1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: Previously on We the un Housed, What is your feelings 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: on the new president as well as the Grant's past ruling. 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: Have you heard of what Grant passes? No, I'm not familiar. 4 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: Have you heard of for the Gwen eighteen is No? 5 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 2: I guess I'm hopeful because I see every single day 6 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 2: people that want to make a difference in, people that 7 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 2: want to see the change, changes that we needed to 8 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 2: make sure that every single neighbor is taken care of. 9 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,959 Speaker 1: Welcome to weed the in House. I'm your host EO Henderson. 10 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: This week, right in time for the holidays, we're heading 11 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: back into the field and learning more about an unhoused 12 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: mutual aid organization on the east side of Los Angeles, Sila. 13 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: But first on House News, I would like to express 14 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: my profound frustration and disappointment on the verdict Daniel Penny received. 15 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: Before I break down the entire situation and how it 16 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: impacts the House community, I would like to take a 17 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: moment of silence to remember Jordan Neeli come with me 18 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: on this journey to break down the supposed heroism of 19 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: Daniel Penney and Luigi Maggione. Luigi Maggione's situation he has 20 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: been branded as a folk hero taking a shot at 21 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: the corporate health systems abuse of vulnerable people looking for 22 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: medical treatment to be covered. Conversely, there was none of 23 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: the same sympathy and empathy for another person that healthcare 24 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:57,559 Speaker 1: system failed, and that's Jordan Neely. When Jordan Neely expressed 25 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: his frustration because he was hungry and because of the 26 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: trauma that he had endured, that the city did not 27 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: offer or have a sympathetic or empathetic heart or ear 28 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 1: for his troubles. Jordan Neely should be alive and be 29 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: able to have the appropriate health care plan to meet 30 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: his needs, same as the elderly grandmother who was denied 31 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: that chemotherapy treatment because insurance didn't cover it. Our society 32 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: relies on a stationary prism of right and wrong, law 33 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: and order, black and white, and it uses it to 34 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 1: meet its own prejudices and views of injustice applied to them. 35 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: Based on social media's comments and celebratory actions after Daniel 36 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: Penny's not guilty verter, it shows how the narrative was 37 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:55,399 Speaker 1: crafted to justify Jordan Neely's death. Many of the things 38 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: Jordan Nearly did in his lifetime could be attributed to 39 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: his illness, financial circumstances and his inability to seek sustain 40 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: medical treatment because he did not have insurance. What is 41 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: also glaringly apparent is the nimbi like responses. Witnesses said 42 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: about mister Neely that he seemed dangerous, they were scared, 43 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: and because of his verbal outbursts, felt that Daniel Penny's 44 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: behavior was justified. Jordan Neely did not touch anyone on 45 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: that train, but the trained occupants touched Jordan Neely and 46 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: decided his life should be extinguished. New York has had 47 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: two separate instiduses where apparently unhoused people have killed house people. 48 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: It is not outside the rum of possibility. This vigilanteism 49 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: is to serve as a rallying cry to the next 50 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: Daniel Pennies of the world. As a final note, whenever 51 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: it is mentioned that we need a fair, balance and 52 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: equitable healthcare system, many are blamed, accused of being evil 53 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: socialists that want to take over the world. How much 54 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: better would our society be if we could provide healthcare 55 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: treatment for all without the bloodsuckers. And that's in house news. 56 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: When we come back more from the field, Welcome back 57 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 1: to Whedian House. When I went to see the services 58 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: that SELA offers the young house. I was just as 59 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: curious to learn about the participants who came to events 60 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: and use their services as I was about the volunteers. First, 61 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: during a Wednesday afternoon program, I spoke with a regular participant, Cabayo. 62 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: Here's our chack. 63 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 3: Hi wached Cabio. I started out everything great because I 64 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 3: was sixteen, and then he robbed a bottom. I was 65 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 3: from having everything to nothing. I lost my house and 66 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 3: I was just I was just so bad on drugs 67 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 3: and alcohol, and that's all I cared about at the time. 68 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 3: So I ended up sleeping on them because behind the 69 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:17,280 Speaker 3: zampm on Fletcherian Riverside, and then from sixteen to two 70 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 3: thouy seventeen, it was just alcohol, drugs, just recycling just 71 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 3: to get drugs. And I got to a point that I, 72 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 3: I mean, I start smiling. I was thinking from south 73 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 3: into the river. So then I decided one of my 74 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 3: friends told me about SELA and this is uh, this 75 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 3: is late two thousand eighteen when they just first started. 76 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 3: So then I came to this church over the Silvery 77 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 3: Community Church, and from there my life started changing. First, 78 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 3: I got from connected to people's concern. So through them, 79 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 3: I got to Project Rookie in twenty twenty one. But 80 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 3: before that, in December eighteenth, two thousand nineteen, I said 81 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 3: that's it. I stopped drinking doing drugs and I've been 82 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 3: sober and clean since then. But it's funny because I 83 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 3: was recycling after I told God, please help me. God, 84 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 3: I won't drink ever again. I just need help. And 85 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 3: three days after that I said that, I came across 86 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 3: a six pack of beer and I was like, oh, 87 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 3: maybe he didn't hear me, and I said, nope, that's it, 88 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 3: and I gave it to the guys that recycling center. 89 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 3: And since then everything's been going good. I got house, seen, 90 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 3: I live in Koreatown. Now, I give back volunteering every Wednesday. 91 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 3: I've been volunteering another church a manual on Fridays, but 92 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 3: Stila's the one that got me connected. That was the 93 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 3: main thing. And then I come to church every Sunday. 94 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 3: I'm being part of the church. I'm a member of 95 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 3: the church now. So that's my. 96 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: Story, very impactful. So have you been having battles with 97 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: alcohol for a long time or. 98 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 3: I drink all my life? I mean since I was sixteen, 99 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 3: But I got out of control, and that's all I wanted, 100 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 3: you know. It was it was mainly like partying, but 101 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 3: then I sold drugs. I was selling drugs and from 102 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 3: coke to math. But when I hit the streets, I 103 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 3: just partied more. I mean I didn't. I didn't. I 104 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 3: didn't even want to live. I almost committed suicide, and 105 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 3: some of the sea like people help me. I just 106 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 3: got to the point, I mean, I let myself go. 107 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 3: I didn't care if I died. And then I just 108 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 3: actually I found through the pastor here. I started coming 109 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 3: to church and and I just gave my life to God. 110 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 3: And I said, you know, and I said, I didn't 111 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 3: go to no no twelve steps or anything. I just said, 112 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 3: that's it. And once I the first time, I stopped. 