1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Previously on Weedian House. 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 2: A roof is just never enough if you're not going 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 2: to follow through and make sure that people are living 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 2: with dignity inside these places. 5 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 3: And it's just. 6 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 2: Such a discrepancy of values. I think to these politicians, 7 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 2: it's good enough to have a roof over your head, 8 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 2: and I think us on the ground, we're saying that, hey, 9 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 2: this isn't playing out in any dignified sort of way. 10 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 4: Those of you who have resources, whether it's paper from 11 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 4: an institution that allows you to infiltrate, to liberate, or 12 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 4: whether you have more things than you need to keep 13 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 4: your family safe, how about you radically redistribute those to 14 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 4: those of us who have none. 15 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: You got people laying on the street, but nothing on them. 16 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: They want us dead. 17 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 4: Relative hopefulness is an emergency solution, and it can't happen 18 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 4: without people working together. 19 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 5: Welcome back to Weedian House. I'm your host, Theo Henderson. First, 20 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 5: a few shout outs, A very big thank you to 21 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 5: Anita from Ohio who has listened to my most recent show, 22 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 5: Glows of Whistle and found it very compelling and informative. 23 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 5: And to Sam Tracy from home Start Incorporated, a Boston 24 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 5: housing service agency. It is my sincere wish that more 25 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 5: of our listeners all over the country tune in, subscribe, 26 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 5: and if they so choose, be on the show. Last 27 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 5: week's episode was so rich with information and detail that 28 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 5: I felt it important to break up the episode to 29 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 5: give our listeners a chance to take in the volume 30 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 5: of information we receive. This is the second helping Well, 31 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 5: this is not a cuisine I would recommend to take 32 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 5: in one serving, yet you must take in the entire 33 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 5: portion of a meal to reach the conclusion of this. 34 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: Three part series. 35 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 5: So today we are sharing part two blas the Whistle, 36 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 5: So sit back and take it in. But first let's 37 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 5: talk unhoused news. Our first story. Federal District Judge Dolly 38 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 5: g rules that unhoused children and desert camps need to 39 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 5: be safe and in cleans facilities. Judge G further states 40 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 5: that the US Customs Borders Protection should not hold miners 41 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 5: in or direct them to open air campsites, except for 42 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 5: the amount of time it reasonably requires to prepare the 43 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 5: minor to a more suitable facility. This was due to 44 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 5: custom Border Protections directing the children into these unsafe spaces. Next, 45 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 5: in San Jose, California, unhoused encampments were banned near schools 46 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 5: and over night RV parking will be limited. House children 47 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 5: road to the Mayor Matt Mahon, claiming they were unable 48 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 5: to walk to school past the temps and camps. Currently 49 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 5: there are around four thousand, four hundred and eleven unhoused 50 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 5: residents in San Jose, California. This law will take effect 51 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 5: in May twenty twenty four. In other dues, private security 52 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 5: has been endangering the unhoused community. Government, nonprofits and businesses 53 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 5: are increasingly hiring private guards to patrol shelters and areas 54 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 5: around street encampment. In southern California, the in house have 55 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 5: sued over a range of alleged sexual abuses, from strip 56 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 5: searches to sexual violence. In the Bay Area, contract workers 57 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 5: were accused of dealing drugs and harassing the unhoused women. 58 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 5: In Fresno and La families have sued for wrongful death. 59 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 5: In the first case, an unhoused person was killed by 60 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 5: a security guard. In the second case, an unhoused resident 61 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 5: was killed by another unhoused resident while the on duty 62 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 5: security officer did not act. Private security contracts of clined 63 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 5: twenty percent guards now outnumber sworn law enforcement officials roughly 64 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 5: four to one. Our next story takes us to Seattle. 65 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 5: A driver ran over unhoused tents on a downtown sidewalk 66 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 5: on Tuesday, April ninth, twenty twenty four. A gray Actor 67 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 5: SUV drove onto the curb and over the tents and 68 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 5: then kept going. The police gave chase, but stopped when 69 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 5: they found out the tents were abandoned. Then the driver 70 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 5: came back, in which there was a shootout. However, the 71 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 5: unhoused residents did not want to talk with law enforcement, 72 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 5: and law enforcement were not unable to obtain any of 73 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 5: the bulletshells or casings from the shootout. The driver is 74 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,359 Speaker 5: still at large and law enforcement officials were unable to 75 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 5: get the name but a license plate number. Our last 76 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 5: story brings us back to Los Angeles, where federal Judge 77 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 5: Dale S. Fisher wrote in an order that the city 78 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 5: had not only altered, modified, and created documents to plaint 79 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 5: dis claims, but it also had failed to produce legitimately 80 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 5: requested documents. In essence, the city has falsified documentation dealing 81 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 5: with the unhoused when they have swept encampments and taken 82 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 5: their belongings Weedian House have been on site to many 83 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 5: of these sweeps and have observed these many violations. The 84 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 5: larger issue is what is the consequence for causing this 85 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 5: type of fraud with the city. It shows that the 86 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 5: city is dangerously obfuscating the public, creating and maintaining the 87 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 5: narrative that unhoused people are service resistant. Unhoused people are criminals, 88 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 5: they don't want any help, and most importantly, they are 89 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 5: in isore when they have their own belongings to survive 90 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 5: on the street. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has recently 91 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 5: given a press conference with her banged up airplane, touting success. 