1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: Previously on Wwedian House. 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 2: There are a lot of dominant narratives out there about 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 2: black folks, specifically how we work while we don't work, 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 2: what we put our time into, and so we take 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,759 Speaker 2: a lot of time to try to counter those narratives. 6 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 2: It's a lot of real time unlearning that's happening at 7 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 2: the Los Angeles Black Workers Center, from every facet, from 8 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 2: every angle. We just try to make sure that we're 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 2: constantly organizing and constantly educating our folks so that way 10 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 2: a lot of those anti black statements and sentiments can 11 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:32,840 Speaker 2: be eradicated. 12 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 3: We have a duty to help produce more critical thinkers. 13 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 3: What are the things that are affecting their daily lives, 14 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 3: and why are the things happening in the way that 15 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 3: are happening, and what you can do to change your 16 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:44,599 Speaker 3: own condition. 17 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 4: Welcome to Whedian House. I'm your host, Yo Henderson. Everyone 18 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 4: needs companionship. Some find solace in their pets. Today we'll 19 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 4: talk about our furry friends and their importance in the 20 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 4: lives of their owners. 21 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: But first dun House. 22 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 4: News, we mourned the death of community activists and founder 23 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 4: of the nonprofit Beauty to the Streets, Shirley rains. Shirley 24 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 4: provided hair and makeup services, food, clothing, hygiene and safety 25 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 4: items to the unhoused residents of skid Row in Los 26 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 4: Angeles for years. In twenty twenty one, Shirley was chosen 27 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 4: as the CNN Hero of the Year. In twenty twenty five, 28 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 4: she was the recipient of an NAACP Image Award for 29 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 4: Outstanding Social Media Personality. Shirley's presence will be sorely missed. 30 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 4: Here she is speaking on her mission to Insider. In 31 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 4: twenty nineteen. 32 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 5: I started serving the homeless of skid Row with another organization, 33 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 5: and as we passed out food, the women were more 34 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 5: interested in my hair color and my makeup, and they 35 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 5: used to compliment me, going, oh my god, we love 36 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 5: your makeup, or we love your hair color, or you 37 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 5: smell so good. And after a couple months, it hit 38 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 5: me that, Wow, women are still interested in these things, 39 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 5: and I realized that at their core, there's still women 40 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 5: reading through the streets. Is his own organization. I have 41 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 5: volunteers and we alone service the homeless of skid Row 42 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 5: and the back streets of Los Angeles, California. I knew 43 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 5: I wanted to help others, but I didn't know where 44 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 5: I fit in, and when I found out that women 45 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 5: on the streets were still interested in hair and makeup 46 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 5: and just anything that an average woman would need, That's 47 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 5: where I realized, this is what I should be doing, 48 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 5: giving back to the women of skid Row. 49 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 4: Our last story today, we also mourned the loss of 50 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 4: former NFL defensive linemen Kevin Johnson. Kevin Johnson was murdered 51 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 4: at a house's encampment. He resided in the Willowbrook area 52 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 4: of Los Angeles. He was just fifty five years old. 53 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 4: Johnson played with the New England Patriots, the Minnesota Vikings, 54 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 4: and Oakland Raiders before landing with the Philadelphia Eagles. He 55 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 4: also will be missed here. His friend Bruce Todd remembers 56 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 4: Kevin on ABC a few weeks ago. 57 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: He was my best friend. I was best man in 58 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: his wedding. He played in the National Football League for 59 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: about seven years. Great guy, fun, lovey. The community's going 60 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: to miss him. 61 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 4: And as on House Loose, when we come back, I 62 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 4: speak with Christine and Jillian colleagues at the nonprofit My 63 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 4: Dog is My Home. 64 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Weedian House. I'm theo hen. 65 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 4: This week we're taking a look at an important underdiscussed 66 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 4: issue in the unhoused community, and that is the importance 67 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 4: of animal companionship and the challenges it can be to 68 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 4: keep unhoused community members with fair pets while living in shelters, 69 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,239 Speaker 4: temporary housing, or out on the streets. That's the issue 70 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 4: that the nonprofit My Dog Is My Home has been 71 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 4: bringing awareness to, working to make animal care and security 72 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 4: more accessible for their unhoused owners. Christine Kim and Jillian 73 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 4: McMillian joined me today to talk more about their work. 74 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 4: Good afternoon, this is THEO Henderson from Median House. I 75 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 4: have two guests in and they're going to tell us 76 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 4: a little bit about what's going on in the New 77 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 4: York area. We are here in Los Angeles for those 78 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 4: that are just listening. In Median House uplists the voices 79 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 4: of the young housed. We also connect the inter sections 80 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 4: of houselessness. There's not only one version of houselessness. Most 81 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 4: people see the street housesness, but there are different forms 82 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 4: of houselessness that we talk about as well. 83 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 1: But without further do I'm. 84 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 4: Going to let the guests introduce themselves the way they 85 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 4: will like to, and then I will take the conversation 86 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 4: further welcome. 