113 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 3: But it was hard. I went through withdrawals and all 114 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 3: kinds of things. 115 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: So what do you see yourself doing in the future. 116 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 3: Well, right now, because I was, I was in them 117 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 3: for mental issues. So eight five, I'm want to be evaluated, 118 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 3: and I'm not I'm going to have to move out 119 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 3: in my apartment and then start working again. So I 120 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 3: used to do convince setups, so I don't I don't 121 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 3: mind working I just you know, I had to get to 122 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 3: Okay to do it, but I see myself giving back more, 123 00:07:58,080 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 3: you know. And if I had to work to pay, 124 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 3: I'll do that. But I just volunteer everywhere you get back. 125 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 3: If I wasn't homeless, I would have nervo felt this 126 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 3: church that I had new family, new friends here that 127 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 3: wouldn't have had it. 128 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 1: If he wasn't. 129 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 3: So I think by hitting rock about him, I felt 130 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 3: my new life. 131 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: Is there anything that you would like to offer for 132 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: people that are listening to your story or people that 133 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: may be going through something similar that you're going through 134 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: eating words of advice? 135 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 3: So I encouragement the main thing I'm saying, because what 136 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 3: I did, it was God's fault. Everything was God's fault. 137 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 3: It wasn't my fault. But just started believing, I mean, 138 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 3: it's not god'swelt, I mean, and there is help out there. 139 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 3: It might take a while because it took me a 140 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 3: year and a half inside the shelter before I got 141 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 3: house seen, but there's people out there that care about you, 142 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 3: and there's a lot of services believing believing that you 143 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:47,679 Speaker 3: could do it. 144 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: Thanks so much to Kabaya for his time. On a 145 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: second trip. I saw Stela's Saturday program, an all afternoon 146 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: event where hot in house people can get a hot meal, 147 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: close and connection to services. We heard from operations manager 148 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: maybe a Girl last week, and I also got the 149 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: chance to speak to their volunteer coordinator, Rachel sent off. 150 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: Here's our talk. Oh, thank you very much for taking 151 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: the time. When the last time I was here, it 152 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: was so busy you was doing everything and I didn't 153 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 1: really get a chance to sit down and talk to 154 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: you about what was going on. So I'm happy now 155 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: to talk to you about what's going on today. So 156 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: tell us what's going on today? That was so different 157 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: than the last time I seen. 158 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 4: Yes, so what's going on today is our Saturday dropping program, 159 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 4: and there's a Saturday outreach program that happened simultaneously, and 160 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 4: so all of our programs have very similar features. What 161 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 4: makes them different is in terms of the space that 162 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 4: we're able to occupy. Things can get a little more 163 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 4: hectic or a little more chaotic, there can be more 164 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 4: running around. And what's great about today is Saturday is 165 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 4: the day where we have found in our community that 166 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 4: comes to see us the services are most lacking. 167 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 5: So we have a really large crowd. 168 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:11,439 Speaker 4: On Saturdays, and normally the running around that you saw 169 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 4: on Wednesday you'd be saying again, But in the aftermath 170 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 4: of the election, it's really activated and energize people. So 171 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 4: we have so many hands today. It's a mixture of 172 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 4: volunteers who we haven't been able to see for a 173 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 4: few months, who I got emails and it was like, 174 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 4: I'm coming back. I'm really sorry, I've been around for 175 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 4: a few months. 176 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 5: I'm back. 177 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 4: And then it was also this immediate, beautiful onslaught of 178 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 4: people signing up for the first time. So it is 179 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 4: it's going to be very busy in there. But in 180 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 4: terms of how I feel this is we are so prepared. 181 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 4: We have an incredible group of people. I'm here to 182 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 4: just watch it all happen. 183 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 1: So the Thanksgiving holiday is swiftly reapproaching, and you know 184 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: this beautiful aromatic smell that we have here. Can you 185 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about that. 186 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 4: Yes, So what we do at CELA is because we 187 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 4: have so many programs during the week, we decide to 188 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 4: keep all of our programs on the dates they already are, 189 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 4: but we'll just make our programs within a week where 190 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 4: there's a holiday focused on doing whatever we can to 191 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 4: bring that energy into the space for everyone who's coming 192 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 4: to see us. And so what we're doing today is 193 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 4: we are very lucky to have started this organic partnership 194 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 4: with Chef Maurice, who runs a community organization called the 195 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 4: stew and his whole purpose and his work is how 196 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 4: is food and food justice used to create community and 197 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 4: love amongst everyone. So we are so grateful and excited 198 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 4: that he learned about us from an event and decided 199 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 4: that we matched with what he believes, which is an honor. 200 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 4: And so what's going on today is Chef Marie spent 201 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 4: all morning and all yesterday preparing a meal for our participants. 202 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 4: He dropped that meal off this morning. It was real 203 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 4: hot and ready, and of course we've had to spend 204 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,359 Speaker 4: time setting up. So my coworker maybe and our volunteers 205 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 4: all spent this morning putting things in our food warmers 206 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 4: that the church here very kindly gives us access to. 207 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,199 Speaker 4: So we are going to have a hot meal of 208 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 4: turkey and all of the sides that we associate with 209 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 4: Thanksgiving dinner. So we hope that that gives people a 210 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 4: sense of homing, community feeling, and then throughout the week 211 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 4: because of course, Thanksgiving still approaching, we have our usual 212 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 4: program on Wednesday where another community group called Everyday Action 213 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 4: is going to be bringing food over and Everyday Actions 214 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 4: focus similar to Chef Maurice and Isdew, it's all based 215 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 4: around food justice. The difference is that they're food rescue groups, 216 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 4: so they go to film sets, businesses, grocery stores where 217 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 4: things are being thrown out, and Everyday Action. 218 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: I think I've seen something on the Instagram about. 219 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 4: Yeah they're Yeah, they are. I'm amazed. So we connect 220 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:43,440 Speaker 4: with them throughout the week every week and it's so funny. 