92 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 5: The reality is is the plane is hurtling toward impending doom. 93 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 5: We see a resistance to be audited the cost of 94 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 5: her immense failure, and the resistance to hearing from the 95 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 5: impacted people who are dealing with houselessness. In conclusion to 96 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 5: any of the in house wanted to get on that 97 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 5: broken airplane with Mayor Bass, and that's unhoused. When we 98 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 5: come back, we'll listen to the second part of our 99 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 5: interview with Donia Domingus and DeAndre Becke. Welcome back to 100 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:47,720 Speaker 5: Willian House. I'm THEO Henderson. Without further ado, here is 101 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 5: the second part of my interview with Project Home key 102 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 5: whistle blower Donya and DeAndre. 103 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 3: The narrative has to be controlled in a certain way 104 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 3: because it's pvey for long time to where people think like, oh, 105 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 3: you're homeless, like you were saying like, oh, this is 106 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 3: your fault. 107 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: Your business. 108 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 3: A lot of people aren't necessarily privy to a lot 109 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 3: of the backstories that have happened to a lot of members. 110 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 3: Not everybody's just oh I just don't want to do anything. 111 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 3: I'm lazy, and that's just that I'd rather panhandle. A 112 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 3: lot of these people come from very very hard environments 113 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 3: and they have a lot of terrible stories. There's a 114 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 3: couple of members that I've actually encountered to where they 115 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 3: had personal traumas that were tied into family things that 116 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 3: they experience, and then you kind of look at it 117 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 3: and it's just kind of like you literally had no 118 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 3: chance from the beginning. And then the sad part is 119 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 3: a lot of people say like, Okay, we're gonna give 120 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 3: them these housing opportunities, and like you said, people hear 121 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 3: housing anything, Oh you have an apartment, you have a 122 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 3: place that's not necessarily the case sober livings, they could 123 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 3: be cooped up in rooms and all types. 124 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 5: Of times, like I'm in sro right now, and that's 125 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 5: driving me crazy because I don't have the moveability because 126 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 5: I have all of my belongings there, which which is 127 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 5: driving me crazy. But that's part of the reality. And 128 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 5: then that community bad thing or community showers or the 129 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 5: landlord is a slumlord, and you don't want to weise 130 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 5: any ways because you don't have you're on a tenuous 131 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 5: kind of uh, you know, on on tenderhooks because you 132 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 5: don't know if he's gonna have a bad one or 133 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 5: be on one and he throw you and everybody else 134 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 5: out because he you know, you exposed, you know, the 135 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 5: mishandling or the incompetence that's going on. So it's it's 136 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 5: definitely that. The last episode I had is like I 137 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 5: had an unhoused woman told me her struggles where her 138 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 5: brother was killed and she was shot twice in the 139 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:42,959 Speaker 5: head and that yeah, yeah, and then that's and it 140 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 5: was and she was telling me it's it was difficult 141 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 5: to try to come back from that, and you know, 142 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 5: because one that's a violent thing that happened. Secondly, the 143 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 5: emotional part of it. And thirdly, you know, she knew 144 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 5: that she couldn't find suitable employment be able to do 145 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 5: that new reality. Before probably she probably would have been 146 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 5: able to work and got some kind of you know, 147 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 5: assistance and things like that. But after being you know, 148 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 5: shot twice, you know in the head, you know, and 149 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 5: having those issues, and like she was saying, like when 150 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 5: I mean her left arm was paralyzed, she can't even move, 151 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 5: you know, all of all the other things, like for example, 152 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 5: when I was stabbed out on the street, you know, 153 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 5: I had several parts of my body removed internally, and 154 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 5: you know, that's a new reality. You know, I feel 155 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 5: every day there's not a day that goes by that 156 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 5: I don't know or I'm reminded of how I was stabbed. 157 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: That it never goes away. 158 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 5: It doesn't if I turn a certain way, if I move, 159 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 5: or if I walk down the street, or if I 160 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 5: go to sleep, I'm always in the back of my 161 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 5: mind remembering the wound and the missing parts that I 162 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 5: have inside that's gone that you know, those things are reality, 163 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 5: and that's one of the things when and that really 164 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:04,439 Speaker 5: motivated me to really create this podcast, to really start 165 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 5: to talk about it like, we've got to have. 166 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 1: Equitable but also accurate conversation. 167 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 5: We cannot have house people just saying all these kind 168 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 5: of crazy things about. 169 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: Us, and that's the beginning end. 170 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 5: Well, we don't want help, you know, we're crazy, we're 171 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 5: on drugs, you know, we just don't want to do 172 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 5: anything with ourselves, or we're service resistant. Those things our 173 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 5: conversation blockers. In order for us to get to I've said, 174 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 5: I say, get into the light of understanding, understanding everyone's situation. 175 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,559 Speaker 5: No one decides looks out the wind, look you know what. 176 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 5: I want to be harassed today and live out on 177 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 5: the street and live in the most worst kind of conditions. 178 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 5: And because it's fun, it's just nothing to do. I 179 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,719 Speaker 5: keep things spicy. It just doesn't happen. I don't care 180 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 5: how how bad things are. Nobody wants to be living 181 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:53,559 Speaker 5: out in a displacement state of mind or the statement 182 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 5: place of physicality. 183 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 3: And that's very important too. So just like I said again, 184 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 3: just even hearing things that you've experienced this platform is 185 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 3: definitely necessary because a lot of people don't necessarily like 186 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 3: have full details about what everybody experienced. And then I 187 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 3: just personally believe it's a little bit kind of funny 188 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 3: because as of late, like especially like during the pandemic 189 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 3: and everything, everybody put the on this on, like we 190 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 3: need to pay attention to mental health, we need to 191 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 3: pay people to people's traumas, we need to understand what's 192 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 3: going on socially and just everything from the structural level, 193 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 3: like what's going on, why are these things occurring? But 194 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 3: when you start to kind of work in these systems 195 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 3: and you have firsthand experience, especially like on the ground, 196 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 3: you kind of notice that everybody tries to control the 197 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 3: narrative and everybody's it's easier to dismiss everybody as a whole. 