 3: I'm Theo Henderson. This week, we're back in DC for 51 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 3: more about the National Alliance and homelessness events in early July. 52 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 3: While Weedien House was present at the Comfort in DC, 53 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 3: it was a cacophony of noise and activity. The whole 54 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 3: space was above with the recent activities of the Supreme Court. 55 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 3: I've been to this conference a few times before and 56 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:16,679 Speaker 3: the energy was never like this, and never it's urgent. 57 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 3: My first conversation today is with Albert Townsend, the director 58 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 3: of Lived. 59 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 1: Experience at the Alliance. 60 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,559 Speaker 3: I have heard much conversation around him, but I wanted 61 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 3: to hear more in his own words. 62 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: Here is some of our conversation. 63 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 4: I appreciate you being here. My name is Albert Townsend. 64 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 5: This is my last night, and I am the director 65 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 5: of Lived Experience at the Alliance, and I've been here. 66 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 4: For about a year. 67 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 5: Actually two days from now will be a year. July tenth, 68 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,280 Speaker 5: I think it is. Is that two days, yeah, July 69 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 5: tenth will be two days. 70 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 4: I'll be here a year. 71 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 5: And this particular work is really fascinating and it's worked 72 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 5: that I probably can do the rest of my life 73 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 5: because it's so expansive, but it's so narrow at the 74 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 5: same time. So I'm really excited about the position that 75 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 5: I'm in now, and this is really really great work, 76 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 5: and I can there's a lot to grow into. 77 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 4: In this work in particular. 78 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,919 Speaker 3: So you say you're the director of Lived Experience, So 79 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 3: tell me how did you get this position. 80 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 5: That's a long story, but if we can retract a 81 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 5: little bit, I think we go back to probably somewhere 82 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 5: around two thousand and six, where I came to the 83 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 5: DC Virginia, Maryland area trying to save a marriage and probably. 84 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 4: A year later that that marriage was over. 85 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 5: And I'm born and raised in the Philadelphia area, and 86 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 5: that's where my roots are, that's where my family is, 87 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 5: and my community is, but there's even some people who 88 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 5: as old as me who are still there. There a 89 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 5: remembrance always of that era, but also there's a lot 90 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,679 Speaker 5: of great opportunity to reflect backed as well. 91 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 4: So as we start to move forward. 92 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 5: In two thousand and seven, I kind of knew that 93 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 5: DC was a place where I might want to stay, 94 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 5: and I started to figure out how to navigate the 95 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 5: city because I didn't know. Only thing I remember DC 96 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 5: being when I was coming up was called Chocolate City. 97 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 5: That's all I can remember. But I knew nothing about 98 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 5: the landscape of it. And plus I wasn't living in DC. 99 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 5: I was actually living in Maryland, but I was actually 100 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 5: working in DC. And as I was working in DC, 101 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 5: things were starting to turn and get better, but my 102 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 5: marriage wasn't and it ended a year later. I had 103 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 5: two kids at the time as well. They were young 104 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 5: at that time. They were fifteen and eleven at the time, 105 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 5: and I had to depart from two younger kids at 106 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 5: a really early age, and without me really knowing this area, 107 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 5: without me really understanding how to navigate, and leaving a 108 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 5: job in the Philaephia area just to come here to 109 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 5: try to save a marriage. It didn't put me in 110 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 5: a good space, and I had my own internal issues 111 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 5: that I was dealing with then, trying to figure out 112 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 5: how to not drink and stay sober, trying to figure 113 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 5: out how to really change that dynamics of how I 114 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 5: was doing my work. In Philadelphia, it's industry base and 115 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 5: DC is more professional base, so it's a different kind 116 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 5: of lifestyle. So really trying to figure out what was next. 117 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 5: But I felt really positive about it, so I felt 118 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 5: so positive about it. A year after I got here, 119 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 5: I was completely homeless, and after my marriage ended, I 120 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 5: decided that I was just going to leave, and I 121 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 5: had a long talk with my kids around that, and 122 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 5: I had to figure out what was next. But I 123 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 5: knew I wanted to stay here, but it took some sacrifice. 124 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 5: So probably around two thousand and seven, two thousand and eight, 125 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 5: I was full fledgede homeless. I did come up here 126 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 5: with a job I left from Philadelphia working at the 127 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 5: University of Phoenix, and they actually transferred me here, but. 128 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 4: That didn't work out here. 129 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 5: It was totally different type of setup in Philadelphia in here, 130 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 5: but when I got here, it just didn't work out. 131 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 5: So I decided it was just time to move on, 132 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 5: and in that transition, it was really a difficult transition. 133 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: I wanted to stop you here to ask you one 134 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: quick question. How was your first night of being on house? 135 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 5: Well, my first night I was actually I slept outside. 136 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 5: I was for a while I was. I was living 137 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 5: in a hotel right downtown on New Jersey Avenue. 138 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 6: It was a slow gradual. 