87 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 6: First of all, thank you, Thank you. 88 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 1: Who wants to go. 89 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 6: First, well, I'd love to set it up and hand 90 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 6: things over to Jillian, if that would be all right. 91 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 6: Thank you so much for having us on THEO. We're 92 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 6: honored to be guests on your podcast, and I think 93 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 6: everything that you're doing is so important and we're just 94 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 6: so thrilled to be a part of this journey of 95 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 6: educating and revealing to your listeners the many different ways 96 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 6: in which people experience homelessness, and that there is much 97 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 6: less of an us versus them reality then people might think. 98 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 6: You know, homelessness is so much closer to all of 99 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 6: us than we might initially imagine. And one of those 100 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 6: things that kind of draws many of us together is that, like, 101 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 6: even if you feel that homelessness is an unrelatable experience 102 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 6: to you, many of us have pets, and we love 103 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 6: our pets, and we can relate to the fact that 104 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 6: other people also have pets and love their pets and 105 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 6: don't want to be separated from them. And so we 106 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 6: are kind of tapping into that very basic human emotion 107 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:32,600 Speaker 6: of needing connection and wanting to choose members of our 108 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 6: community and our family and taking a look at what 109 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 6: chosen family actually means for lots of different people, and 110 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 6: that sometimes that includes animal members of your family. So 111 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 6: my name is Christine Kim. I'm the founder and executive 112 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:49,359 Speaker 6: director of a nonprofit organization called My Dog Is My Home. 113 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 6: We definitely have deep roots in the Los Angeles area 114 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 6: and also in the New York area, but we're a 115 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 6: national nonprofit that focuses on increasing access to shelter and 116 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 6: housing for people experiencing homelessness with their pets. And as 117 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 6: many of your listeners might already know, people experiencing homelessness 118 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 6: with pets have an additional barrier to accessing shelter and 119 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 6: housing and other types of services that will help them 120 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 6: off the streets, help them gain housing and then their homelessness, 121 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 6: because most homeless services do not accept companion animals. And 122 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 6: when the decision comes between accepting shelter, housing or having 123 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 6: to give up your companion animal, that is a really 124 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 6: difficult decision to have to make. Some people choose to 125 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 6: forego services if that means giving up their pet, and 126 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 6: for other people who do choose to separate from their pets, 127 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 6: that's a really traumatic thing for them because it is 128 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 6: like giving up a member of their family. So with that, 129 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 6: I will hand things over to Jillian, who's been an 130 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 6: instrumental part of My Dog is My Home for many 131 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 6: years now and she has strengthened this work in numerous 132 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 6: uncountable ways. 133 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 7: Really wow, how do I follow that? Thank you, Christine? 134 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 7: That was that was something. My name is Jillian. I 135 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 7: am the lived experience engagement advisor for My Dog is 136 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 7: my Home. I'm also a person with lived experience of homelessness. 137 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 7: I've also lost my pets due to homelessness, so I 138 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 7: have a pretty interesting background as far as homelessness goes. 139 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 7: You know, I had to give them up. I had 140 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 7: to put them, my cats into foster while I went 141 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 7: into shelter with my daughter, and you know, it was 142 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 7: it was a pretty crazy situation that went on for 143 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 7: almost two years. But you know now Warehouse and we 144 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,719 Speaker 7: have two new babies, and I'm with my dogs my 145 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 7: home and I'm living my best life now thanks to 146 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 7: my dogs my home And yeah, that's me. 147 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 4: If I may ask a question, because you stated you 148 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 4: have been on House as well at houseless, what was 149 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 4: your origin story? 150 00:08:58,160 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: Can you give us a little bit of how to 151 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: that is? 152 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 4: I know I'm in Los Angeles, and I know my 153 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 4: story is going to be completely different than in New. 154 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: York, so I just was curious, how did that looks 155 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: like there. 156 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 7: Well, what happened was my landlords. The two of them 157 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 7: were a couple. They were going through something. I went 158 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 7: out with one of the landlords one night with our kids. 159 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 7: We brought the kids out and came back in the male. 160 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 7: He was drunk and jealous that we went out and 161 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 7: said I want you to leave my house. And you know, 162 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 7: it was basically retaliatory, and at the time I didn't 163 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 7: know what that meant. So I had to scramble and 164 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 7: find my way to find housing, find support, find whatever 165 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 7: I could. And really I couldn't find housing, so I 166 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 7: ended up having to go into shelter with my daughter 167 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 7: and put my cats. 168 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: In his foster. 