198 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 3: If we individually have these conversations and just be very 199 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 3: avid and candid about it, nobody knows and so everybody 200 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 3: else on the outside looking in operates under the assumption 201 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 3: that people just want to be like this or they 202 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 3: take that attitude this is what I waste stand my 203 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 3: tax dollars on all this. It's not necessary be the case. 204 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 3: A lot of people in here are working every day, 205 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 3: not only just to get housing, but they're trying to survive, 206 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 3: they're trying to deal with their traumas. They're trying to 207 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 3: deal with their medical issues. Then they're all of this 208 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 3: is occurring at the same time. So just to have 209 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,439 Speaker 3: people on the outside looking in kind of be dismissive 210 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 3: of that. That's the narrative that like we need to 211 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 3: change and to just people on the higher level. That's 212 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 3: why I also think it's kind of important if who 213 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 3: gets appointed in certain positions, because you, I personally feel 214 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,559 Speaker 3: like you have to have a close connection or an 215 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 3: experience that's tied into this. 216 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 2: You know, we have actually, like the director of operations 217 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 2: from Illumination Foundation that was overseeing the project home Key site. 218 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 2: She said this with her whole chest, but she said, 219 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 2: I believe that the solution to homelessness is to put 220 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 2: everybody that's unhoused on an island and let them like, 221 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 2: let them prove that they're willing to work for it, 222 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 2: and that's how they get off the island and they 223 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 2: get like access to all the services. I just sat 224 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 2: there quiet because it was a bunch of us, But 225 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 2: you know, that sounds like eugenics to me. 226 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: Exactly it is. 227 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:09,719 Speaker 5: They were trying to add over in Florida, trying to 228 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 5: put them near a sewage plant, put the young House 229 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,839 Speaker 5: out there. It's also like the when I did an 230 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 5: episode where this guy wants all the young house to 231 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 5: be put out in the desert, throw a waterline and 232 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 5: let them fin for themselves, like this kind of purge 233 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 5: idea that they got going on. 234 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 2: And these people just say that in an open conversation, 235 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 2: like not even hearing how extremely dehumanizing and just utterly 236 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 2: horrible that is to say. And they're in positions of power, 237 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 2: you know, So that's the frustrating thing for me, Like 238 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,719 Speaker 2: you come to your job, you come to work with 239 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 2: that set of values, that mindset, and you're gonna treat 240 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 2: these people that way. And it's just it almost feels 241 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 2: like we're just there trying to protect them from that, 242 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 2: you know, to kind of be like a buffer between 243 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 2: the higher ups treating them like that, or like again, 244 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 2: advocating for them to have better services on site. But 245 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 2: we get treated like we don't know what we're talking about. 246 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 2: We get treated we are patronized, we are infantilized about it. 247 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 2: We get treated like we don't know what we're saying, 248 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 2: like you know, even when I got dismissed, or like 249 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 2: you must have known what you were doing, right, I'm 250 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 2: like yes, I knew I could lose my job for this. 251 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 2: I did lose my job for this. But this is important, 252 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 2: you know, or then brushing it off is a non issue. 253 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 2: That people are dying in here, you know. Again, it's 254 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 2: where your values are are are where your values come from. 255 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 2: You know, if you're okay with somebody dying in vulrible 256 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 2: situations on the roof, that tells me a lot about you, 257 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 2: and that tells me you should not be in this 258 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 2: field because you are not leading with humanity. You are 259 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 2: not leading with being person centered, and you are not 260 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 2: leading with like like you say, the light of understanding. 261 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 2: You know, you're not trying to actually help these people. 262 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 2: You are trying to course these people into fitting this 263 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 2: norm of what who deserves it and who doesn't? 264 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: You know, you know, every year I do. 265 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 5: I created this a couple of years ago when there 266 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 5: was an unhoused person that passed away in the air 267 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 5: I was in and people just walked over the body. 268 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 5: People didn't really make it, really didn't take the time 269 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 5: to give it the attention or respect that he was due. 270 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 5: I created a memorial called can you See Me? And 271 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 5: I tried to do it twice of the year, which 272 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 5: is the next one is coming up in June, and 273 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 5: hearing the young house that have passed away. We you know, 274 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 5: I collect from all over getting the names and putting 275 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 5: him I have a custom coffin where the sheet is 276 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 5: over where we put the names there, we put flowers. 277 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 5: We create a service where we rehumanize the people that 278 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 5: have passed away. And I wanted just to reach out 279 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 5: to you too and let you know when the data 280 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 5: it is, if you can get remember the names of 281 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 5: them or the nicknames or things like that, we can 282 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 5: put them on the list as well as you know 283 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 5: remember of them. 284 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's definitely important and definitely would want to attend 285 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 3: something like that because we just think we can't ignore 286 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 3: these realities. Now. I do understand that at a certain 287 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 3: point people are just like I'm at capacity, but I've 288 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 3: heard and I just just a low for me to 289 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 3: just take in and it just before I break myself. 