139 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 5: It was a slow gradual thing, but I knew it 140 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 5: was going to happen because my resources was running out 141 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 5: and I really didn't have the resources through work to 142 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 5: be able to stay in a hotel every night. And 143 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 5: then as I was trying to find a place around here, 144 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 5: finding it was a lot more difficult than it was 145 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 5: back home because the landscape around housing in DC is 146 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 5: different than the one in Philadelphia. 147 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 4: So I kind of knew it was coming. So I 148 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 4: had a choice to make. 149 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 5: Either was going to probably sleep outside somewhere, or I 150 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 5: was to go back home. 151 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 4: And going back home. 152 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 5: Wasn't an option for me, so I decided I'll stay 153 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 5: in DC and I just had to figure out how 154 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 5: to navigate. But my first night that I stayed was 155 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 5: it was in August two thousand and eight, and I 156 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 5: was outside. 157 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 4: I remember that month. 158 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 5: Vividly it was nice out, but it was still I 159 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 5: was living outside, and I actually slept outside in front 160 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 5: of the hotel. 161 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 4: It's on a New Jersey and second Street. 162 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 5: Which I believe is the I forget the name of it, 163 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 5: but I but vividly remember being outside. 164 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 4: There's also Stallbucks right there, and the Stallbucks. 165 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 5: On that corner has like a platform, and on that 166 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 5: platform it's like more of a space where you could 167 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 5: feel safe. So that's where I slept the first night, 168 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 5: right across the street from the hotel. I was actually 169 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,439 Speaker 5: sleeping in or staying in. So that first night I 170 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 5: kind of knew that I was homeless. But I'm from 171 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 5: a background where my family is really resilient and they 172 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 5: know how to how to make nothing out of something. 173 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 5: So I knew that I had to re engage and 174 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 5: figure out which direction I was going. I didn't know 175 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 5: what that was, and the very next day I got up, 176 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 5: I need to figure out just how to eat or 177 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 5: what the resource was, and how I was going to 178 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 5: be able to navigate in the city where I didn't know. 179 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 4: So what I first. 180 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 5: I think the first thing I found was the Salvation 181 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 5: Army used to come down to Second in d shelter. 182 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:26,559 Speaker 4: I didn't know I was sleeping a block away from 183 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 4: a shelter. 184 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 5: It didn't even know it was the existing and it 185 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 5: was on Second in D Street here in DC. And 186 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:35,959 Speaker 5: what I seen was I seen a food truck and 187 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 5: I didn't realize what a food truck was. I didn't 188 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,679 Speaker 5: even know what the food truck was because in Philadelphia 189 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 5: I would have never been homeless, because your family just 190 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,320 Speaker 5: take you in. But the food truck came to Second 191 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 5: indeed the shelter, and that's how I knew how to eat, 192 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:51,959 Speaker 5: So I knew there was a way to be able 193 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 5: to get up resources to eat. So that's really what 194 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 5: started knowing that I was full fledged homeless and that 195 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 5: I needed to take a different course. But something inside 196 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 5: me told me that this was the right thing to do. 197 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 5: I don't know what it was. I was at my 198 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:06,559 Speaker 5: worst space. 199 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 4: I didn't have no. 200 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 5: Resources, I was too proud to call my family, and 201 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 5: I didn't know which way to turn or what to 202 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 5: do because I never. 203 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 4: Experienced this before. 204 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 5: But I knew that there was a food truck there, 205 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 5: and I from the food truck, and then I realized 206 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 5: there was a shelter there. 207 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 4: But at the time. 208 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 5: The shelter was a shelter that had about thirteen hundred 209 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 5: people in there, and it was hard to get into 210 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 5: that shelter and I never got in, by the way. 211 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 5: But I started learning how to navigate. So you start 212 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 5: really connecting with people who are or just who know 213 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 5: the landscape, who've been in DC all their life, the 214 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:44,960 Speaker 5: DC residents and DC natives, and they understand how to move. 215 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 5: So you learn how to take really small steps at first, 216 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 5: and those small steps that just helping you kind of navigate. 217 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 5: You might have the same clothes on for a whole week, 218 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 5: but you're learning how to navigate. 219 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 4: You're learning places. 220 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 5: You can go in the city where there's safe to 221 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 5: sleep at night. You're learning where you can use the bathroom. 222 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 5: You're learning really how to figure out. 223 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 3: Yes, you know it's gonna be a bit right, and 224 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 3: you don't want to be offensive to people moving in 225 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 3: those places. 