169 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 4: Well, that's very disturbing, just to be abruptly on house, 170 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 4: Miss Kim. I want to ask you when did your 171 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:02,199 Speaker 4: program start? 172 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 6: Yeah, it started a while ago now. So the initial 173 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 6: seeds of the organization were planted in twenty twelve when 174 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 6: I was working as a case manager down in the 175 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 6: skid Row area of Los Angeles, and I was working 176 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 6: in one of these housing programs, you know, skip the 177 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 6: shelter part, remove all the barriers, just take people off 178 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 6: the street and put them into their own housing, because 179 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 6: that is truly what ends homelessness. And let's just pull 180 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 6: out all the stops. You know, they don't have to 181 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 6: prove that they're sober, they don't have to prove this 182 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 6: and that. But it was when the pet came into 183 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 6: the picture that for some reason there was like an 184 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,839 Speaker 6: arbitrary line drawn in the sand, and that, like the pet, 185 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 6: became a huge issue and people were forced to make 186 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 6: those really difficult decisions that I mentioned earlier. It's like 187 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 6: you can stay here and get rid of your pet, 188 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 6: or you can get out and keep your pet. And 189 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 6: that was just a really eye opening time for me 190 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 6: in understanding that barrier. And you know, it's not that 191 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 6: I ever expected to start a nonprofit to address this 192 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,199 Speaker 6: particular issue, but I am an animal lover through and through, 193 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 6: and I have been my entire life, and I know 194 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 6: what it means to be going through a difficult time 195 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 6: in your life and having your animal be the single 196 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 6: source of support for you. I know what that's like. 197 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 6: And so to have people who had spent years on 198 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 6: the streets with their dog or their cat or their 199 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 6: rabbit as their single source of motivation and love and 200 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 6: or turtle bird, right, you name it, and then to 201 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 6: like dangle that over them and say, like, we have 202 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 6: this life saving service for you everything you ever wanted, 203 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:55,079 Speaker 6: right housing, but you have to give up your pet 204 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 6: Like that just seemed really unreasonable and unconscionable to me 205 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 6: that we would be asking people to make that decision. 206 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 6: And so back in twenty twelve, I had a particular 207 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 6: person that I was working with where I was going 208 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 6: through this experience and at the same time, I was 209 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 6: working for a little museum just as a volunteer called 210 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 6: the National Museum of Animals in Society, also in Los 211 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 6: Angeles that unfortunately no longer exists, but they had asked 212 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 6: me to think about some content for their blog. And 213 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 6: that's actually how My Dog Is My Home got started. 214 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 6: Like I just started writing about my experiences as a 215 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 6: social worker and a case manager and housing in homeless 216 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 6: services and that particular case, and eventually it snowballed into 217 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 6: an exhibition where we featured artwork and video pieces, photographs, 218 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 6: but all with the intention of giving people with lived 219 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 6: experience of homelessness with their pets, the platform to tell 220 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 6: us what does that human animal bond mean to you 221 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 6: and what are the gaps and services that exist because 222 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 6: you have a pet. And that was so successful, an 223 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 6: eye opening for lots of folks on both sides, on 224 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 6: the animal offer side and the health and human services side, 225 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 6: that eventually we just grew and grew and here we 226 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 6: are today a nonprofit organization, you know, ten plus years later. 227 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 6: So that's how we started, and that's when we got 228 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 6: started as well. 229 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 4: I know you've been around many of the un house community. 230 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 4: They are very fiercely loving to their pets. How were 231 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 4: you able to overcome if they were not able to 232 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 4: sustain food or give them food or the food that 233 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:36,080 Speaker 4: they require. 234 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: What was some of the tactics and things you needed 235 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: to do? 236 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 6: Yeah, I would say for the most part, people that 237 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:47,839 Speaker 6: I worked with directly, they were pretty resourceful folks and 238 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 6: they actually had fairly high standards for what they would 239 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 6: feed their animals. There was actually a fair bit of 240 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 6: brand loyalty that went over. You know, my dog doesn't 241 00:13:58,640 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 6: eat that garbage. 