290 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 3: But it is also important too just to let people 291 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 3: know that like, this is not an invisible matter. This 292 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 3: is currently happening. So no, regardless of where you are 293 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 3: at in the world, we have to pay attention to this. 294 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 3: We have to really trying to learn on it. Because 295 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 3: it's just like how I look at it is that 296 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 3: could be me, that could be anybody in my family friends, 297 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 3: that could just be anybody that I don't even know, 298 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 3: and it's just like you just want to have that 299 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 3: genuine empathy just for your fellow man, just that humanity, 300 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 3: because it's just like, how can you hear that these 301 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 3: things are occurring and not feel no type of way 302 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 3: to it. We don't have blood connections with any of 303 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 3: our members or any of the people that are experiencing this, 304 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 3: but just as somebody that just sees it happening, how 305 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 3: can you just kind of turn your back, turn it 306 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 3: to it and turn the blind eye like that that's 307 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 3: a more issue at that. 308 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:06,360 Speaker 2: Point, or even just like excuse it, you know, by saying, hey, 309 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,199 Speaker 2: we got students, we got nursing students, we got we 310 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:11,719 Speaker 2: got hia that goes every now and then you know, 311 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 2: it's fine. It's not fine. No, we're asking for better 312 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 2: for these people. We are asking for an actual like 313 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 2: dignified place to live. And I bid way to go 314 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:23,879 Speaker 2: if if if it's so happens to be so, you know, 315 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 2: and that's just not happening, and it's just it's heartbreaking 316 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 2: to see it. Like I said, we we work where 317 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 2: they live, and they are a community, you know, and 318 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 2: we get so close to them where they're through their 319 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:40,120 Speaker 2: ups and their downs, and it's it's been traumatizing to 320 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 2: to walk in on people who you cared for, you know, 321 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 2: to walk in and find them cold, lifeless, you know, 322 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 2: and to have known them in life, you know, and 323 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 2: to just have have poured all this work into them, 324 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 2: and to trying to be there for them and trying 325 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 2: to get them out of the situation, and just knowing 326 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 2: that you have an uphill battle because of the systems 327 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:01,640 Speaker 2: that be you know. And it's that's kind of why 328 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 2: we're still doing this, you know, Like people are asking me, 329 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 2: like why are you still talking about this? Only because 330 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 2: people shouldn't be dying in the middle of Long Beach 331 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 2: this way. It's it's utterly dystopian, and it's so so 332 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 2: normalized that people don't even be deny about it, you know. 333 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 2: But it's just for for a body to not be 334 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 2: found for for days and days in the middle of 335 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 2: of Long Beach, it's just not okay, you know. And 336 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 2: it's nothing you say can excuse that. And and I 337 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,679 Speaker 2: don't know how the mayor gets in front of the 338 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 2: TV and says it's fine, even though at the very 339 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 2: end he said, you know, we need help, Yes, we do. 340 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 2: That's what we're saying. That's why we're still talking about it, 341 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 2: you know, because we do need help. We need these 342 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 2: these structures to be better. We're actually on the same side. 343 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:45,439 Speaker 2: If you'd be willing to look at your own values 344 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 2: and question your own values and see that you're you're 345 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 2: you wouldn't want your own relatives to go through this. 346 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 2: You should not. It should not be okay for anybody 347 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 2: else to go through this, you know, I agree. 348 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,400 Speaker 3: That's just like we got dismissed and we got got 349 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 3: fired and just raven like bringing these issues up, and 350 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 3: just to even see that you're going to open up 351 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 3: another building without necessarily taking care of the one that 352 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,160 Speaker 3: we came from, and just knowing that other places are 353 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,680 Speaker 3: experiencing this, it's just like everybody can just kind of 354 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 3: pick up and be like, Okay, we can kind of 355 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 3: play hot potato with accountability, and ultimately nobody wants to 356 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 3: address what's going on. So then when you go create 357 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 3: another PHK or another opportunity like that, who's to say, 358 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 3: how are you going to open this up and you 359 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:29,879 Speaker 3: haven't even fixed this yet. Granted, we do want to 360 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 3: have people off the streets, but we need to make 361 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:34,919 Speaker 3: sure that the new facilities is just as well as 362 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 3: the old facilities, that things are at a standard to 363 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 3: keep people a lot of people to get the resources 364 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 3: that they need. Honestly, I'm just I'm tired of a 365 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 3: lot of it because a lot of people just necessarily 366 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 3: like don't care. They carry on business as usual. And 367 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 3: it was very telling to me Doane, and a lot 368 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 3: of other staff members too, that we have people that 369 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 3: claim that they want to advocate, they want to help, 370 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 3: but you have these supervisors, you have these hire ups 371 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:03,919 Speaker 3: come into the building. They don't even look the members 372 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 3: in the eye. 373 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 6: We had to The crazy part about it is too, 374 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 6: is we literally had to invite them to the very 375 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,479 Speaker 6: site that they say that they care about as far 376 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 6: as like these clients, and it took them a while 377 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:16,400 Speaker 6: to come. 378 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 2: And that's one of the things. Like right before I 379 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 2: got dismissed, I met with somebody from the city who 380 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 2: was coming in to help us, you know, after Elimination 381 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 2: Foundation left. There was just me and another case manager 382 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 2: and I asked them, hey, like it's been since last 383 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 2: March that you all like informed the site that it's 384 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 2: going to turn into permanent support of housing. And for 385 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 2: a year now the members have been freaking out about 386 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 2: where they're going to go when when