226 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 6: From someone that's living in was unhoused in California. Oh 227 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 6: it's hot real quick. You didn't want to have hot 228 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 6: burnt quarantine Tegos City next on the bus. 229 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 4: Yes, yes, yes, I get it, I get it. 230 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 5: Yeah, But I really just started I thinking figuring out 231 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 5: how to navigate, and then I learned that there was 232 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 5: places where you can eat outside of the food truck, 233 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 5: and then I started going to some soup kitchens, and 234 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 5: one in particular, one I actually worked at eventually was 235 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 5: Kamarion's Kitchen. I found that place by referral, and I 236 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,679 Speaker 5: started going there really regularly because it was a place 237 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 5: that really understand the food mechanism and understand service. They 238 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 5: were teetering on building an equity lens around how they 239 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 5: treat people, so I thought it was a great place 240 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 5: to start just figuring out what was next, because I 241 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 5: didn't know what was next. And probably about six to 242 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 5: seven months later after going there, we start having a 243 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 5: conversation about what is important in the city and how 244 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 5: our voices could make a difference. And that's how I 245 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 5: was part of building a group which is still existing fifteen. 246 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 4: Years later called People for Fairness Collision. 247 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 5: It was made and four other people at these two 248 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 5: round tables at a soup kitchen. I had a big 249 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 5: giant afro and some dirty sneakers and all kinds of 250 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 5: stuff that comes with struggling, and things start to start 251 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 5: to really look like that I would have a voice 252 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 5: in saying that we need to do more about people 253 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 5: who are un housed and figuring. 254 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 4: Out what we should do next. 255 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 5: I didn't know what I was going to do with 256 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 5: my life because I really wasn't concentrating no more life. 257 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 5: I was concentrating on the broader perspective around Indian homelesses. 258 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:08,079 Speaker 5: And that's how I really really got connected. And then 259 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 5: I started finding out through that one resource where other 260 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 5: places was, where shelters was, and how the bus operates, 261 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 5: and how to maneuver from space to space during the day, 262 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 5: actually scheduling it out so you can go and get 263 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 5: yourself some clothes and go over here and get some resources, 264 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 5: get some toller trees, because back in two thousand and 265 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 5: eight PSH or permanent supporting housing didn't exist. It didn't 266 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 5: start in DC until around to twenty ten, like other 267 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 5: places around the. 268 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 4: Country, New York and other places, but. 269 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 5: Really thinking about but transitional was the thing that was 270 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 5: happening back there. 271 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: There was a. 272 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 5: Few emergency shelters, but transitional shelters was the thing that 273 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 5: we're investing in. When I was coming through and really 274 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 5: was really having a difficult time, and I actually was 275 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 5: going to the shelters and it was only a few 276 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 5: so places in the country different than DC. Now, if 277 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 5: you get here too late, you're not going to get 278 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 5: a bed, you're going to be sleeping outside. 279 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 4: So you learn how to kind of navigate all. 280 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 5: These different things, and then you start figuring out what 281 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 5: the game plan is, right, So I think me deciding 282 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 5: what the game plan is help me better understand how 283 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 5: I can be to come the best possible version of 284 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 5: myself and then use all the things that I was 285 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 5: grown with, because you know, integrity, all the things that 286 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 5: really make you a really strong advocate are the things 287 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 5: that you use right right, you know, with using your 288 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 5: little bit of education, you have really figuring out how to. 289 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 4: Network and I'm not a great networker. 290 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 5: But really figuring out how to network and do all 291 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 5: the things that's necessary to sustain because you're only looking 292 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 5: to sustain for today. On figuring out how to get 293 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 5: closed roll them up, put them in your backpack, and 294 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 5: that's your change your clothes for the next day. So 295 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 5: you're really learning a new scale about how to survive. 296 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 6: And that's the thing that I always tried to emphasize. 297 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 3: The house people that say, try being in the house 298 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 3: for a week and you will see how grastic the 299 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 3: world is. 300 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 6: In having to navigate, because you've got to navigate through. 301 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 3: The world being on house, you have to make sure 302 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 3: that you're not phunky. 303 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 6: You got to find a bus or train on that 304 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 6: system that is friendly to unhouse people, that will give 305 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 6: you a courtesy ride and they see you all the time, 306 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 6: and just like this. 307 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 4: You know, a lucky other way giving out food and 308 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 4: things like that. Yes, that's it's a skill set. 309 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 3: Knowing how to enable those kinds of those environments, you know. 310 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 5: I think the great thing about those environments is I 311 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 5: was working within them. So I was working in alignment, 312 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 5: doing advocacy around the same things I needed service for. 313 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 5: So I knew that the metro here that we were 314 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 5: working on making sure that people who. 315 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 4: Didn't have it could go for free. 316 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 5: We were working on that, but it wasn't into existence, 317 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 5: but I knew we're working on it. So when I 318 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 5: got on the bus, I was looking at the driver 319 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,640 Speaker 5: sooner or later, we're not going to have to pay. 320 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 5: I'm letting you know. Even though I was on house, 321 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 5: I looked all the mess I didn't have the money 322 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:13,719 Speaker 5: to get on, but I knew I could look at 323 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 5: that driver and say we're working on a plan that 324 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 5: we're not going to have to pay if we're low income. 