242 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: That's why I brought the question out because people need. 243 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 4: You, you know, you eat the bottom of the ball, Yes. 244 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,559 Speaker 6: And a lot of people really cared about what their 245 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 6: pets would eat, even above what they themselves would eat. 246 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 6: So it wasn't uncommon to see people sharing their own 247 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 6: human food with their animals, I mean mostly dogs, because 248 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 6: as you said, cats are a little bit finicky, they 249 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 6: don't need to redos and stuff. But for the dogs, 250 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 6: you know, totally common sight to see, like if somebody 251 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 6: had a hamburger, they ripped off half the hamburger. The 252 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 6: dog would eat first before they even eat themselves. And 253 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 6: luckily there are pet food pantry programs that now exist 254 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 6: with more regularity, like it's a more common thing these days. 255 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 6: So now it's not uncommon to have animal shelters and 256 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 6: other animal welfare organizations kind of recognize that people struggle 257 00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 6: and it's actually a better investment to help people feed 258 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 6: their animals, pay for veterinary care, pay for whatever expenses 259 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 6: that would keep that animal with them, as opposed to 260 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 6: that person like not being able to afford caring for 261 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 6: their pet and then that pet eventually ending up at 262 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 6: the animal shelter. So animal shelters now have these support 263 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 6: programs that are very similar to social work programs actually 264 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 6: to support people on their pets staying together. So there 265 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 6: are those kinds of things to help support people in 266 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 6: feeding their pets. And then also there are other situations 267 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 6: where people find a way to essentially raise money make 268 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 6: money in order to feed their pets and feed them 269 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 6: at the standard that they feel is necessary for their pets. 270 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 4: Hell when I first got here to California, I was 271 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 4: on the Greyhound bus and I passed, which I was 272 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 4: thought was so I almost say bizarre. It was the 273 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 4: first time I've ever seen a pet cemetery. I knew 274 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 4: a pets. My families have had pets, and when they 275 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 4: pass away, we put them in a bag or a 276 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 4: box in the backyard and that's the end of it. 277 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 4: I didn't know in California and Los Angeles that they 278 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 4: had pet cemeteries and sometimes look better than human cemeteries, 279 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 4: if you want to be honest. And so I was wondering, 280 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 4: how is the reception of people with pets in New York? 281 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 4: Are you able to bring them into the grocery stores 282 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 4: or restaurants or they just look side eyed or you know, 283 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 4: at you you know, because I know I've noticed an 284 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 4: evolution here more and more people who are starting to 285 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 4: use the moniker support animal or emotional support animal or something, 286 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 4: so they can be part of the dinner table or 287 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 4: when you go out in restaurants and things like that. 288 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 6: So well, Jillian, do you want to jump in or 289 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 6: I have some ideas on kind of pet culture, animal 290 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 6: culture and your go forth. Yeah, So I would say, 291 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 6: just like in LA I would say nationally, like there's 292 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 6: this real trend towards people considering their pats as members 293 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,120 Speaker 6: of the family. So they're not just you know, pieces 294 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 6: of property that you can dispose of, They're really considered 295 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 6: like some of the closest beings to you. And so yes, 296 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 6: for sure, there's a push to be more inclusive in 297 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 6: all kinds of spaces of people's pets, retail spaces, restaurant settings. 298 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 6: I think in New York City there was a law 299 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 6: passed a couple of years ago like dining out with dogs, 300 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 6: So not actually in the restaurants, but in the patios 301 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 6: you can bring your dog. But I would say the 302 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 6: one place where we haven't caught up is in housing. 303 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, you guys have the fancy cemeteries. 304 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 6: Yet no, no, no fancy cemeteries, And no, okay, I 305 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 6: didn't know, but housing for sure is an area with 306 00:17:56,800 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 6: much needed improvement, lots of opportunity for growth there if 307 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 6: we want to put it in like a strength space, perfective, right. 308 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 6: But you know, on the flip side, if I'm talking 309 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 6: real here, it's like it's pretty bad in terms of 310 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 6: like who has access to pet friendly housing or pet 311 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 6: inclusive housing. I should say so in the field of housing, 312 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 6: there are two different ways that you can describe pets 313 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 6: and housing. There's pet friendly and there's pet inclusive. And 314 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 6: when you see a listing for a pet friendly anything, 315 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 6: it's like, sure, we accept animals, but there are all 316 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 6: these restrictions like your dog can only be twenty five pounds, 317 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 6: or no pitbulls allowed, or you know something some other ridiculous, arbitrary, 318 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 6: you know, rule against certain kinds of animals. Pet inclusive 319 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 6: is just what it sounds like. It's more inclusive of 320 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 6: all different kinds of animals and the restrictions are lessened. 321 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,719 Speaker 6: And when you look at the data, and this is 322 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 6: talking more Nash only instead of New York City base, 323 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 6: but definitely it's true, very locally on the New York 324 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 6: City level. Is that when you look at who has 325 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 6: access to different types of either pet friendly or pet 326 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:14,479 Speaker 6: inclusive housing. Of course, it's like those luxury developments that 327 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 6: are developed for people with really high incomes, those places 328 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 6: are pet inclusive, and the lower down the line you 329 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 6: get in terms of income, the lower availability there is 330 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 6: for that kind of places. And so in the places 331 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 6: that are lower income, you have fewer pet friendly units 332 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 6: and more restrictions, higher pet rent, all of those things, 333 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 6: and so the burdens of kind of those rules, they're 334 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 6: just compounded and they hit certain communities much harder. 