that happens, you know, 387 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 2: and nobody has shown their face for an entire year 388 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 2: to tell them what's going to happen. They come to us, 389 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 2: we didn't get informed, and we have to just basically 390 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 2: be like, hey, like trust that it's going to be fine. 391 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 2: I don't tell them that. I tell them from my 392 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 2: own experience from closing the first project room keysite. They're 393 00:20:57,840 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 2: going to offer you safe parking or they're going to 394 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 2: offer you congregate shelter, and we need to get you 395 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 2: out of here if you have a voucher, because I 396 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 2: do not trust the city to put you in a 397 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,199 Speaker 2: better place than this, right. So that's me trying to 398 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 2: make sure that they don't get their hopes up. But 399 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 2: also I finally told them like a few weeks ago, 400 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 2: you know, like please come to the site, Please have 401 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 2: a town hall with the members and tell them what 402 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 2: the plan is because it's long overdue. It's been a 403 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 2: year and they've been in limbo for a year without 404 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 2: any answers, you know, So it's it's also that lack 405 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 2: of accountability towards the very people that you're serving. You know, 406 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 2: nobody goes down there to ask their opinions about anything. 407 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 2: Nobody goes to look at the rooms in the state 408 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 2: that they're in. There's mold in there, like I said, bedbugs, cockroaches, 409 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 2: completely invested, and nobody is directly talking to them. Nobody's 410 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 2: talking to us. You know, when the CEOs came, DeAndre 411 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 2: told them to take a tour of the place, and 412 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 2: they wouldn't do it. You know, so what does that say? 413 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 2: You know, it's it's just completely inhumane and lack of accountability. 414 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree, and I thank you guys again for 415 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 5: taking the time to talk to me. 416 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 2: Thank you THEO. We appreciate your Thank you so much. 417 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 5: Thank you so much to Donya and DeAndre for sharing 418 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 5: their experiences and blowing the whistle here on Whedian House. 419 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 5: When we come back from break, we're going to take 420 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:23,400 Speaker 5: a different direction. Our next guest tells us about her 421 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 5: current experiences of houselessness than welcome back to Wiedian Howse 422 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 5: My final guest today is going to discuss her experiences 423 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:38,639 Speaker 5: being un housed and studying journalism. 424 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 1: Here's my interview with Janet. 425 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 7: I'm Janet. I'm a journalism student at LACC. I am 426 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 7: currently unhousing in my SUV. Former organizer with the LA 427 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 7: Tenants Union, helped create the rapid Eviction Defense program, and 428 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 7: currently just focused on trying to get through. 429 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,439 Speaker 5: School, which I'm glad you mentioned that, because it is 430 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 5: not a surprise that they're very fastest of houselessness. For example, 431 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 5: they're on house that we always see with the encampments. 432 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 5: We see some living in hotels, we see some doing produce. 433 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 5: We're seeing various diversity of houselessness. And I must ask, 434 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 5: how long have you been unhoused? 435 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 7: I guess technically only about two months. 436 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 1: What brought it on? What happened? I mean, if you 437 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:28,159 Speaker 1: don't mind us talking on this. 438 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 7: Yeah, So basically, when I split with my partner last year, 439 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 7: I started staying in my prius. And then when I 440 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 7: got back from Florida, I went to Florida to work, 441 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 7: and I realized that if I was going to head 442 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 7: back to LA that I wouldn't be able to afford 443 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 7: the rent out here they want first month and last 444 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:52,639 Speaker 7: month and your firstborn child and everything else, and I 445 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:53,920 Speaker 7: just knew it was going to be impossible if I 446 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 7: wanted to focus on school full time, that I wouldn't 447 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,199 Speaker 7: be able to actually be able to pay rent. So 448 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,639 Speaker 7: I actually got myself a decent SUV so that I 449 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 7: can stand it, you know, rather comfortably, and that that's 450 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 7: my kind of main expense. So that's kind of my 451 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 7: rent payment instead of a rent payment, because it's about 452 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 7: half of what that would be. 453 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:16,160 Speaker 1: Quick question. 454 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 5: In San Jose, California, they are utilizing technology companies that 455 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 5: are using a AI technologies to fight on house people 456 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 5: and particular people that are living in RVs or vehicles, 457 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:33,160 Speaker 5: and it portends for something very sinister, even though they're 458 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 5: claiming they're not taking pictures of. 459 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 1: People, but they're taking of their vehicles. 460 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 5: Would that be a concern. Do you think that's going 461 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 5: to spread or what's what's your thoughts on this, because 462 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 5: now that you are living in your vehicle, it's just 463 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 5: a consideration that you would really think on. 464 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 7: I mean, it's a huge concern. I think a lot 465 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 7: of folks are starting to discover this lifestyle out of necessity, 466 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:55,120 Speaker 7: and you know, I think that they're you know, they've 467 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 7: always been trying to criminalize homelessness. It's just a larger 468 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 7: reach now with people staying in their view because we 469 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 7: can kind of stay under the radar at the moment. 470 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 7: But I think that they want to, you know, they 471 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 7: want to force us into programs. They want to force 472 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 7: us into getting arrested and being in jail and then 473 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 7: you know, essentially working for them as slaves in the 474 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 7: jail system. They really don't want us to find ways 475 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:22,119 Speaker 7: out of the system that they've built. So yeah, it's 476 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 7: a huge concern. 477 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 5: I also want to take a quick change of topic 478 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 5: and ask your you, what was it like for your 479 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,360 Speaker 5: first time being unhoused? 480 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 7: You know, I think the hardest thing has been The 481 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 7: hardest thing has been not knowing if I'm safe at night. 482 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:46,239 Speaker 7: So I think the first several nights it was you know, 483 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 7: is someone going to find that I'm in my vehicle? 