325 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 5: And right now today folks don't have to pay on 326 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 5: the bus, and I know that for sure. But I 327 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 5: was working on those kinds of things. I was working 328 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 5: on the sore process, really helping folks figure out how 329 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 5: to get their disability right. There was a whole process 330 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 5: that was built in twenty ten. I was at the 331 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:38,360 Speaker 5: table around that process, I said, on the Interagency Council. 332 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 5: They call it the CEOC in other places, but the 333 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 5: intern Agency Council of Homelessness Local one in DC. I 334 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 5: sat on the board for five years as an unhoused person, right, 335 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 5: so I knew all the program planning. I knew the 336 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 5: system change stuff. I knew how the service navigation would run. 337 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:58,119 Speaker 5: So at the same time I was serving myself, I 338 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,919 Speaker 5: was also serving the broader community. And advocacy became something 339 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:05,439 Speaker 5: that really helped me understand how to look at a 340 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 5: broader issue around equity, how to look at a broader 341 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 5: issue around low income, how to look at understand the 342 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 5: housing process completely right, understand the landlord relationships, all the 343 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 5: things that you wouldn't know if you're not in this 344 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 5: work and if it wasn't impacted, right, So I think 345 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:26,679 Speaker 5: there was a couple prongs that I could pull from 346 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 5: even though I was completely flatlined, completely new resources, completely unsheltered, 347 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 5: but I knew how to operate the system. 348 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 6: So one of the. 349 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 3: Things that what you mentioned now that is are you 350 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 3: taking the same skills to bear that you were out 351 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 3: outside to use? 352 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 6: Is what your directorship and the experience expertise with do 353 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 6: you think? 354 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:50,159 Speaker 4: Yes? So what I do know is I know how 355 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 4: to pull people forward. 356 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 5: Right. 357 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 4: You can't place people in the space. 358 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:56,479 Speaker 5: That they may not want to be in, so everyone 359 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,919 Speaker 5: doesn't want to be an advocate. But what I do 360 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 5: know is that trying to create an opportunity for people 361 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 5: to think about that this could give them some kind 362 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 5: of leverage or sustainability or help them take steps moving forward, 363 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 5: not only in their collective life, but also in their 364 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 5: personal life. 365 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 4: Right. So that's what this position is used for. 366 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:20,200 Speaker 5: It's really the build partnerships, and it's really to leverage 367 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 5: other people's skills so they could take those skills, go 368 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 5: back home and do. 369 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:26,680 Speaker 4: That work whenever one of the kind of work they 370 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:27,439 Speaker 4: do in the field. 371 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 5: So that's that's the basis for the work that I 372 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 5: do here, and that's one of. 373 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,639 Speaker 3: The things that it's intriguing too, because I created my 374 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 3: own kind of advacy in the platform using a podcast 375 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 3: on a broken phone to tell the. 376 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: Story the way I it should have been. 377 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 3: Told and now in which when I'm hearing with you, 378 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 3: you're trying to do that with more of a wider audience. 379 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 6: Which is it's reallycommendable. 380 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 3: So you've recently get into this position where is your 381 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 3: next steps into making this vision much more. 382 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:58,880 Speaker 4: Like a practical kind of thing. 383 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 5: Well, I think we're doing a lot of internal work 384 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 5: now at the Alliance. So the internal work helps us 385 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 5: build because this work doesn't go by itself. It's really 386 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:12,080 Speaker 5: really connected to equity. And as we're working through trying 387 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 5: to integrate lived experience folks in the Alliance so they 388 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 5: can do work side by side and partnership with the Alliance, 389 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 5: building an equity lens around how that looks is really. 390 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 4: Important and what that actually does. It helps us build a. 391 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 5: More external movement too, because movements are built inside out. 392 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 5: We think we go over to the mayor's office and 393 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,440 Speaker 5: advocating we're building a movement. Actually, you go inside of 394 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:38,440 Speaker 5: an organization. You help them kind of help you build 395 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:42,160 Speaker 5: a partnership, and then they start seeing the broader cor 396 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 5: sept around reaching to the community and doing work in 397 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,399 Speaker 5: the community, and it builds a movement because now the 398 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:52,399 Speaker 5: community's involved, the organization getting a much bigger a whirlwind 399 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 5: around their notice, and we're all collaborating together to build 400 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 5: a much stronger movement around preventing any illnesses. 401 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 4: So that's the work I'm doing now. 402 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 3: I noticed when I've been here a few years ago, 403 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 3: and I always seen the States sessions, We're going to 404 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 3: Capitol Hill, and I can see what you're saying. It's like, 405 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 3: you know, from the larger issues, getting people that have 406 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 3: the lived experience to be able to articulate or get 407 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,400 Speaker 3: their message across when they do go to Capitol Hill 408 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:21,680 Speaker 3: to make it, you know, hopefully decisions that impact their 409 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 3: life move much more proactively and positively. Conversely, than with 410 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 3: the Supreme Court's ruling on the Grant's past decision, I 411 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 3: have the opinion there's still advocacy there, there's still organization there. 