221 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 4: We'll get phone calls and it's like, there wasn't any 222 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 4: food at this Whole Foods, but I'm driving to Culver City. 223 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 4: They'll just drive around and find things. And a lot 224 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 4: of them have worked previously in films, so they know 225 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 4: kind of the timing of when film sets are, you know. 226 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 4: So it's really cool and this is kind of a 227 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 4: newer partnership and we're really excited because they've always done 228 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 4: this leading up to Thanksgiving where during the week they'll 229 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 4: plan like a really big cooking session and then we'll 230 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,680 Speaker 4: deliver it to mutual aid groups and organizations that week. 231 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 4: And because we've had this partnership, they've asked us to 232 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 4: send some volunteers to help cook. So it's really cool 233 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,359 Speaker 4: is that throughout the next few days, our volunteers, there, volunteers, 234 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 4: mutual aid groups are all going to meet in this 235 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 4: like industrial kitchen that they've gotten access to and then 236 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 4: deliver it to a bunch of groups across the city. 237 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 4: And we're very grateful that we're one of them. So 238 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 4: they'll be here on Wednesday. 239 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: Your exuberants is so contagious that I just was so 240 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 1: interested into the story of it, and so tell us 241 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: a little bit about how did you get caught up 242 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:39,959 Speaker 1: into Seila? 243 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:42,839 Speaker 5: Okay, so thank you so much. That's so lovely to hear. 244 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 6: So. 245 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 4: I grew up in the San Fernando Valley van I 246 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 4: Sherman Oaks, so I always have been very invested in 247 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 4: what's happening in this area. I live around here now 248 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 4: and so it's been a little bit of a journey. 249 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,719 Speaker 4: And how I started getting involved in CILA, I did 250 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 4: a lot of community organized I was a college student 251 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 4: around tuition increases things like that, and that kind of 252 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 4: took me into labor organizing and like a research level, 253 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 4: very like kind of baby in that world and then 254 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 4: so I knew that being in this kind of space 255 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 4: was very important to me, and it led me to 256 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 4: journalism for a while, and which was amazing. I did 257 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 4: gotten to do a lot of cool research for places, 258 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 4: but being a freelance journalist is really hard and I 259 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 4: was burning out. And then a friend of mine, John Dowd, 260 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 4: was the vaunteer program director for one of Sela's programs, 261 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 4: who I'd known about SELA for a while. But I 262 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 4: appreciate the ACMI exuberance, but I can be very shy. 263 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 4: So even though I had like familiarity with things, I 264 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 4: just was like, Cela's really cool. I'll go if someone 265 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 4: goes with me maybe, And it was just I wasn't 266 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 4: making it happen. And I didn't like that because this 267 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 4: kind of work had been so important to me, but 268 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 4: for whatever reason, I'd been kind of away at a 269 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 4: desk for a while. 270 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 5: I just was nervous. 271 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 4: And then my friend John was like, well, I'm the 272 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 4: program director, now, just come to SELA. 273 00:14:58,160 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 5: That was in twenty twenty one when I. 274 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 4: Started volunteering and I started at our services desk, which 275 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 4: was way smaller than it is now. Our services desk 276 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 4: is where folks help with document assistance, phone calls, basically 277 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 4: anything to access public resources because as we know, case 278 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 4: management is a very overburdened and often inefficient system, and 279 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 4: so this was when that. 280 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 5: Had just started. 281 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 4: So I was learning the ropes just a little bit, 282 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 4: and then I was working multiple jobs. 283 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 5: It was just kind of hard to make it happen. 284 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 4: And then the volunteer coordinator was the role at the time, 285 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 4: and it had been individual coordinators for each program on 286 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 4: a volunteer basis, and people were just burning out because 287 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 4: for great reason, it was just getting really big and 288 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 4: it was like people were like, I have a job 289 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 4: I don't have I can't figure this out. So then 290 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 4: my friend John was like, well you can't volunteers often 291 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 4: would you be interested in doing this? 292 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 5: And so I just. 293 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 4: Started on a really baby level in twenty twenty two, 294 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 4: helping out with one program for a few hours a 295 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 4: week in addition to other work. And then it just 296 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 4: kept growing and growing, and then by the start of 297 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 4: this year it was like, we need someone to do 298 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 4: this full time because this is becoming overwhelming for everyone. 299 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: And so now I'm here, Oh wow, that's such a 300 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 1: wonderful story of wonderful journey into it. What was the 301 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: exact thing that drew you to Sela Because you've had 302 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: mentioned you did different other capacities of different things, but 303 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: what was different about Sela than what you've been doing. 304 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 4: So I think what pulled me into Sila so deeply 305 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 4: is something that I hope volunteers feel now that I'm 306 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 4: the one welcoming them in, is there was no barrier 307 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 4: to entry. There's no barrier to entry for a participant, 308 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 4: there's no barrier to entry for a volunteer. And what 309 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 4: I feel happened to me is that when I started volunteering, 310 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 4: I had missed when I had this community of people 311 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 4: where we all had the same focus, we all wanted 312 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 4: to work towards helping people experiencing the same type of injustice. 313 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 4: And I had been, you know, tapping into multiple groups, 314 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 4: but there was something about where it was just oh, 315 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 4: I'm immediately in it, like this is my first day, 316 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 4: but I'm on the phone with this participant sister and 317 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 4: I'm trying to help her find where a form is 318 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:13,199 Speaker 4: and I just was immediately in and so that I 319 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 4: just felt a responsibility very quickly where I was like, Okay, 320 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 4: if I'm going to be here, need to be here 321 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 4: because you kind of dive in so quickly. 322 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: That's one of the things too, is that on the 323 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: other side of the coin, if people are doing this 324 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 1: haphazard or apathetically, it kind of weeds them out, it seems. 325 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: Let me, I was going to ask you, like, suppose 326 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: that you met someone like you Rachel, come in and 327 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: she's shy and things, what would you do to make 328 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: her welcome like you feel? 329 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 4: Yes, So that happens a lot, and I relate to it. 330 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 4: And so what I makes me really happy about the 331 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 4: fact that my role expanded so I had the time 332 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 4: to do this is if I'm at a program and 333 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 4: I welcome somebody in there new, but I can I 334 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 4: can just tell saying hi, welcome wasn't quite enough. 335 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 3: You know. 336 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 5: I will kind of stick with them throughout the shift 337 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 5: in a way like I won't be overbearing, you know. 338 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,880 Speaker 4: But if I notice that volunteers who know each other 339 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:11,640 Speaker 4: or newer volunteers who are just a little more open, 340 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 4: if everyone's kind of starting to form a circle in 341 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 4: chat because there's a lull or all hanging out with 342 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 4: a participant, we all know, and I see a volunteer 343 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,719 Speaker 4: who just doesn't quite have the energy, doesn't feel quite welcome. 