335 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: Well, it brings up me another question. 336 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 4: Because you guys are in New York, you guys have 337 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 4: a new mayor, Mayor Madonni. Do you think you guys 338 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,920 Speaker 4: have worked together to do I almost say a campaign 339 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 4: didn't make more pet accessible to lic city or has 340 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 4: there any campaigns that you know about that is doing that, 341 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 4: or you guys are just waiting to see what which 342 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 4: way he goes or which way the wind blows. 343 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 6: Oh well, just personally speaking, outside of my dog is 344 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 6: my home, the nonprofit, So just personally speaking, like, I'm 345 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 6: super excited about may Or mom Donnie, Like, I love 346 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 6: his platform, I love everything that he stands for, and 347 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 6: I am so excited that he recently appointed Nat Fields 348 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 6: to his transition team. So nat Fields is the CEO 349 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 6: of Urban Resource Institute, which is the country's largest provider 350 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:40,160 Speaker 6: of domestic violence sheltering services. Okay, and then they also 351 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 6: have a family homelessness arm of what they do. But 352 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 6: they're also one of the largest providers and oldest providers 353 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 6: that includes pets in their sheltering services. And so nat 354 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 6: Fields has been at the forefront of like talking about 355 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 6: how if we want to provide holistic, person drama informed 356 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:06,720 Speaker 6: sheltering services to people in need, then we also need 357 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 6: to be thinking about their pets and including them in 358 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 6: those services. And so nat Fields is a part of 359 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 6: that team. And so I am super hopeful about what 360 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 6: that means because he has been such a champion of 361 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:19,360 Speaker 6: our issue. 362 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 4: When we come back more with Christine and Jillian, welcome 363 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:30,639 Speaker 4: back to Whedian House, I'm THEO Henderson because more of 364 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 4: my chat with Jillian and Christine at My Dog. 365 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:33,920 Speaker 1: Is My Home. 366 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,199 Speaker 6: More broadly speaking, for the state of New York, there 367 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,880 Speaker 6: are a couple of bills that have been introduced which 368 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 6: have been actually modeled off of legislation in California. So 369 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 6: there's a bill that would create a state grant program 370 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 6: to pay for any pet related expenses of co sheltering 371 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 6: people and pets together and emergency shelter. And Jillian and 372 00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:00,480 Speaker 6: I together, we are really trying to make sure people 373 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 6: with lived experience show up for this fight and for 374 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 6: this conversation. And so we developed a training that we 375 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 6: are trying to deliver to people with lived experience to 376 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:14,880 Speaker 6: just like rally them, get them excited. And I think 377 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 6: Jillian is an excellent trainer and an excellent role model 378 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 6: also because she has she has already gone out and 379 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 6: done that outreach and like reached out to her elected officials. 380 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 6: And so I'm going to pass it back to Jillian 381 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:29,120 Speaker 6: to talk about like what that was like for her. 382 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: No pressure, Yeah, surprise. 383 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 7: I've gone out to DC a few times and spoken 384 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:41,719 Speaker 7: with a few elected officials or you know, their staff 385 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 7: and everything like that and spoken about pet inclusive housing 386 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 7: and coach sheltering and you know that wonderful stuff. And 387 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 7: I've been working hard on this. Well, we actually kind 388 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 7: of finished the training, but we've been working really hard 389 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 7: on the on getting this training together, and we're in 390 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 7: hopes that we can get people to feel comfortable enough 391 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 7: to go out there and make those phone calls or 392 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 7: go to see their elected officials and have those conversations. 393 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 7: I think it would be a very successful training scenario. 394 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 6: Yeah, And I think what's also really special about this 395 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 6: training effort is that, like, sure, yes, there are certain 396 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:28,600 Speaker 6: formulas that people put together and put forward to say 397 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 6: like this is how you should engage your elected official. 398 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:34,919 Speaker 6: But for us, it's more about like making sure that 399 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 6: the person with lived experience that we're actually training feels 400 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 6: empowered and that they feel like a part of the 401 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 6: civic engagement process and that it's not just about this 402 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 6: one time, short term interaction that they're having. It's like 403 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 6: building a long term relationship with their elected official and 404 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 6: really feeling like they can plug into that system to 405 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 6: make change. 406 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,119 Speaker 4: I'm glad you brought that up too, because as one 407 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 4: of the things that I notice here, like when one 408 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 4: is on house, it's a full time job in itself, 409 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 4: and it's like you're not able sometimes to catch all 410 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 4: of what's going on. 411 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,439 Speaker 1: You know that they're well here. You can't be in 412 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: a mystery. 413 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 4: When they got forty one a eighteen, you know that 414 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 4: they're going to, you know, come down and come down hard. 415 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: On you. But what I do find it is like 416 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: a push pull thing. 