412 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 3: You know, we don't have to accept just because the 413 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 3: Supreme Court said it. 414 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,479 Speaker 7: We can put the pressure on the local art art 415 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 7: That's just me from California, my own I don't do 416 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 7: down what they said. We're not going to continue to 417 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 7: criminize on house people. 418 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 6: This is what we're going to say, and this is 419 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 6: what we're. 420 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 3: Going to do, this is what we're going to blockade, 421 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 3: We're going to do all these kinds of things to 422 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:56,679 Speaker 3: make it real clear that that's not going to be 423 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 3: a selfable here. 424 00:21:57,600 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know what. 425 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 5: I'm to talk a little bit about PAST at lunchtime today. 426 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 6: Any quick insights that you have. 427 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:06,880 Speaker 5: On it, Well, I think the thing to do is 428 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 5: is that there's more support needed in Grants Past. It's 429 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,360 Speaker 5: a small population of people, they don't have too many 430 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 5: boots on the ground. I think really building out infrastructure 431 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 5: strategics and expansion work helps them better understand how to 432 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 5: build power in the community. And I think those are 433 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 5: some of the things where you start at, especially a 434 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 5: small community like Grants Paths. I think if we're doing 435 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 5: some broader work, they're around figuring out how it's in 436 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 5: the best interest of the community and the community has 437 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:45,199 Speaker 5: the power, then the powers to be have to have 438 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 5: a conversation about it, and it has to be a 439 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 5: deeper conversation about the needs of the people. So we're 440 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 5: not probably not there yet, right, So just doing work in. 441 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:56,440 Speaker 4: General in that state it is probably a thing. 442 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 5: But grants Pass on its own is probably a totally 443 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 5: totally different organization. 444 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 6: Well, here's the thing too. 445 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 3: The issue is not only that that it's impacted organ 446 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 3: It is impacted places like in San Francisco, Mariland and 447 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 3: breed going out and bragging that they're going to sweep 448 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 3: unhoused people. 449 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:17,440 Speaker 6: For like, for yesterday, I'm in Los Angeles. 450 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,439 Speaker 3: In the community that I do mutual aid in I 451 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 3: received a franderick call from a friend about people utilizing 452 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 3: Grant's Pass to run off unhoused people in our community 453 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,119 Speaker 3: through a heat wave. And the thing with it is 454 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 3: is that there's two things. There's a local on an 455 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 3: organization level, and there should be To me, is this 456 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 3: be because we should touch an agree. 457 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:43,360 Speaker 6: That organ is LA and LA. 458 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,880 Speaker 3: Is San Francisco, and San Francisco is San Diego, and 459 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 3: we as an organization force should be there just as 460 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:51,120 Speaker 3: we are for. 461 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 6: An international outrage of Palestine. 462 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 3: We should be just as organizing the stand in the 463 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 3: gap in several ways financial donations and standing there when 464 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,239 Speaker 3: we need to be bodies on the ground yes, they 465 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 3: have a dirf the people in order to make that 466 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 3: statement on but I'm just you know, I'm more radical, 467 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,480 Speaker 3: So I was like, you know, instead of you know, 468 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 3: living out my revenge fantasies on the Supreme Court, Justine, 469 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,160 Speaker 3: and then just doing this more proactively and legal. 470 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 4: So yeah, I agree, I agree one hundred percent. 471 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:24,160 Speaker 5: I think nowadays, when I was coming through as an advocate, 472 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 5: it was more radical. We've done a lot of marches 473 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:29,879 Speaker 5: and sit ins, and we did all that stuff when 474 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 5: I was coming through. But now I think there's a 475 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 5: lot of smart stuff you can put in place around 476 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 5: the movement. And I know a movement normally starts with 477 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 5: some kind of demonstration, right, but now there's a lot 478 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 5: of opportunity for us to do a lot of infrastructure 479 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:51,360 Speaker 5: building and strategic planning and power leveraging in the communities. 480 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 5: So that stuff is really really part of the movement too. 481 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 4: We don't, yes, we don't. 482 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 5: Necessarily was necessary doing that When I was coming through, 483 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 5: we were all doing all advocacy tactics and we was 484 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 5: making sure we got heard through kicking doors in. But 485 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,000 Speaker 5: now there's a lot other ways to be able to 486 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 5: do work through research, ta communications, they're really yes, podcasts, 487 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 5: there's a lot of different it's a lot of different 488 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:22,120 Speaker 5: ways to do work, and the Alliance have all those 489 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 5: different things built in, and I think the leverage around 490 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,200 Speaker 5: bringing people to help the Alligance do that. 491 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 4: Work as part of the work that I'm doing now. 492 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 3: Is there anything I missed that I should ask of you? 493 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 3: And if you have any points that you would like to. 494 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:34,920 Speaker 6: Lose to date on? 495 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 5: Yeah, I think some things that are really important is that, 496 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 5: you know, I think there's balance in life too, right. 497 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 5: I think work is one part of it, but also 498 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 5: thinking about as you're moving along as a person coming 499 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 5: through who's in house, how are you balancing your life right? 