344 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 5: I'm like kind of hone in on them and I'm like, what, so, 345 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:27,400 Speaker 5: what brought you over here? Like like how's it been 346 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 5: so far? Who've gotten a chat with? 347 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 4: And I'll just kind of move them into the space, 348 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 4: and I think it's been working. I just hope it 349 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 4: is because I have such experience with leaving spaces because 350 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 4: I was. 351 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 5: Like, oh, maybe they don't need me, And I think 352 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 5: it's also it's obviously that's just how I feel as a. 353 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 4: Person, But I do think is an organizing tactic, like 354 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:49,440 Speaker 4: the society we want does not exist. If we're going 355 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 4: to create it, it has to be everywhere. Like it's like, 356 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 4: of course our folks and we're here as we have 357 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 4: a very clear mission. But if somebody's coming here to 358 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 4: join that mission or to learn about it, they've just 359 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 4: seen everything going on and they're like, I can't take 360 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 4: it any morning to do something. Someone has to be 361 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 4: there to educate them and usher them in and be 362 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 4: like you're on the journey now you're going to learn things. 363 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 4: And so it's part just like this is a community space. 364 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 4: If I'm part of that community. I want that to happen, 365 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 4: but it is like. 366 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:20,400 Speaker 1: We need it to happen, which on that same conversational 367 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 1: point yesterday, which by the time this airs, it's going 368 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 1: to be some time. But the thing of it is 369 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 1: is that I went to UCLA to speak at a class, 370 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:32,400 Speaker 1: and I was an activist in Residents in twenty twenty two, 371 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: so I do keep ties with the university in many respects. 372 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: But I went and spoke to the mobile clinic, and 373 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: I was speaking with the students, and it begs the 374 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: question because of the fact that many could elucidate or 375 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: very eloquently on the issues of what's going on in Palestine. 376 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 1: They could talk about some of the atrocities in Sudan 377 00:19:56,359 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 1: and the Congo. And when I asked him about the 378 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: issues about Grant's past and the difference between the Grant's 379 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 1: past and forty one eighteen, I was met with complete silence. 380 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: They didn't know what happened with the elderly and the 381 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 1: un housed over in Almonte recently. They were at a loss. 382 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,440 Speaker 1: So I would like your insight on your take on 383 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: what do you feel with the Trump presidency. I hate 384 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: to say the name, but as well as the ruling 385 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: with Grant's pasts recently from June twenty eighth, What do 386 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: you foresee it's going to get much more better for 387 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: unhoused people or what is your insight on what do 388 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: you think is going to happen. 389 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 4: So I honestly personally feel like I'm preparing for the worst. 390 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 4: At CILA, we are preparing for people to be more 391 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 4: targeted than they already are. Some already are, but exactly 392 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,679 Speaker 4: people are already being targeted, and we see that, like 393 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:58,680 Speaker 4: our outreach volunteers especially see that. And so what I 394 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 4: what I feel like we're trying to do right now 395 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 4: is very similar to what you said. A lot of 396 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 4: people don't know what grants Pass is, or if they've 397 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 4: heard of it, they don't know how deadly it's going 398 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 4: to be. And so for me, a focus has been 399 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 4: the education aspect. Like I think it's amazing that we 400 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:20,359 Speaker 4: have so many new volunteers today. I don't know if 401 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,640 Speaker 4: any of them have heard of Grant's Pass, but they're 402 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 4: here now, so they're gonna But so one of the 403 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 4: things we're trying to do is we've started to do 404 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 4: these larger education summits or organized events and so we 405 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 4: just had the first one, and Grant's pass was a focus. 406 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 4: But this is something I was just talking to some 407 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 4: people about. It was that whole day was sort of 408 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 4: an experiment where it was like, how many things can 409 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:43,640 Speaker 4: we fit in one day? We have all these people 410 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 4: in the same place, we just have to get as 411 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:47,400 Speaker 4: much out as we can. And that was great because 412 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 4: now we have a lot of people with like small 413 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 4: amounts of a lot a lot of information, you know. 414 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 4: But now it's like we have to kind of go deep. 415 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 4: And so the next one that I'm starting to think 416 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 4: about what it's going to look like terms time and 417 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:02,919 Speaker 4: all of that, is I think we would only be 418 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 4: focusing on Grant's past and only focusing on resources for 419 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 4: documented participants and or trans participants. 420 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 5: So I think it's going to be. 421 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,440 Speaker 4: Because we obviously look like I do a lot of 422 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,639 Speaker 4: learning about what's going to happen in January, because we 423 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 4: already see what's happening under our current administration, you know, 424 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,199 Speaker 4: So it's like we're going to be entering even a 425 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 4: different time. And so yeah, it's going to be a 426 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 4: lot of education on our end. With the goal of 427 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 4: that education that has to turn into Okay, services volunteers. 428 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 4: This is what a lawyer from this organization who very 429 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 4: kindly came to speak to us says, we need to 430 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 4: be prepared for. We need to start learning about this, 431 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,120 Speaker 4: We need to start having these kinds of connections ready 432 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 4: to go. We need to have phone numbers of certain people. 433 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 4: So we just have to start figuring out what that's 434 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:47,919 Speaker 4: going to look like. 435 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 1: The difficulty the equal footing that house and unhoused people 436 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: have is that it's not widely known, and it's the 437 00:22:55,960 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: nuances and the details are not widely dispersed enough. For example, recently, 438 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:06,160 Speaker 1: we've had a couple of climate change events cataclysmic where 439 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: there was a flooding and disasters over in North Carolina 440 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: and people's houses were devastated, And I asked the question, 441 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 1: are those residents fall under to the Grants Pass ruling? 442 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: For example, there's been brushfires recently and there's people's homes 443 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:26,879 Speaker 1: has been deemed not habitable. Are they under the same 444 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: auspices of grants Pass ruling because they're on housed or 445 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: displays and some of the monies that we've been hearing 446 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 1: is not adequate enough to resurrect their housing and their 447 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 1: way of life. That they had before, so what are 448 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: they going to do? And as predictably, people are going 449 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:47,359 Speaker 1: to migrate in different areas, and we have shown as 450 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: a country that we're not the most welcoming of people 451 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: that coming from different places inwardly and definitely externally. So 452 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: I think that one of the conversation points that understand 453 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 1: how poorly thought out Grant's pass is, but also how 454 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 1: it affects people who had not contemplated that this issue 455 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: was going to apply to them. 456 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 4: I just want to second everything you said. I feel 457 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 4: like what's been going on, like with Hurricane Heleen and 458 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,439 Speaker 4: all of that, it's just like an intersection like every 459 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 4: evil of this country, like climate, like capitalism, housing justice. 