484 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 7: Is someone going to call the police on me? Is 485 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:53,199 Speaker 7: there going to be a guy that finds me and 486 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 7: tries to take advantage. I think it took a few 487 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:00,359 Speaker 7: weeks for me to get more comfortable with it. Now 488 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 7: I sleep like a baby, but for a long time 489 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 7: I didn't. 490 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 5: How long did it take to find a safe place 491 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 5: to find where you could park, because I noticed that 492 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 5: some of friends that were to using vehicles that could 493 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:15,399 Speaker 5: be very touchy because the neighbors could be nimbyish or 494 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 5: they have called cops, or or you can get your 495 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 5: car told, So you have to be very careful where 496 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 5: you park it. 497 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 7: Yes, exactly. I actually use an app called Ioverlander. Highly 498 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,400 Speaker 7: recommend it for anyone that's just getting into their car. 499 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 7: It's a great app that shows you a lot of 500 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 7: places that you can stay overnight with reviews from people 501 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:40,719 Speaker 7: who've done so. And I also use different Facebook groups 502 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 7: with unhoused people to ask, you know, what's safe and 503 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 7: what's not and get ideas from that. So you know, 504 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 7: I've actually found some really great spots where I don't 505 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,719 Speaker 7: worry as much, and I try to keep an eye 506 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 7: out for people that I can see are also staying 507 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:55,880 Speaker 7: in their cars, and if they're doing it, I feel 508 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 7: a little bit more comfortable to me doing it as well. 509 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 5: How is it juggling going to school and being on 510 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 5: house as well? 511 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:06,120 Speaker 7: Oh, it's difficult for sure. I think the hardest thing 512 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:09,919 Speaker 7: is finding a place to study and also finding a 513 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 7: place that I can really relax and like just take 514 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 7: some time to be by myself. Kind of the lack 515 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 7: of privacy is really difficult. So I find myself being 516 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:21,720 Speaker 7: just kind of drained and tired all the time. So 517 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:23,280 Speaker 7: all the things that I would like to be doing 518 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 7: in school and extracurricular activities, I'm not really doing as 519 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:30,399 Speaker 7: much as I had hoped, just because I'm just exhausted. 520 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 7: I think, like the basic finding a place to shower, 521 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,120 Speaker 7: finding a place to work, finding a place to walk 522 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 7: my dog, like all those things, it's it's kind of 523 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 7: difficult to get into a routine. And I think that 524 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 7: that's you know, all the things that you kind of 525 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 7: take for granted when you're in a house, All those 526 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 7: things just add up and are a lot more difficult 527 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 7: and take a lot more time. 528 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 5: I mean, I asked the dreadit question because I had 529 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 5: a hard time with this. Not only what the finding 530 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:59,439 Speaker 5: places to shower is the laundry, because la is not 531 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 5: meant for walking, and some of the place laundry places 532 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:05,639 Speaker 5: are far from place or you know, so are you 533 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 5: having challenges with this? 534 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 7: I do okay with laundry because with my car, you know, 535 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 7: it's easier for me to you know, store my laundry. There, 536 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 7: I'm actually helping out a friend who lets me stay 537 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 7: with them on occasion, and I am able to take 538 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 7: them to do their laundry because they don't have a car. 539 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 7: So I feel like I can at least be useful 540 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 7: in that way. But yeah, the laundry hasn't been in 541 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:27,919 Speaker 7: challenge as much as just kind of having stinky laundry 542 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:29,199 Speaker 7: and your car is not preferable. 543 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:31,320 Speaker 5: Yes, especially you have to sleep in the same yeah, 544 00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 5: you know, yeah, and heat coming up, yes, so yeah, 545 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 5: you have to want It's one of the things like 546 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 5: that really stay on top of, or particularly like after 547 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 5: we had a rain storm, it was one of the 548 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 5: difficult things because clothes start the mildew and you want 549 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 5: to be around people being offensive. So it's one of 550 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 5: those catch twenty throw twos. You've sent me something, and 551 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 5: I'm going to take a quick minute on to ask 552 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 5: you something because we're talking about houselessness. You said twenty 553 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 5: percent of California community college students are houseless and sixty 554 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 5: percent have experienced some kind of housing insecurity, and you, 555 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:08,719 Speaker 5: of course needless to say, this is a crisis. So 556 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,719 Speaker 5: you want to amplify your conversational point with this. 557 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 7: Yeah, it's actually something that I just learned and made 558 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:18,480 Speaker 7: me feel. You know, you shouldn't feel guilty for being 559 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 7: unhoused when the system isn't there to serve us, but 560 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 7: you know, you kind of feel like, oh, there's something 561 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 7: wrong with me if everyone else can kind of figure 562 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 7: out how to make this happen. But it turns out 563 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 7: they can't. I mean, for one in five college students 564 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 7: or community college students to be in house kind of 565 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,400 Speaker 7: a shocking statistic. But it also doesn't surprise me. Given 566 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 7: how much work we have to put in for school, 567 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 7: how can we I mean, there's only so many hours 568 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 7: in the week. How can we also work a full 569 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 7: time job? It doesn't seem like there's enough resources built 570 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 7: around this, and. 571 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 5: Being in house is a full time job despite people 572 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 5: not understanding that. Yeah, so yes, that's one of the things. 573 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 5: That's a very interesting point. Do you know any of 574 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 5: your classmates that are on house or do are you 575 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 5: guys like what I would do, like the play the role, 576 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 5: like I'm just a student coming in with my books 577 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:10,479 Speaker 5: and like when I was speaking over at UCLA, a 578 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 5: couple of the students came to me after me having 579 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 5: a conversation and told me that they were at house 580 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 5: and one you know, mentioned it in the class and 581 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 5: I could see the shock on classmates' faces because of again, 582 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 5: only people see on house that are on outside, on 583 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:28,840 Speaker 5: encampments or an RV. They don't understand that they have 584 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 5: classmates that are either working next to them are in 585 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 5: the same kind of predicament. So I found that very unique. 