500 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 5: How are you taking care of yourself? How are you 501 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 5: measuring success? How are you pulling other people up? And 502 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 5: how are you continuing grow each and every day, So 503 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 5: outside of just doing the work, kind of balance and 504 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:08,359 Speaker 5: what that means in my personal life too. So I 505 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 5: think that's really important because a lot of people come here, 506 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 5: they do the work, and then they go home and 507 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:16,879 Speaker 5: they really don't really balance. So I really think what 508 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 5: a more full fledged balanced support system looks like as well. 509 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: Thank you so much to Albert for his time. 510 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 3: Congratulations on this recent promotion and much success in the future. 511 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 3: Would we come back or from DC? Welcome back to 512 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:43,720 Speaker 3: Weedian House. When I am in the field at the 513 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 3: National Alliance for Ending Houselessness Conference in Washington, DC. Next, 514 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 3: I spoke with two of the three speakers at a 515 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 3: panel from the first day of the conference called Letting 516 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 3: You Lead the Way. That's from the Youth Homelessness Demonstration 517 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 3: Program by Tatiana Rese and Lynn Pitdmyer. 518 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 8: My name's Lindadmeyer. My pronouns are they them. I'm the 519 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 8: COEC Compliance Coordinator with Housing Solutions Tulsa. 520 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 1: What does sea? 521 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 4: Will seek Sorry? 522 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 8: Continuum of Care or a CEC is called Away Home 523 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:24,679 Speaker 8: for Tulsa and we organize homelessess services for every person 524 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:26,400 Speaker 8: within Tulsa City in County. 525 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 9: Hello, my name is Tatiana Reese. 526 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 10: My pronouns are she her hers, and I am the 527 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 10: Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program lead at the Rhode Island Coalition 528 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 10: to End Homelessness, which is a policy and advocacy based 529 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:46,720 Speaker 10: nonprofit that also does legal services and housing navigation, youth services, 530 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:48,200 Speaker 10: and also community engagement. 531 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,200 Speaker 3: Now I have a question that is non on house 532 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,919 Speaker 3: related for you, Tatian. Is it true that this is 533 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 3: overrun with Komodo dragons. 534 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 9: In Rhode Island? 535 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:57,200 Speaker 1: Yeah? 536 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 3: No, I always say, well, I'm a national geographical I 537 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 3: just had to ask a question. 538 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:03,719 Speaker 1: Just wanted to know. 539 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 9: I'm afraid I feel like now I'm gonna see. 540 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 3: One because you always see them like there is on 541 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:10,359 Speaker 3: a Rhode Island. 542 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:11,199 Speaker 1: They come popping, you know. 543 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 3: So I was like, wow, geeze, you know, you drive 544 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,440 Speaker 3: up and here they come run it after your You 545 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:17,199 Speaker 3: have to look at the door. 546 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 1: So I had to ask that question. 547 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,640 Speaker 3: So I wanted to ask because there was so much 548 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 3: information that was covered, but there was a few things 549 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 3: that stood out for me is the fact that one 550 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 3: both of you are from two different places. 551 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: How did you guys. 552 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 3: Get launched into the service of helping young house youth? 553 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 3: If you will to start with you and then I'll 554 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 3: jump to Titana. 555 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 8: I came from a completely different background. I got my 556 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 8: degree in English literature and studies, and with the minor 557 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 8: and political science. I always had interested in public policy 558 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 8: and I always really wanted to be in work of service, 559 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 8: and so when an opportunity came about for me to 560 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 8: join an outreach team that was doing street outreach in Oklahoma. 561 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 8: I leaped at that and then it's kind of led 562 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 8: into different opportunities and including my own. 563 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 1: Now did you find it rewarding? 564 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 3: Oh? 565 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 9: Absolutely yes. 566 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 8: I think being on the street outreach team is my 567 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 8: first opportunity within this world. 568 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 9: Was really foundational and. 569 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 8: Really important that I got to get to know people 570 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 8: who were experiencing homelessness and really like be on the 571 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 8: ground and meet them where they were. 572 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: So it's more impactful than participles. 573 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 8: Yes, I would say so. 574 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 3: Well, the English teaching joke, I'm also Abe the teacher, 575 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 3: so I had to join that in so YadA. 576 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: Tell me how did you get into this? 577 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 9: Yeah? 578 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 10: So I always grew up working with alongside youth as 579 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 10: a youth organizer and also housing unstable. So I've been 580 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 10: housing unstable since I was twelve with my family, so 581 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 10: not necessarily as an unaccompanied youth, but with my mother 582 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 10: and my brother. I remember being a youth and the 583 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 10: just it was normal for everyone in my community to 584 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:00,480 Speaker 10: be housing unstable or not knowing like how they're going 585 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 10: to pay their next rent. It wasn't something negative. It 586 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 10: was just like it is what it is, and we 587 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 10: just enjoy life. The way that we are. And from 588 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 10: my youth organizing work, I was able to go into 589 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 10: education and just support youth and young adults as a 590 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 10: teacher and also supporting them on the grounds and developing 591 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 10: just community organizing, community building and strengthening their ability to. 592 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 9: Stand up and advocate for themselves. 