417 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 4: It's I want to say, political education, but the understanding 418 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,959 Speaker 4: that this is not an accident to getting people to 419 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 4: expand and understand how it's working concert and erasing a 420 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 4: house people or making it more difficult for them to 421 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 4: get out of it, but also more than them for 422 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 4: them to speak out. Look at the administration that we 423 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 4: have now. Trump administration works very hard in hurting people 424 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 4: and take a sadistic pleasure and finding ways to make 425 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 4: sure that they always have some creative destructive way like 426 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 4: suing for you to get snapped, or preventing you to 427 00:24:56,320 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 4: get sugary drinks or candy, or making it like you know, 428 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 4: either you go to accept shelter or what Trump's executive 429 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 4: order was, either you go into a substance useage program, 430 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 4: or you're going to volunteer for a mental health program. 431 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 1: And you know. 432 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 4: If you're always on the back foot, you don't you 433 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 4: don't understand, you know, when these things are coming at you. 434 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 4: You can't be here and there that you don't you 435 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 4: don't always have the breath to stop and look and 436 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 4: analyze this is what's going on, This is what we 437 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,400 Speaker 4: need to be talking about with us in the community, 438 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 4: like you said, in the loved Experience community, and now 439 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 4: how we're going to organize or put it into a 440 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 4: way that we are saying loud and clear, we're not 441 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,400 Speaker 4: gonna take this anymore or this is unacceptable. 442 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 6: Yeah, well said the right. 443 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:44,959 Speaker 7: And if I can just add to that, you know, 444 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:50,120 Speaker 7: already in that situation of being unhoused, you're already feeling 445 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,360 Speaker 7: down as it is, you're depressed, you're going through you're 446 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 7: in active trauma at that time, so you really don't 447 00:25:57,040 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 7: know what powers you have. You don't maybe even think 448 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:02,439 Speaker 7: that you have the ability to even have a voice. 449 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 7: So it's very hard I knew for me trying to 450 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 7: figure out whether or not I was worthy of even 451 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:13,679 Speaker 7: a second glance. You know, it's it's just it's a 452 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,439 Speaker 7: very difficult position to be in just from the jump, 453 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 7: and then to add all of this stuff that's going 454 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,399 Speaker 7: on in the world, it's it's tough. 455 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 1: How did you do it then? 456 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 4: Because you found you found some stick withedness and you 457 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 4: you know, had some intestinal forded you to push through it? 458 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,679 Speaker 1: What did you do to try to break the chains? 459 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:37,680 Speaker 1: And not in my shirt? 460 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 7: But you know, well, I learned more. I kept learning 461 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 7: about advocacy. I joined a group of people with lived 462 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 7: experience that just happened to develop on Facebook, and you know, 463 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:58,160 Speaker 7: learned that I could possibly have something important to say, 464 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:01,159 Speaker 7: something that somebody's going to want to listen to. And 465 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 7: then I spoke in front of people. I told my 466 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 7: story and people were listening, and it felt amazing and 467 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 7: I wanted more, of course, you know, because it felt 468 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 7: like the listening was authentic and that minds were changing 469 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:24,119 Speaker 7: in the little things that I would say. And then 470 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 7: I found my way to meeting Christine through it all. 471 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 7: And now there's no stopping. I can't keep my mouth 472 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:32,600 Speaker 7: shut now. 473 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 6: Yeah, and I have to say, you know, to hear 474 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 6: Jillian reflect back on the time that she was in 475 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 6: shelter and to hear her say that she wasn't sure 476 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 6: if she was worthy of a second glance like that 477 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 6: is really heartbreaking, because Jillian is one of the fiercest 478 00:27:54,240 --> 00:28:00,040 Speaker 6: advocates that I know, and she's brilliant and talented, and 479 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 6: on top of all of that, like she really has 480 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 6: a way of connecting with people and getting them to 481 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 6: hear her message. And to think that there are so 482 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 6: many people who are in similar situations to what Jillian 483 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 6: had previously experienced, that might be feeling the same way 484 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 6: that they feel disempowered, that they feel like they're not worthy, 485 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,400 Speaker 6: they're not sure if they have anything that people will 486 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 6: want to hear to say. I just feel like that's 487 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 6: such an incredible loss for all of us, right because 488 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 6: there might be so many more Jillians out in the 489 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 6: world and shaking things up for the better and changing 490 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 6: things if they just felt that there was a place 491 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 6: of belonging for them and that there was an audience 492 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 6: for them that truly wanted to hear what they had 493 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 6: to say, which is why, again bringing back full circle THEO, 494 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 6: I think what you're doing is really important. 