586 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 5: But also you've mentioned here and I'm going to take 587 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 5: a minute here about when you were a tenant organizing 588 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 5: what got you involved into the tennis unit. 589 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 7: Well, I had moved here at the beginning of the pandemic, 590 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 7: and I didn't realize the level of the crisis that 591 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 7: was happening all across the city, seeing people get evicted 592 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 7: during the eviction moratorium, and I had really come to 593 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:02,640 Speaker 7: LA during the endemic to be of use. I had 594 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 7: a group of organizers that we all came off of 595 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 7: the Bernie Sanders campaign and realized that, you know, electoral 596 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 7: politics was not going to be the answer, and we 597 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 7: decided to all come together to LA from all across 598 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 7: the country to be as useful as we could. And 599 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 7: I found the LA Tenants Union has started organizing with 600 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 7: them and you know, went to a lot of eviction 601 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 7: defenses and saw just the the crazy, over the top 602 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 7: reaction from landlords when tenants couldn't pay rent, which of 603 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 7: course they couldn't, there was no way to work. How 604 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 7: can you not go to work and not buy your 605 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 7: It's just impossible. So yeah, I started organizing with them, 606 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 7: and I think that actually led me to starting to 607 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 7: try to find ways to stay in my car because 608 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 7: I knew that, you know, one bad thing happens and 609 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 7: you're going to be on house. It just happened so 610 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 7: quickly here. So I started watching a lot of YouTube 611 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,239 Speaker 7: videos and researching, you know, how do you make it? 612 00:31:57,440 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 7: How do you make it work in your car? And 613 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 7: I did my research for even a couple of years 614 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 7: before I made the move. 615 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 5: You mentioned about you wanted shining the light on the 616 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 5: evils of the system, but you also mentioned you started 617 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 5: protesting and then getting involved with Mutual Aidy eviction defense 618 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 5: and stop the sweeps, and you guys didn't know where 619 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 5: to go with the anger. So can you explain that? 620 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 7: Yeah, I think in twenty twenty, it was like a 621 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 7: big wake up call for everyone to see that the 622 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:29,200 Speaker 7: system really and truly does not care about us, you know, 623 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 7: to see so many people struggle to make ends meet 624 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 7: because they literally could not work. There was no way 625 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 7: to work with everything shut down, And to see the 626 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 7: way the other countries went about it. Most countries knew 627 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 7: how to take care of people and make sure that 628 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,040 Speaker 7: they didn't have to go to work, and ours, for 629 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 7: some reason didn't, even though we're the wealthiest country in 630 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:49,160 Speaker 7: the world. So I think a lot of people, you know, 631 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 7: had extra time on their hands and were growing angrier 632 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 7: and angrier, and you know, they found outlets for that 633 00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 7: through the protest movement when George Floyd was murdered, Anna Taylor, 634 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,400 Speaker 7: and you know, countless others, Andrea Scordato here in La 635 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 7: and I think that we channeled a lot of that 636 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:11,040 Speaker 7: anger into those protests and supporting each other through mutual 637 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 7: aid and eviction defense. And I'm really proud of the 638 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 7: work that I did with with all of those. But 639 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 7: I think coming out of twenty twenty and seeing that, 640 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 7: you know, the needle hasn't really moved, and in fact, 641 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:24,040 Speaker 7: things have gotten worse, it just to me really highlighted 642 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 7: how we can't rely on just doing you know, one 643 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 7: aspect of these things, and that's going to actually really 644 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 7: make a difference. That we need to start to connect 645 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 7: the dots across the country from different you know, protest movements, 646 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,480 Speaker 7: mutual aid movements, and to be able to see, like, 647 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 7: this is what's working over here, and we need to 648 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:45,400 Speaker 7: be able to adjust that for the situation that we 649 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:47,640 Speaker 7: have over here. And if we're not learning from each other, 650 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 7: we're just wasting you know, valuable time. 651 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 5: In your estimation, you mentioned things are getting worse. How 652 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 5: so are they getting worse and what do you think 653 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 5: that's going on that it shows that it's getting worse. 654 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:00,040 Speaker 5: Of course I agree with you, but I want to 655 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:01,160 Speaker 5: hit your insight on it. 656 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:04,240 Speaker 7: You know, to see how much the rents have gone up. 657 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:08,320 Speaker 7: It seems to be no cap on increases and rent 658 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:12,440 Speaker 7: increases in grocery prices. I mean, everyone is feeling the squeeze. 659 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 7: You know, even the middle class is feeling the squeeze. 660 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 7: And you know, to see that our president can send 661 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 7: bombs over to murder Palestinians in mass and ethnic cleansing, 662 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:29,279 Speaker 7: and to see that and know how much money is 663 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:31,960 Speaker 7: being spent on it, and know that that's our money, 664 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,839 Speaker 7: that's our labor that's being stolen from us and our 665 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 7: tax money that's being stolen from us, and it's not 666 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:41,400 Speaker 7: being used to be helpful here. It just seems like 667 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 7: it seems like things really couldn't get any worse, and 668 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:46,719 Speaker 7: yet I think that they will until we actually start 669 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 7: fighting back, because they're going to push us as far 670 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 7: as they can. 671 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:53,240 Speaker 5: Well, they are already planning cop cities and other things 672 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:57,439 Speaker 5: because I think they have a foresight understanding. There's only 673 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,600 Speaker 5: so much that they're going to keep blaming. And I 674 