460 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,160 Speaker 4: I read something how obviously these folks are still sheltered, 461 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 4: but when yeah, yeah, but even like tenants, people who 462 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 4: live in apartment buildings there. I was just reading about 463 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:35,679 Speaker 4: how when there's these environmental disasters, the first people to 464 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,679 Speaker 4: not have any protection are renters, and so then of 465 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 4: course it's going to lead to more people who are 466 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,400 Speaker 4: in house and so it is just like so psychlical 467 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 4: and scary, and so I think I disagree with everything 468 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 4: you said, and I think what we're thinking about in 469 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 4: Los Angeles and in the neighborhoods we go to specifically 470 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 4: are like one of our outreach leads lest who I 471 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 4: think you may have met. She is really focused on 472 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 4: supporting folks along the river. And one of those issues 473 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,159 Speaker 4: that is trying to be figured out is that so 474 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 4: many people have had to go to the river because 475 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 4: there's areas where they can seek more privacy and they're 476 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 4: may be less likely to be harassed. Yes there's park 477 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 4: rangers all that, but people just being able to figure 478 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 4: it out to be able to escape that. 479 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 5: Kind of harassment. And now there's two things. 480 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 4: It's like, well, there's real, real interested people trying to 481 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 4: find them now because of Grant's pass. So if you 482 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 4: have that, but then you also have what's going with 483 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 4: the climate where some people are not able to move 484 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 4: their things because there's less time between. 485 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 5: It used to be like sorry, feel going in circles. 486 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 4: But it used to be that if we had knew 487 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,159 Speaker 4: a storm was coming, our volunteers would maybe feel like 488 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 4: they had Okay, this Saturday or this Sunday, we can 489 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 4: warn people that there might be a storm in a 490 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 4: few days. 491 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 5: And now it's been you wake up this. 492 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,160 Speaker 4: Morning and a storm is happening and the city isn't 493 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 4: warning them, you know so, And on. 494 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 1: A smaller scale, I want to point out, and I 495 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 1: always do this, It's not an accident. If you ever 496 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 1: watch my twitters or my Instagram postings, I make it 497 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 1: a point to when I go to places. But also 498 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: here is that because most unhoused people that die are 499 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 1: dying from hypothermic depths here and there has been no 500 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: posting that I have seen yet from their baths. That's 501 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 1: just talk about there are any warming stations anybody being 502 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:31,439 Speaker 1: driven to anywhere. There is no conversation whatsoever. They have 503 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 1: conversation of removing people and put them in insights starving, 504 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: but they don't show and they don't make it an 505 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:41,200 Speaker 1: effort that is a continuing effort. Particularly because we're dealing 506 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 1: with climate change, we should be vigilant in talking about 507 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 1: these environmental disasters because the first people that deal with 508 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,160 Speaker 1: them are not house people. It's unhoused people. And they 509 00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:52,920 Speaker 1: have to deal with smoke from the brush fires, They 510 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: have to deal with the high temperature index in the 511 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 1: small they have to deal with the colder climbs, they 512 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: have to deal with the heat. Wait, they have to 513 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 1: deal with anything that's environmentally that's going to impact their 514 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 1: survival on top of the antipathy of society as well. 515 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 4: So absolutely, I just heard somebody says, I can't remember now, 516 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 4: but talking about how unhoused folks are literally on the 517 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 4: front lines of the climate crisis because production just isn't 518 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 4: there for obviously reasons we are all very aware of, 519 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 4: and so yeah, it's just we are really saying how 520 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,720 Speaker 4: all of this is intersecting to create a really bad situation. 521 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 5: And I think just for us. 522 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:34,159 Speaker 4: On like the hyperlocal level, I really feel like the 523 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 4: La River is such an example of what's going to 524 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 4: happen or what is happening. 525 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:40,240 Speaker 5: It's not going to happen, it is happening. 526 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: When I went out there. Yeah, that's basically part of 527 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:45,920 Speaker 1: the Yeah. Well so yeah, I could tell you it's 528 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,640 Speaker 1: not voting. Well, but here's a humdinger that I want 529 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 1: you to to contemplate on. Did you see and I 530 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 1: noticed I saw all of the notices and awareness of things, 531 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 1: But did you see any notice about getting the in 532 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 1: house out of the places in North Carolina the safety 533 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: did you see? I didn't know, And I know they 534 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 1: can't believe it can be so utopia. They didn't have 535 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 1: they didn't know anybody that lived on the street or 536 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 1: a house person. I find out how to believe as 537 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 1: much as houselessness is everywhere I've gone, and I've seen 538 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: so where you know, they didn't you didn't see it, 539 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 1: and I didn't see it, And I dare say that 540 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: this is going to be something that's going to be 541 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:29,199 Speaker 1: calamitous because of the fact that this is going to 542 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: be a new normal and there's going to be a 543 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: lot of people displaced and they're not going to understand 544 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 1: the nuances of displacement and how they fit into the 545 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: whole wheelhouse of houselessness. 546 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm just thinking about what you just said. Like, 547 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 4: I know that there are local papers and so I 548 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 4: never want to say like it didn't, but I'm thinking 549 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 4: about I don't. I don't think I've seen an article 550 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 4: about like how the unhoused folks are doing. 551 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 1: You know, a lot of people were not fortunate that 552 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: had houses. So I cannot believe that that the unhoused 553 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: people just magically floated on the water, Yeah, balked on 554 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 1: the water and floated to safety somewhere else they had, 555 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: you know, because then I know there's a housing unhoused 556 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: crisis there as well as just like everyone else, so 557 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: that conversation always get overlooked into mainstream society. And I 558 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: was just walk more Worth keeping median house, going having 559 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,120 Speaker 1: these questions and pushing people to look at the larger 560 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: implications of what this, what it means to be displaced 561 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 1: and unhoused, and it is not a personal failing. You know, 562 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: no one said that they were wrong. And the storms 563 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: were there with God's john judgment to wash out you know, 564 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: you know, uh, you know Jay Walkers or people that 565 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: didn't pay their taxes, you know, they definitely are. We're 566 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: undergoing a whole cataclysmic and environmental push to reduce our chances. 567 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: I think I covered everything. I just want to make 568 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 1: sure that if you had anything you wanted. 569 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 4: To say, I'm so excited to be able to talk 570 00:29:57,440 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 4: to you. I think one thing I would just like 571 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:02,440 Speaker 4: to say is that I like to think of CELA 572 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 4: as a place where obviously we're taking action, but it's 573 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 4: also a community and it's a place to learn about 574 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 4: why these things are happening. So I just hope anybody 575 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 4: listening feels welcome to visit our website to sign up. 576 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 4: You will get an email from me if you do. 577 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 4: We're a very very small place, so we're Cela NHC 578 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 4: dot org. 579 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 5: So yeah. So one of the things that is so. 580 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:29,480 Speaker 4: Great about this community and really feels restorative when everything 581 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 4: is really horrible, is that this organization is volunteer run, 582 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 4: started by volunteers. Like there's three of us on staff now, 583 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:38,880 Speaker 4: but it is fully following the direction of the people 584 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 4: who are out what our participants need and what our 585 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 4: participants tell our volunteers they need. And so what's great 586 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 4: is volunteers just start doing things and they just let 587 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 4: they just let you know and we'll just post about it. 588 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 4: So one of our volunteers, Lauren Girral, is a stand 589 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 4: up comedian and she has trying to organize a monthly 590 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:58,760 Speaker 4: mutual aid comedy show where because of connection she has 591 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 4: in the work she does trying to bring audiences and 592 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 4: all of the ticket sales just go to Cela and 593 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 4: our ability to purchase supplies. So that is the third 594 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 4: Wiel Comedy in East Hollywood, eight pm. 595 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 5: But it's on Cela's Instagram, so you can check out. 596 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 1: Thanks so much to Rachel. And when we come back 597 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: more from our field reporting at CELA. Welcome back. This 598 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 1: is theil Henderson with Weedy and House. My next interview 599 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,400 Speaker 1: is with one of the hundreds of volunteers that keeps 600 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 1: SELA going, Susie. Susie is a long time volunteer who 601 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: does outreach and builds connection in the Young House community 602 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:45,720 Speaker 1: to help connect people with services. I called her right 603 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 1: before heading out to catch up with folks on a Saturday. 604 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 1: Here's our talk. Thank you for taking the time to 605 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 1: talk with me, and I want to get some just 606 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 1: a general idea. I noticed you're having a kind of orientation, 607 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:03,440 Speaker 1: so can you give us in a thumbnail sketch on 608 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: what are the things that you look for when you 609 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:08,840 Speaker 1: go out to help the unhouse and where the supplies 610 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: that you supply. 611 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 7: This is just one of the programs that SEALA provides 612 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 7: on Saturdays and outreach volunteers go out on four or 613 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 7: potentially five different routes and we bring with us water 614 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 7: snacks which can mean like granola bars and tunicns and 615 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:29,200 Speaker 7: things like that, and we hand out hygiene kits which 616 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 7: are all donated and are built by people who are 617 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 7: donating them. So that includes shampoo conditioners, soap, hand sanitizer sometimes, 618 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 7: toilet paper sometimes and are very very sought after by 619 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 7: people who are living on the street. Also we hand 620 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:49,360 Speaker 7: out sometimes cat and dog food. We have certain seasonal 621 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:52,600 Speaker 7: products that we hand out so like cooling cloths during 622 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 7: the summer, sunscreen and during the winter. 623 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:57,000 Speaker 8: We sometimes have hats and gloves. 624 00:32:57,360 --> 00:32:59,960 Speaker 7: And then yes, we hand out harm reduction kits which 625 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:02,600 Speaker 7: include safe, clean needles. 626 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:04,520 Speaker 1: Why is this so necessary in this. 627 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 7: You know a number of percentage of unhoused people are 628 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:15,360 Speaker 7: using drugs and we are trying to destigmatize drug use. 629 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 7: And I think a big, you know problem with why 630 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 7: drug overdoses and you know, drug use in general has 631 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 7: kind of gone awry is because it is stigmatized and 632 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 7: not dealt with as you know, social pandemic of sorts. 633 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 7: And so we provide the clean needles and clean smoking 634 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:42,520 Speaker 7: kits because we know that these are people who are 635 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 7: going to use these drugs no matter what, and if 636 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 7: they don't get clean supplies, they're going to use supplies 637 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:51,000 Speaker 7: that are not clean and they could be more dangerous. 638 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:55,160 Speaker 7: We also provide testing kits for fentanyl and trenk and 639 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:58,040 Speaker 7: other things that can make the drug use done more safely. 640 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:02,200 Speaker 1: Two things are you worried about the outrage of because 641 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:04,320 Speaker 1: I know there are nimbies which is acromen for not 642 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:07,920 Speaker 1: in my backyard or in Layman's terms to Karen's for 643 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:13,400 Speaker 1: against the un House that they have always complained about 644 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 1: the needles or the apparatuses that are used in it. 645 00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 1: And what would you say to your listeners in order 646 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 1: for them to have compassion. One of the things that 647 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 1: I know, I've had family members that were suffering with alcohol, 648 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:30,479 Speaker 1: and the thing of it is that we had such 649 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 1: a just say no to drugs. But that's the most 650 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:35,200 Speaker 1: dangerous thing to do to tell to someone that's an 651 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:38,759 Speaker 1: alcoholic because they cannot just detox off of drugs clean, 652 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: because there's the whole host of health the things that 653 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 1: they have to do before that. And I don't think 654 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 1: people realize when we make blanket statements those things are 655 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:50,800 Speaker 1: not taking in consideration. But what's your insight on this? 656 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:54,080 Speaker 7: Like I said, I feel like if we don't hand 657 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:56,879 Speaker 7: out clean supplies, they're going to find supplies. There's still 658 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 7: going to be needles on the ground. It's just going 659 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:01,640 Speaker 7: to be You know that that that's something that's just 660 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:06,360 Speaker 7: inevitable in this climate. We do hand out sharps, containers 661 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:07,880 Speaker 7: and things like that, so there is a way for 662 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:12,400 Speaker 7: it to be you know, done more sanitarily. But you know, 663 00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 7: just because someone is not giving them needles or smoking 664 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 7: kids doesn't mean it's going to stop. And now there 665 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 7: all won't be needles on the ground. I also think 666 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 7: very strongly, and this goes for all the things we 667 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 7: do at SILA, is we're building trust with these people 668 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:30,319 Speaker 7: and when they see that we're not judging them for 669 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 7: what they do, and we're providing them with things they 670 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 7: need and things to keep them safe, that if the 671 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 7: time comes when they want to go into rehab or 672 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:41,560 Speaker 7: when they want to talk to somebody about their drug use, 673 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 7: or they want to have us connect them with a 674 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:47,359 Speaker 7: rehab or something like that, or a case manager, then 675 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:49,120 Speaker 7: they'll trust us because they won't be like, oh, this 676 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 7: person judges me for my drug use, or this person 677 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 7: has been preaching. 678 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:54,399 Speaker 8: To me about something or other. 679 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:56,960 Speaker 7: You know, these are people who are very wary of 680 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 7: the system for good reason. And you know, a cop 681 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:02,279 Speaker 7: comes up to them every day and is trying to 682 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 7: be their best friend and then throws them at jail 683 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 7: or takes away all their belongings. You know, they're not 684 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:11,480 Speaker 7: going to go to a cop and you know, ask 685 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:14,759 Speaker 7: for help. So we're that sort of in between of 686 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 7: people who are not being paid to do this. We 687 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:18,680 Speaker 7: are doing this out of our own heart. We're just 688 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:21,400 Speaker 7: trying to humanize these people. We are their neighbors and 689 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:25,359 Speaker 7: we just want them to know that there are some 690 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:27,200 Speaker 7: people out there who do care about them, who see 691 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:29,439 Speaker 7: them as humans, and they're not just trying to get 692 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:31,080 Speaker 7: them arrested thrown off the street. 693 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:34,840 Speaker 1: So so singly and well put, I also wanted to 694 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:37,000 Speaker 1: ask one last thing, and I know you have to go, 695 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 1: is that do you see an improvement with the new 696 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 1: presidency as well as the Grant's past ruling? How do 697 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 1: you see these two coinciding events are big on the 698 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 1: boat well for the unheuse community or not? 699 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:56,439 Speaker 7: No hands down the you know, there was a motion 700 00:36:56,520 --> 00:37:00,720 Speaker 7: that was passed in LA to prevent people from camping 701 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,640 Speaker 7: on the streets a couple of yeah, and. 702 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 8: It has completely failed. They've admitted that it's failed. 703 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,279 Speaker 7: And you know, sweeping people off an area, it just 704 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:10,400 Speaker 7: means they go to another area. 705 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:12,480 Speaker 8: People don't seem to understand that. 706 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:15,759 Speaker 7: So the Grants pass is just a greater version of that, 707 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 7: and it is just there are not. 708 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:20,760 Speaker 8: Enough places for these people to go. People are very selfish. 709 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:22,640 Speaker 7: They just want don't want to see them on their street, 710 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:24,360 Speaker 7: but they're going to end up on someone else's street. 711 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:27,919 Speaker 7: And until we have enough places to put people, enough 712 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:31,840 Speaker 7: places that can give them care, these kinds of rulings 713 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:33,480 Speaker 7: are completely useless. 714 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:36,160 Speaker 1: I wanted to point out two different differences. Are always 715 00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:39,960 Speaker 1: trying to do this now Footing with eighteen had basically 716 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:42,960 Speaker 1: had giving some kind of rain in order for not 717 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 1: the beast to be unleashed. And I say, if there's 718 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,320 Speaker 1: a better metaphor of grants past is unleash the beast, 719 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:52,520 Speaker 1: particularly if you listen to the Elmante episode on the 720 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:55,799 Speaker 1: effects of places like in Oregon where they are just 721 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:58,560 Speaker 1: coming out and sweeping on house people in all hours 722 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 1: of the night and making disappear and there's no really 723 00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:05,319 Speaker 1: stop gap to prevent the complete beasts to come out. 724 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:07,879 Speaker 1: You know, there was forty one or eighteen was a beast, 725 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:10,319 Speaker 1: but the beasts had arranged. Yeah, you know, there was 726 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:13,040 Speaker 1: to some limits, there were some things that they couldn't 727 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:15,440 Speaker 1: just go away with. But the Supreme Court just said 728 00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:18,960 Speaker 1: that that's not an uncruel and unusual punishment to unleash 729 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:21,839 Speaker 1: and hunt down unhouse people at all hours of the night, 730 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:25,359 Speaker 1: any time of the day, to criminalize him or make 731 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:28,400 Speaker 1: fell in need in Tennessee. Against being in house in 732 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 1: public spaces, it's much more, it has much more tease. 733 00:38:31,760 --> 00:38:35,280 Speaker 1: So I want to always elucidate that difference. 734 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 7: Sure, and I mean, I want to believe in mayorbas 735 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:41,200 Speaker 7: who has said that she will not be implementing it. 736 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:45,120 Speaker 7: But Newsom came down here and did it firsthand. He 737 00:38:45,200 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 7: did it on his own, and it broke my heart. 738 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:52,960 Speaker 7: Like I look, I Mayorbas, I do give her credit 739 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:55,160 Speaker 7: for getting people into interim housing. 740 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:57,719 Speaker 8: She has definitely upped that ante. 741 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:02,279 Speaker 7: But it's a bottleneck, I mean, and we're going to 742 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:04,640 Speaker 7: end up in a situation where you know, people are 743 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:06,319 Speaker 7: going to be sick of being an interim housing and 744 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:09,120 Speaker 7: they'll be back on the street where it's more comfortable, 745 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 7: or they're not getting their stuff stolen, or it's you know, 746 00:39:11,719 --> 00:39:14,440 Speaker 7: they have more freedom. So until we have more permanent 747 00:39:14,440 --> 00:39:17,960 Speaker 7: support of housing, you know, this is just going to 748 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:20,880 Speaker 7: be a vicious cycle no matter where you sweet people to. 749 00:39:21,239 --> 00:39:24,360 Speaker 1: Unfortunately, it's already a vicious cycle because of the food quality, 750 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:29,280 Speaker 1: the castle rules, the non existent or harsh case management 751 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:31,840 Speaker 1: that they have going on. And unfortunately in other episodes, 752 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:34,440 Speaker 1: I've talked about inside Starving and the residents that are 753 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:39,239 Speaker 1: living under her rule. And most recently and in my 754 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:42,239 Speaker 1: area in Little Tokyo on New York City Hall where 755 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:44,920 Speaker 1: they were in house community members that they supposedly put 756 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:47,680 Speaker 1: it inside Starving, then they put a fence that back 757 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:51,040 Speaker 1: over theirs that they can't return. So these kind of 758 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:55,239 Speaker 1: measures gives me pause because it's like it's they don't 759 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:57,160 Speaker 1: want you to see them. And they say that there's 760 00:39:57,200 --> 00:39:59,359 Speaker 1: a success, and then they put the fence back because 761 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:01,440 Speaker 1: they know it's not. Because if it was a success, 762 00:40:01,680 --> 00:40:04,360 Speaker 1: then why would you need to put this elaborate fence 763 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:07,439 Speaker 1: all around city Hall and all around across the street 764 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 1: where they work. So you're sending the message that don't 765 00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:10,400 Speaker 1: come back. 766 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 8: Or go back or like another place. 767 00:40:13,239 --> 00:40:15,880 Speaker 1: And with grants passed with a lot of the people 768 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:19,080 Speaker 1: in elmani is they had got together and says we're 769 00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:20,920 Speaker 1: just going to go deeper into the woods. But that 770 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:23,840 Speaker 1: didn't solve anything. Now they got sheriffs on horseback hunting 771 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:25,719 Speaker 1: them down in the middle of the night. Get you know, 772 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:29,560 Speaker 1: so it's that's the reality of what's going on when 773 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:31,799 Speaker 1: you see these fences or when you see these new 774 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:35,319 Speaker 1: constructions like out in Chatsworth, when you see these new 775 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:38,040 Speaker 1: obstacles are on the streets where our v's are, it's 776 00:40:38,239 --> 00:40:41,320 Speaker 1: it's this is like I said, I just was curious 777 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:44,680 Speaker 1: on their perspective, and I thank you for your time 778 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,799 Speaker 1: and I really appreciate you giving me your insight on 779 00:40:47,840 --> 00:40:51,839 Speaker 1: what's going on. And how long have you been doing this? 780 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:52,359 Speaker 1: This type of. 781 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:56,600 Speaker 7: Outreach work I started like during pandemic basically when they 782 00:40:56,680 --> 00:40:59,400 Speaker 7: when CILA didn't have volunteers for a while during pandemic, 783 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:02,040 Speaker 7: but when they started letting people back, started going out 784 00:41:02,080 --> 00:41:06,479 Speaker 7: and learned from a couple amazing outreach leads who were 785 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:09,200 Speaker 7: just so fantastic. And I would go out and see 786 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:12,080 Speaker 7: these people that they had been seeing for a long time, 787 00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:14,880 Speaker 7: who were just so excited to see them, and we 788 00:41:14,920 --> 00:41:17,360 Speaker 7: would sit and chat with them, and sometimes you know, 789 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:19,200 Speaker 7: people are just like, oh, but you can't give them 790 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:22,040 Speaker 7: housing because sila's we're a nonprofit, we're not a case, 791 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:23,400 Speaker 7: we're not a service provider. 792 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:24,640 Speaker 8: We can't give people housing. 793 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:28,040 Speaker 7: But people the joy that they get of someone just 794 00:41:28,120 --> 00:41:31,439 Speaker 7: coming by and acknowledging them and handing them water, even 795 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:35,319 Speaker 7: if it's nothing else, is worth the three hours that 796 00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:38,120 Speaker 7: I spend on a Saturday doing this. I mean you'll 797 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:41,160 Speaker 7: see as you when you go to our on site program. 798 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:43,320 Speaker 8: It's a lot of joy. It's a great. 799 00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:47,040 Speaker 7: Community, and you know, a lot of these people don't 800 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:50,280 Speaker 7: talk to anybody all day, and so Cela really provides 801 00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:54,840 Speaker 7: this kind of just baseline, consistent group of amazing people 802 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:58,719 Speaker 7: that go out and just really acknowledge our neighbors as 803 00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:03,000 Speaker 7: human beings. 804 00:42:04,200 --> 00:42:09,400 Speaker 1: Thanks so much to Susie. And finally I spoke with 805 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:15,560 Speaker 1: long time Selia participants Cindy during a program. Cindy tell 806 00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:16,840 Speaker 1: us a little bit about yourself. 807 00:42:17,200 --> 00:42:20,759 Speaker 6: Well, my name is Cindy McAllister, and I listed transgender 808 00:42:21,239 --> 00:42:23,880 Speaker 6: man to a woman. I've been coming to Seilia for 809 00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:27,040 Speaker 6: about a year and a half now, and Celia people 810 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:30,040 Speaker 6: are so welcoming and so friendly. I donate my time 811 00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:32,920 Speaker 6: here and I try to be a friend to everybody 812 00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:35,400 Speaker 6: who I know who comes here. I try to be 813 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:38,200 Speaker 6: a positive attitude and I make lots of friends just 814 00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:40,959 Speaker 6: because I'm a nice person. I don't know what to say. 815 00:42:41,719 --> 00:42:43,560 Speaker 1: How long have you been coming to Ceila. 816 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:47,880 Speaker 6: We think probably about sixteen months or eighteen months. 817 00:42:48,239 --> 00:42:50,200 Speaker 1: What made you come to Seila? What was that? 818 00:42:50,360 --> 00:42:50,680 Speaker 3: Well? 819 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:54,319 Speaker 6: I used to live like two blocks down and one 820 00:42:54,360 --> 00:42:56,000 Speaker 6: day I went by on a Wednesday and I saw 821 00:42:56,000 --> 00:42:57,759 Speaker 6: these times outside and I was like, what is that 822 00:42:57,880 --> 00:43:00,719 Speaker 6: going on there? So next week I wandered on and 823 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:03,560 Speaker 6: saw that Ondnesday afternoon thing, and then they invited me 824 00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:05,600 Speaker 6: to Saturday, and I fell in love with the people 825 00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:08,880 Speaker 6: and everything, so I started coming every week. People are 826 00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:12,120 Speaker 6: so friendly and they're so helpful to you. Today I 827 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:14,440 Speaker 6: went for clothing. They brought me like a dozen things 828 00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:17,320 Speaker 6: to choose from. Very very friendly and very helpful. 829 00:43:17,880 --> 00:43:19,839 Speaker 1: It sounds like they give you choices to be able 830 00:43:19,840 --> 00:43:22,960 Speaker 1: to make. Have you experienced other places that have not 831 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:23,680 Speaker 1: been that friendly? 832 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:26,680 Speaker 6: Yes, I sure have. I won't mention any names, but 833 00:43:27,160 --> 00:43:30,680 Speaker 6: those places who like they'll give you one piece of 834 00:43:30,680 --> 00:43:32,560 Speaker 6: clothing and you don't have any options? 835 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:36,360 Speaker 1: Wow? Yeah? And how does that make you feel? 836 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:37,240 Speaker 4: Well? 837 00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:40,239 Speaker 6: You feel appreciative they're giving you something, but you feel like, 838 00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:43,400 Speaker 6: why didn't you give me more choices? So it's I 839 00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:45,240 Speaker 6: like it. Hear better where they give you options? 840 00:43:46,160 --> 00:43:50,720 Speaker 1: Excellent? Are you are utilizing any other services by accept 841 00:43:50,719 --> 00:43:51,160 Speaker 1: the clothing. 842 00:43:51,640 --> 00:43:54,520 Speaker 6: Yeah, they helped me with tap card, my Metro tap card, 843 00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:58,400 Speaker 6: and they helped me with food. Of course those are 844 00:43:58,440 --> 00:43:59,040 Speaker 6: the main things. 845 00:44:00,239 --> 00:44:03,840 Speaker 1: Ooh. So, like I said, you know, Stila has been 846 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:06,520 Speaker 1: been a very big help for you, very very much. 847 00:44:06,560 --> 00:44:09,040 Speaker 6: So, yes, they've been so supportive. When I was moving, 848 00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:12,839 Speaker 6: they helped me move. I use the transport, public transportation. 849 00:44:13,239 --> 00:44:15,120 Speaker 6: They helped me with their van to move things when 850 00:44:15,160 --> 00:44:18,120 Speaker 6: I was moving, and they've been very very very supportive. 851 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:20,960 Speaker 1: You were living on the streets when you were at 852 00:44:21,000 --> 00:44:22,080 Speaker 1: one point, yes, it was. 853 00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:24,520 Speaker 6: And then I lived for twenty two months in somebody's 854 00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:27,359 Speaker 6: living room and then they helped me move into where 855 00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:28,080 Speaker 6: I'm living in now. 856 00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:31,719 Speaker 1: Oh wonderful. So they offer a variety of services for 857 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:34,760 Speaker 1: you and they definitely seem to be a big proponent. 858 00:44:34,880 --> 00:44:38,200 Speaker 1: So what's next for you with are you staying continuing 859 00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:38,719 Speaker 1: to come to you? 860 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:41,200 Speaker 6: Oh yeah, I come here on Wednesday and Saturday, usually 861 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:43,879 Speaker 6: right now because of day night taming, saving the time, 862 00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:45,959 Speaker 6: I try to leave early so i'm home before dark. 863 00:44:46,360 --> 00:44:49,040 Speaker 6: But i'd like to I'll sit at the desk and 864 00:44:49,080 --> 00:44:51,720 Speaker 6: I'll sign people in, I'll help, you know, donate my time, 865 00:44:52,360 --> 00:44:54,359 Speaker 6: and sometimes I come here like today just to hang 866 00:44:54,360 --> 00:44:55,760 Speaker 6: out with my friends. 867 00:44:55,800 --> 00:45:01,319 Speaker 1: Excellent. Do you know anything about the grants past ruing? No, Well, 868 00:45:02,320 --> 00:45:04,520 Speaker 1: that's one of the issues. Well, fortunately you're not going 869 00:45:04,600 --> 00:45:07,040 Speaker 1: to have to deal with recently, but it's that deals 870 00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:09,200 Speaker 1: with people that are living on the street and how 871 00:45:09,520 --> 00:45:14,400 Speaker 1: the police can now criminalize on house people violently without 872 00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:16,680 Speaker 1: any restrictions or any ramifications. 873 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:17,759 Speaker 6: That's true. 874 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:21,759 Speaker 1: Well, is there anything else that I missed that you 875 00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:22,800 Speaker 1: want to talk about? 876 00:45:23,440 --> 00:45:25,400 Speaker 6: No, I think I've got it covered. I'm very appreciative 877 00:45:25,400 --> 00:45:28,040 Speaker 6: that you're here and you're asking your opinions. Thank you, 878 00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:29,439 Speaker 6: Thank you very much. 879 00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:37,239 Speaker 1: Thanks so much to Cindy for her time. A round 880 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:41,640 Speaker 1: of applause for Sela for welcoming Whedian House and learning 881 00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:45,000 Speaker 1: more about their work. You can follow them to learn 882 00:45:45,040 --> 00:45:51,200 Speaker 1: more or contribute over on their website at www dot CELA, 883 00:45:51,880 --> 00:45:56,319 Speaker 1: NHC dot org. And a big hearty thank you to 884 00:45:56,400 --> 00:46:00,000 Speaker 1: Whedian House fans that showed support at our producer Jamie 885 00:46:00,120 --> 00:46:03,640 Speaker 1: show on December fourth. And here's a personal thank you 886 00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:04,480 Speaker 1: from Jamie. 887 00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:06,320 Speaker 5: Hi, guys, it's Jamie. 888 00:46:06,360 --> 00:46:09,480 Speaker 9: Thank you so much for coming out and thank you 889 00:46:09,560 --> 00:46:13,760 Speaker 9: for not mobbing THEEO after the show with all the fans. 890 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:15,880 Speaker 9: He's just like us everyone. 891 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:16,960 Speaker 8: It's always feels. 892 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:19,759 Speaker 9: Nice to have a celebrity at the show. So thank 893 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:21,640 Speaker 9: you for being there. Guys, this is really fun. 894 00:46:22,280 --> 00:46:24,640 Speaker 1: Thank you again, Jamie. If there's any other shows, just 895 00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:28,120 Speaker 1: let us know. We'll get the word out. Awesome and 896 00:46:28,239 --> 00:46:31,520 Speaker 1: as always, please like and subscribe and if you would 897 00:46:31,560 --> 00:46:34,319 Speaker 1: like to share your story on widion House, please reach 898 00:46:34,360 --> 00:46:37,680 Speaker 1: out to me at median House on Instagram or email 899 00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:43,520 Speaker 1: me at Wiedianhouse at gmail dot com. Whedian House is 900 00:46:43,560 --> 00:46:48,200 Speaker 1: the production of iHeartRadio. It is written, posted, and created 901 00:46:48,400 --> 00:46:53,920 Speaker 1: by me Theo Henderson, our producers Jbie Loftus Hayley Fager, 902 00:46:54,840 --> 00:46:59,360 Speaker 1: Katie Fischel, and Lyra Smith. Our editor is Adam Wand 903 00:47:00,040 --> 00:47:03,320 Speaker 1: and our local art is also by Katie Fischer. Thanks 904 00:47:03,360 --> 00:47:03,840 Speaker 1: for listening.