495 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 1: Thank you. 496 00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 4: I never had thought i'd be honest with you and 497 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 4: I would do to show on my phone when I 498 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 4: would leave and sleep in the park, that it would 499 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 4: be to this degree now. But it's definitely important. I'm 500 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 4: so glad that I took the initiative to do it. 501 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 4: But it also brings back what Julie was saying, that 502 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 4: you don't always think that you are worthy or the 503 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:17,720 Speaker 4: person that should be, you know, I wish there was 504 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 4: somebody out there to say something about this and or 505 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 4: you know, be able to put the un housed community 506 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 4: in a human terms instead of these crazed eyes glazed 507 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 4: or people in the throes of their addiction or they're 508 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 4: so exhausted they're laying on the street and people are 509 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 4: videoing them or they're exploiting them. I say, well, maybe 510 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 4: you know, sometimes that person is you, and it's not always 511 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 4: going to be perfect or completely ready at the time. 512 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 4: You know, I did with a phone, so I did 513 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 4: not have the big fans of the studio. I mean, 514 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 4: I had to do so many cuts, and you know, 515 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 4: you have to deal with the environmental issues, the ambulance 516 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:58,240 Speaker 4: or cars and oh man. But now, like you say, 517 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 4: it tends to take a stick with itness and just 518 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 4: keep persevering. I don't want to keep you too long, 519 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,360 Speaker 4: but I do have one kind of question that I 520 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 4: want to ask both of you. Where do you see 521 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 4: this going in the three to five years Because we 522 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 4: have a tumultuous political arena and everything that this administration 523 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 4: or regime seems to be doing seems to be going 524 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 4: out of his way to hurt or take funding or 525 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 4: make things much more difficult. So how do you see 526 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 4: this being taken to another maybe proactive positive way. 527 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 6: Oh that's a heck of a Questionnthia. Yeah, you're right, 528 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 6: it is a tough road ahead. I mean, I think 529 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 6: back on the past year and wow, it's only been 530 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 6: a year, and look at everything that has happened. But 531 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 6: I am still really hopeful because I think it's times 532 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:56,720 Speaker 6: like this where we're really tested that we have the 533 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 6: opportunity to shine the brightest. Know that sounds super cheesy, 534 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 6: but I think when we're really tested, like that's when 535 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 6: we are pushed to be creative, to think outside of 536 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 6: the systems that have already been built, because those systems 537 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 6: weren't really working for us anyway, right, and so like, 538 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 6: obviously it's not going to work out for the next 539 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 6: three years, Like let's be imaginative and think about a 540 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 6: future with more abundance, with actual housing to end people's homelessness, 541 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 6: pet inclusive housing, housing for people with all kinds of families. 542 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 6: And I am hopeful because because of the community also 543 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 6: that emerges from really difficult times, like we don't have 544 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 6: a lot materially, like our organizations are being defunded left 545 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 6: and right, but what we have is each other, and 546 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 6: we have to encourage each other, and we have to 547 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:51,960 Speaker 6: band together and again kind of pull out that do 548 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 6: it yourself mentality and the scrappiness that's going to keep 549 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:58,120 Speaker 6: us going. And we only do that in relationship with 550 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 6: each other. And so I am trying to see the 551 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 6: silver lining here and thinking that, like you know, this 552 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 6: is the time for us to get together and to 553 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 6: really build those lasting, deep and meaningful connections that are 554 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 6: going to keep us going over the next three years. 555 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 7: Everything you just said, everything she said, I mean, it's 556 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 7: definitely a matter of sticking together through all of this 557 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 7: and creating a united front. Is doesn't have to be enormous, 558 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 7: but it's just got to be strong enough, empowered enough 559 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:40,479 Speaker 7: to be able to power through. And I do believe 560 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:43,680 Speaker 7: that we will get through this. And right now we're 561 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 7: getting given more emma and ready to fire. 562 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:51,400 Speaker 6: I think we got this, yeah, And I think I 563 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,320 Speaker 6: think groups like My Dog is My Home. I mean, 564 00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 6: it's easy for me to say because I'm in it, right, 565 00:32:57,880 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 6: I think My Dog is My Home is a really 566 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 6: good exist sample of community building across different types of 567 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 6: areas where you wouldn't normally think that you should be 568 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:12,080 Speaker 6: building community. Right, So, like homeless advocates and animal advocates together. 569 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 6: We are actually stronger together and there is a connection 570 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,320 Speaker 6: and there's a reason why we should be fighting together 571 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 6: as opposed to separately, because our issues impact one another 572 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 6: and we can accomplish more and pool our resources when 573 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 6: we're talking with each other. 