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:05,000 Speaker 5: impoverished for their condition. Right now, there's many people believing 675 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,360 Speaker 5: in the Horatio algeir myth that is a personal failing 676 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:11,840 Speaker 5: and of being at house or people who are doing 677 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:15,480 Speaker 5: survival or survival crimes or quality of life crimes, and 678 00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:19,359 Speaker 5: they are trying to keep that going as long as 679 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:23,319 Speaker 5: they can. Turning to a different direction, I wanted to 680 00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 5: as to ask you, do you plan on finding getting 681 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 5: a house or are you going to stay in the 682 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:33,279 Speaker 5: automobiles or are you going to what would be a 683 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 5: better way to help you. 684 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:37,360 Speaker 7: I think the plan right now is to stay in 685 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,840 Speaker 7: my car until I'm able to save up enough money 686 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 7: to actually buy a place, because I don't want to 687 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:46,440 Speaker 7: keep throwing away money on rent. I don't want a 688 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:48,520 Speaker 7: tyrant landlord to feel like they can come into my 689 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:50,840 Speaker 7: home whenever they want to and not fix anything and 690 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 7: keep asking for more and more money. So ideally I 691 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,360 Speaker 7: won't be paying rent anymore ever again. So I'm thinking 692 00:35:57,360 --> 00:35:59,640 Speaker 7: it might be the next five years or so that 693 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:01,760 Speaker 7: I save up and buy place. 694 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:04,879 Speaker 5: Is there anything that I missed and asking a question? 695 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:07,080 Speaker 5: It is like you can want to jump in and 696 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 5: talk about, you know. 697 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:14,040 Speaker 7: I think the biggest thing that is keeping people from 698 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:17,640 Speaker 7: organizing that I've noticed is the propaganda of like you 699 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 7: said before, people believe that it's like an individual failing, 700 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:24,840 Speaker 7: and I think that's, you know, very much on purpose 701 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 7: that corporate media tries to convince us that this is 702 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:30,799 Speaker 7: just just a mental health issue, it's just a drug 703 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:35,640 Speaker 7: addition issue, and it's like, no, everyone is struggling and 704 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 7: it can't be everyone's fault. That's impossible, you know. It's 705 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:40,360 Speaker 7: the system that we're in and until we start to 706 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:43,959 Speaker 7: see I think stories of people that are fighting back 707 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:46,800 Speaker 7: in a beautiful way and working together as a community 708 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:50,400 Speaker 7: to make larger changes and not not be on the 709 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,120 Speaker 7: defense but start to take the offense. I think, you know, 710 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 7: the reason I got into journalism is because I want 711 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:57,360 Speaker 7: to be able to I want to be able to 712 00:36:57,360 --> 00:36:59,400 Speaker 7: tell those stories and show people that there is a 713 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,040 Speaker 7: different way and that you know, there are people out 714 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:03,839 Speaker 7: there that are really making a change, and you don't 715 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,040 Speaker 7: have to see the news and be in despair. You 716 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 7: can see what's happening and be hopeful and be uplifted 717 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:11,840 Speaker 7: because there are people that are making meaningful change. 718 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:14,239 Speaker 1: Well, do you think mainstream media has that kind of 719 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:16,280 Speaker 1: connection or I. 720 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:20,120 Speaker 7: They don't want to. It's very much their focus is 721 00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 7: trying to convince us that it's our fault and that 722 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 7: you know, if we just worked a little harder hustle culture, 723 00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:27,960 Speaker 7: then we can we can be a famous, rich celebrity 724 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:31,839 Speaker 7: as well. Luckily, we have social media that shows us 725 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:34,440 Speaker 7: what's actually happening, because the corporate media never will. But 726 00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 7: I think that we can grow that as community organizers, 727 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:41,440 Speaker 7: we can grow our own mass media that really is 728 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 7: done by and for the people. 729 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 1: Excellent. I agree. 730 00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:47,360 Speaker 5: When I created Woody and House Living on the Street, 731 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:50,600 Speaker 5: that was my whole aim to show the reality our 732 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:53,440 Speaker 5: news media is always loved to find the worst of 733 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 5: unhoused people to justify the most inhumane kind of policies. 734 00:37:57,200 --> 00:37:59,799 Speaker 5: But I digress and I know and I show us 735 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:03,720 Speaker 5: to acquire How do you suppose we could turn this around? 736 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 7: You know? I think, like I said, I think really 737 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:10,280 Speaker 7: positive and uplifting media showing what we're able to accomplish 738 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:14,640 Speaker 7: as you know, regular working class and poor people. I think, 739 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 7: you know, finally saying enough is enough and not paying 740 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:23,120 Speaker 7: rent to the landlord. That doesn't fix anything, you know, 741 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:26,000 Speaker 7: not not allowing your boss to treat you like crap, 742 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:29,480 Speaker 7: and not unionized like if we all start working together, 743 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:32,640 Speaker 7: these things can change. And yeah, we have to get 744 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:34,480 Speaker 7: outside of that individualist mindset. 745 00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:38,040 Speaker 5: Well you know, that's how capitalism is able to thrive 746 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:42,319 Speaker 5: because they have that individual achievement and ability. I think 747 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:45,319 Speaker 5: this is one of the very interesting conversations to have, 748 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:48,640 Speaker 5: and I thank you for showing up and coming in 749 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:49,680 Speaker 5: with some things. 750 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:50,120 Speaker 1: To talk about. 751 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:51,319 Speaker 7: Thank you for having me. 752 00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:57,799 Speaker 5: Thank you to Janet and to all of the guests 753 00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:00,560 Speaker 5: who have taken the time to share their stories. If 754 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,040 Speaker 5: you would like to share your story on Weedian Howse, 755 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:06,440 Speaker 5: please reach out to me at Widianhouse dot com, at 756 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:10,279 Speaker 5: median House on Instagram, or email me at weedianhows at 757 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:14,360 Speaker 5: gmail dot com tune in next time for our final installment, 758 00:39:14,560 --> 00:39:17,720 Speaker 5: a blow the Whistle again. Thank you all for taking 759 00:39:17,719 --> 00:39:19,840 Speaker 5: time to listen, and may we again meet in the 760 00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:28,400 Speaker 5: light of understanding. Whedianhowees is the production of iHeartRadio. It 761 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 5: is written, posted, and created by me Theo Henderson, our 762 00:39:33,719 --> 00:39:40,960 Speaker 5: producers Jbie Loftus, Kailey Fager, Katiefisial and Lyra Smith. Our 763 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:44,360 Speaker 5: editor is Adam Wand, and our logo art is also 764 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:46,560 Speaker 5: by Katiefisial. Thanks for listening 765 00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:00,080 Speaker 2: It