593 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 10: And then I stumbled upon the youth coordination position at 594 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 10: the Coalition to and Homelessness in the State of Rhode Island, 595 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 10: and that's how developed into youth homelessness work. 596 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 3: So one of the questions I had is that when 597 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:36,320 Speaker 3: you are trying to engage the youth with it, because 598 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 3: I'm from California now and understanding, how how do you 599 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:43,560 Speaker 3: reach out to the youth to get them to understand 600 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,600 Speaker 3: about housing or the un housed Because you guys kept 601 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 3: saying you had focused groups or participation groups or different things. 602 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: How what's the challenging part about that? 603 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 4: Oh? 604 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:58,760 Speaker 8: I think like communication can be like a barrier, both 605 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 8: in the way that we speak to people experiencing homelessness, 606 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 8: like in the services that we provide that oftentimes we're 607 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 8: creating barriers by using acronyms and unnecessarily complicated language, but 608 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 8: also like literally reaching. 609 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:13,640 Speaker 9: Young people who are experiencing. 610 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 8: Homelessness can be very hard, just because access to reliable 611 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 8: sources of communication like phones and things like that can 612 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 8: be really difficult, and so bridging both of those has 613 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 8: been core to this, to making sure that we can, 614 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 8: you know, bring people into the room and make decisions 615 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 8: alongside them. 616 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 10: In our community, we found mostly successful of just going 617 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 10: back to our original roots of community organizing and looking 618 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 10: at how historically marginalized communities have done community organizing and recruitment, 619 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 10: and that's simply word of mouth and going up to 620 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 10: meeting people and using young adults and going to where 621 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 10: they are and making sure that you're offering them resources 622 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 10: that you physically have on you and not over promising 623 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 10: or making any suggestions that you can't keep. Another thing 624 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 10: is also providing those gaps of like well, provide cell phones, 625 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 10: providing minutes on the card so that they can call you, 626 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 10: or just being consistent point of contact so answering them 627 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:09,200 Speaker 10: whenever they need you, giving them questions, being able to 628 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 10: center celebration and joy. So it's not just about oh, 629 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 10: every time you see me, you think, oh my god, 630 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:14,719 Speaker 10: here comes this girl. 631 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:15,920 Speaker 9: Talk about YCP again. 632 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:18,760 Speaker 10: Right, we're like, oh, we might actually go do something 633 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 10: fun today. So making sure that at the end of 634 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 10: the day, like their experience of lift homelessness is an experience. 635 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 10: It's not the definition of their identity. It's not a 636 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 10: lifelong thing. It's something that it's currently happening to them, 637 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 10: but it's not of them overcome. 638 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 9: Yeah. 639 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 3: So one question is I hear this drop in center thing, 640 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 3: and drop in center means a little bit different too, 641 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 3: maybe the elderly general nation. So do you think it's 642 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 3: effective with the youth? What's the nuance is there? 643 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 9: Yeah? 644 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 8: I think it's absolutely effective, specifically because of what Tatiana 645 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 8: just said of like being able to provide services that 646 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 8: youth decide that they need, not services that we kind 647 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 8: of like project onto them, and also making sure that 648 00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 8: the services are provided at their own pace. So having 649 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:01,040 Speaker 8: a drop in center a place where you can come 650 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 8: and be and you don't necessarily have to engage that 651 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 8: day with your housing plan or your case manager. You 652 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 8: could just hang out and like be yourself and be 653 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 8: a young person and that's okay, So you. 654 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 1: Don't have to have the Martin Luther ninety five pieces. 655 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 9: I second that having a drop in censor has come 656 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:17,160 Speaker 9: a long way. 657 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 10: Especially extending the hours and making sure that they're available 658 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,240 Speaker 10: after school, especially most of our youth are enrolled in school, 659 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 10: and being able to be centered in locations that are accessible, 660 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 10: accessible on the public transportation, and knowing that it's a 661 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 10: place that they can hang out, they can bring their friends, 662 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:37,200 Speaker 10: they can chill, they can have access to showers, laundry, food, electricity, 663 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:39,880 Speaker 10: charge their phones, get a phone, things like that, and 664 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 10: there's no obligation to actually participate in services unless they 665 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 10: actually want to move. 666 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 3: And you mentioned some details that you guys both forgot 667 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:50,120 Speaker 3: community building. That's something that I when I heard you say, 668 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 3: you know, that's something too that also I noticed that 669 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:58,000 Speaker 3: so indicative and so important that they connect with you all, 670 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 3: but also connect with people that are in life minding situations. 671 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 1: That helped cope with for the bear, because I. 672 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:07,040 Speaker 3: Know when I first had extended on houselessness, it was 673 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:09,799 Speaker 3: very difficult. It was very isolating for me because I 674 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:14,800 Speaker 3: either was involved with very fanatical religious people or people 675 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 3: that had the same mantra. Even when I kept saying, well, 676 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 3: no I'm not mentally ill, you know, I don't have 677 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:23,799 Speaker 3: a substance use as problem, it was so much that 678 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:25,080 Speaker 3: was the thing. 679 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:26,239 Speaker 1: But I'm like, you know, I. 680 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:27,200 Speaker 4: Just got sick. 681 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:29,760 Speaker 1: You know, it's hard to explain it because. 682 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:32,919 Speaker 10: A lot of people are one illness, one sickness, one 683 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:36,800 Speaker 10: miss paycheck away from being a similar situation, more. 684 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 9: Closer than we are to be a millionaires. That's a 685 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 9: story for the other days. 686 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 3: Yes, indeed, but it's and it's hard for our society 687 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:45,360 Speaker 3: to get it because it makes sense that it's a 688 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:47,520 Speaker 3: problem that needs to be fixed. We are a I 689 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 3: won't say not only we are blaming and shaming society, 690 00:34:50,200 --> 00:34:53,319 Speaker 3: but we have this rugged individualism and narrative that keeps 691 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:55,359 Speaker 3: going on that I didn't have nothing but a two 692 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:56,120 Speaker 3: pick and I made this. 693 00:34:56,200 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 1: Look how I've made it out from this too big 694 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 1: and know what helped me build the house? 695 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:05,759 Speaker 3: Or and not acknowledging the services that are already the 696 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:09,320 Speaker 3: infrastructure that's already placed, that you cannot all necessarily have 697 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:11,800 Speaker 3: an individual person that may have tapped through in the shoulder, 698 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,279 Speaker 3: but you've re taken the resources that are available. But 699 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 3: that's another conversation for another day. So I promised you 700 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 3: I wouldn't keep you long. Is there anything that I 701 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,160 Speaker 3: missed that you guys want to throw out there? 702 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:24,440 Speaker 1: As to think on I. 703 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:26,480 Speaker 9: Think for me is let youth lead the way. 704 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:28,360 Speaker 10: If you want to censor youth, you have to be 705 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:30,239 Speaker 10: able to trust and listen to them and know that 706 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 10: they have their own autonomy and can make the decisions. 707 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 9: Also advocate for direct cash transfers. 708 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:39,879 Speaker 1: Well, see, now you see what happened. I was trying 709 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 1: to let you go, not you and open up a cana. 710 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 1: What is direct transfer? 711 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:48,680 Speaker 8: Direct cash transfers is essentially giving people money that they 712 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:50,400 Speaker 8: can then determine what to spend it on. 713 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:52,719 Speaker 9: And yeah, that. 714 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:56,360 Speaker 1: Sounds like something we've been talking about in mainstream. Oh yes, good. 715 00:35:56,680 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 9: So it's definitely, especially in terms of youth. 716 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:01,240 Speaker 10: Is trusting that they will make the best informed decisions 717 00:36:01,239 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 10: with their funding and not necessarily doing the tracking of 718 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:06,399 Speaker 10: where that money is going, letting them choose how they 719 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 10: receive that funding, and then just checking in with them 720 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 10: on their quality of life and if there's any improvements 721 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:14,399 Speaker 10: or you know, there's ways to think about how we're 722 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 10: benefiting from direct past transfers without actually looking at their finances. 723 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:20,520 Speaker 3: Well, you know, here's the thing too. The older House 724 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 3: community members have been pushing it. It's actually it was 725 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 3: a program that was in Denver. They gave them, allocated 726 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 3: them a certain amount of money, and then they tracked 727 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,920 Speaker 3: and found out what they basically do it inform housing 728 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:33,400 Speaker 3: and different things to get themselves out of the situation. 729 00:36:33,719 --> 00:36:36,600 Speaker 3: But it shows that they you know, they're just not 730 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:38,920 Speaker 3: you know, using it in some kind of the areas 731 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:42,000 Speaker 3: or the elitorious type of effect. They are really doing 732 00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 3: creative things to address the situation. Which I always say, 733 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:47,880 Speaker 3: in order for the problem to really be eradicated, we 734 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:51,600 Speaker 3: have to include with a living wage on house lived expertise. 735 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:54,920 Speaker 3: I don't like necessarily the groups that just keep milking 736 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,359 Speaker 3: the expertise and then just give them, like you said, 737 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,839 Speaker 3: a McDonald's card or just you know, we gotta give 738 00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:03,360 Speaker 3: them wage as well to them to survive and sustain 739 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:05,279 Speaker 3: and it's ever growing capitalism. 740 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 1: But I digress. 741 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 3: I thank you both, and I know you guys have 742 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:11,000 Speaker 3: been on that stage for a long time, so you 743 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:13,480 Speaker 3: guys need to get your rest and enjoy because this 744 00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 3: is going to be a long conference. 745 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:18,040 Speaker 1: I'm like, we're still going to five thirties. This is 746 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:19,480 Speaker 1: worse than a Pentecostal church. 747 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 3: No, I'm glad they bringing out no collection plate, but that's. 748 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:36,440 Speaker 1: Thank you. 749 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 3: To Lynn at Tatiana for that time, and thank you 750 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:43,319 Speaker 3: again for listening. Tune in next time for our third 751 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:47,240 Speaker 3: and final installment in Median House Takes DC, and as always, 752 00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:49,440 Speaker 3: please like and subscribe. If you'd like to share your 753 00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:52,439 Speaker 3: story on Median House, please reached out to me from 754 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:56,279 Speaker 3: Medianhouse dot com, median House on Instagram, or email me 755 00:37:56,840 --> 00:38:00,120 Speaker 3: at willian House at gmail dot com. Thank you, thank 756 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 3: you again for listening, and may we again meet in 757 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:08,439 Speaker 3: the light of understanding. Whedian Howees is a production of iHeartRadio. 758 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:13,200 Speaker 3: It is written, posted, and created by me Theo Henderson, 759 00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:20,560 Speaker 3: our producers Jbi Loftus, Kailey Fager, Katie Ficial, and Lyra Smith. 760 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:24,600 Speaker 3: Our editor is Adam Wand and our local art is 761 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:25,960 Speaker 3: also by Katie Ficial. 762 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:27,320 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.