574 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:30,960 Speaker 4: Yes, you know they say the intersections is so important 575 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,320 Speaker 4: to understand, you know one is like I say, you 576 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:36,400 Speaker 4: know more with doing the show, it's created a political 577 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 4: education in me to seeing how the tendrils all connect, 578 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 4: and all of a sudden, now things become much more 579 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 4: deeper than understanding. Is I understand houselessness in a way, 580 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:50,480 Speaker 4: even though when I was at house I was disabused 581 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 4: of things. But I mean looking at houselesness from various ways, 582 00:33:56,000 --> 00:34:01,240 Speaker 4: from the international front, from the domestic violence the elderly, 583 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 4: or from people that are terminally ill, and then there's 584 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 4: so many intersections that we you know, I almost give 585 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:10,360 Speaker 4: short scrip because we don't even know it exists. You know, 586 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 4: we don't really take the time to look at how 587 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 4: deep this issue impacts all across all communities. And it's 588 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:19,560 Speaker 4: so important to have a place to be able to 589 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 4: centralize it and to have people to parse it, to 590 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 4: think about it and pass it along and talk with 591 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 4: people and connect. 592 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 7: Absolutely. 593 00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I agreed. 594 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:31,239 Speaker 6: I have a question for you too, Yes, do you 595 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 6: have pets? 596 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:32,959 Speaker 3: No? 597 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:36,880 Speaker 1: I stayed at us sorrow they don't allow pets, so. 598 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:39,200 Speaker 6: Yeah. 599 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:43,880 Speaker 4: And then two, you know, I had a very frightened 600 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 4: kind of stance against pets because I didn't want to 601 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:49,840 Speaker 4: be attached to a pet and then I lose it, 602 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 4: and then not going to basically lose it on the street, 603 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 4: because I, like, you know, life is tough. Now, you know, 604 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:57,240 Speaker 4: if I had a dog or a cat or whatever, 605 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 4: and then that's just would be the for me, like 606 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:03,279 Speaker 4: the metaphor that my life sucked in, and I would 607 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:05,840 Speaker 4: have probably it would have probably spun me out of it. 608 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 3: You know. 609 00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 4: I look on with admiration that people connect with pets 610 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,840 Speaker 4: and the pets depend on them and they on their pets. 611 00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:17,640 Speaker 1: But I just was too chicken to embrace that. 612 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:19,399 Speaker 7: So well, hey, I. 613 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,160 Speaker 6: No judgment from us. Taking on a pet is a 614 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:25,920 Speaker 6: serious thing. They become a huge part of your life 615 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:29,719 Speaker 6: and a huge responsibility. But also we totally get it 616 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 6: in terms of like fear of that loss, because when 617 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:36,359 Speaker 6: that animal becomes a part of your heart and you're 618 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 6: faced with difficult decisions or there is loss like it is. 619 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:44,680 Speaker 6: It's a terrible grief that you suffer, for sure, exactly. 620 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:47,719 Speaker 4: And I was too chicken, you know, to do that 621 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,680 Speaker 4: because they Oh no, you know, I have a friend 622 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:54,560 Speaker 4: Roothless just shout out to Roofless who's unhoused and she 623 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 4: has a pet turtle and a pet turtle went through 624 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:01,320 Speaker 4: because we had a rainy season here and the turtle 625 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 4: was almost washed away and the rescue efforts and yeah, yeah, 626 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:08,560 Speaker 4: I mean yeah, big turtles. Fine, But it was like, okay, well, 627 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:11,319 Speaker 4: it's just that was like illuminated what I was like. 628 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 4: Oh no, I couldn't do that, you know, I would 629 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:17,800 Speaker 4: just be a you know, a blubbering mess or just yeah. 630 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:19,560 Speaker 6: I bet that was a tough time for her. Yeah, 631 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:22,879 Speaker 6: and almost getting her turtle washed away. Oh my goodness. Yes, 632 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 6: it's like that's awful. Yeah, I'm glad her turtles. Okay, yeah, yes, 633 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:30,799 Speaker 6: I do have one last thing that I forgot to mention. Oh, 634 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:33,959 Speaker 6: you reminded me because you were talking about just having 635 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:36,799 Speaker 6: like a meeting of the minds and an opportunity for 636 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 6: different kinds of providers to network. My dog is my 637 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:44,040 Speaker 6: home has a conference that we hold every year. It's 638 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:46,960 Speaker 6: online so people don't have to travel, and we have 639 00:36:47,040 --> 00:36:49,719 Speaker 6: plenty of scholarships to give away this year, and so 640 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:53,279 Speaker 6: we hope that people who are interested in this intersection 641 00:36:53,440 --> 00:36:57,439 Speaker 6: of homelessness and animal welfare and making sure that their 642 00:36:57,520 --> 00:37:00,960 Speaker 6: pet inclusive solutions to ending homelessness, we hope that you'll 643 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 6: join us. It's March twenty fourth through the twenty sixth 644 00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:07,600 Speaker 6: of twenty twenty six and you can find information about 645 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 6: it on our website, My Dog is My Home dot org. 646 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,320 Speaker 4: Thank you again to Christine and Jillian for their time 647 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:21,320 Speaker 4: and their work. You can learn more about My Dog 648 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:23,640 Speaker 4: is My Home and how to support at the links 649 00:37:23,640 --> 00:37:26,840 Speaker 4: in the description. And one more thank you, and that 650 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,239 Speaker 4: is to the listeners. If you have a story you'd 651 00:37:29,239 --> 00:37:31,759 Speaker 4: like to share, please reach out to me at Weedianhouse 652 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:37,080 Speaker 4: at gmail dot com or Whedianhouse on Instagram. Until then, 653 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:42,280 Speaker 4: may we again meet in the light of understanding. Weedian 654 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,720 Speaker 4: House is a production of iHeartRadio. It is written, hosted, 655 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 4: and created by me Theo Henderson. Our producers Jamie Loftus, 656 00:37:51,239 --> 00:37:54,240 Speaker 4: Hailey Fager, Jatie Fischel, and Lyra Smith. 657 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:57,560 Speaker 1: Our editor is Adam want our. 658 00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:02,000 Speaker 4: Engineer is Joel Jerome and our local art is also 659 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:03,080 Speaker 4: by Katie Fisher. 660 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:05,360 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening.