Description SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW: AC moved to the United States in 1990 to find work in Connecticut then Massachusetts then DC. He worked as a taxi driver for a couple years before finding a permanent position as a security guard for commercial buildings within DC. As soon as he moved to the United States he began English classes and now takes computer classes to increase his skills. He retired in 2015 and began receiving Social Security and also withdrew his 401k. He is currently unemployed and focusing on his health because he was unable to do so when he was working. He has plans to learn Microsoft PowerPoint take his skills back to his homeland to teach children the application as well as English. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW: Aida Basnight-Peery was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Chicago, Illionois. After getting her Bachelors and Masters degrees, Basnight-Peery split most of her time between Chicago and D.C. While in Chicago, she had two kids, a daughter and a son, now 20 and 23-years-old, respectively. Although she has had several different jobs, she has worked most of her life as a secretary, but now, she is working part-time with Street Sense, although it is still difficult to make ends meet. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW: Akube Ndoromo is currently homeless and unemployed in the city of Washington, DC. He is originally from Kenya, but has lived in the capital since 1996. According to Ndoromo, he became a multimillionaire through two small business ventures. After a scandal involving fraud at his latest business he was imprisoned. He maintained his innocence, which helped him in the fight for his early release. Ndoromo claims during this time he lost his wife through divorce and has found comfort in the community of Columbia Heights. In the interview, Ndoromo recalls his professional life and higher education, the racism and xenophobia he has experienced as an immigrant, and his homeless status. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW: In this interview, Claire Davis talks with Alexis Lindsay, the Special Events and Communications Manager at Covenant House Washington. Ms. Lindsay talks about why youth come to Covenant House and the demographics of the homeless youth population in Washington, DC. Ms. Lindsay also reflects on how to end youth homelessness and the types of services that Covenant House Washington provides for youth. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The interviews conducted as part of the DC Oral History and Social Justice Project record how unhoused residents of the greater DC area view the history of homelessness – how did homelessness become such an entrenched part of the city. The interviews will be used to create critical dialogue among people who are currently unhoused in Washington, DC, and then they may be used to assist future advocacy efforts.
SUMMARY: In this interview, Washington, D.C. native Alisa Hill speaks about the phenomenon of homelessness in the city. Alisa shares her personal experiences with homelessness, including her efforts to find shelter and how being homeless has affected her relationships with others. Alisa also discusses her advocacy efforts to bring attention to the issue of homelessness and her outreach with homeless children. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The interviews conducted as part of the DC Oral History and Social Justice Project record how unhoused residents of the greater DC area view the history of homelessness – how did homelessness become such an entrenched part of the city. The interviews will be used to create critical dialogue among people who are currently unhoused in Washington, DC, and then they may be used to assist future advocacy efforts.
SUMMARY: This interview with Amanda Barry Moilanen is about being the daughter of a same-sex lesbian couple. Barry Moilanen discusses her moms and the obstacles they faced as a same-sex family unit. Barry Moilanen talks about her membership to the LGBT community as the daughter of a same-sex household. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
SUMMARY: Anthony is a recovering drug addict who has mainly worked as a carpenter. He is fifty-nine years old and was born in Manhattan before moving to Puerto Rico and then back to the United States. He said he was a functioning addict for most of his life and always been able to make ends meet, until developing an addiction to crack-cocaine in the late 2000s. He has been in recovery and not working for the past two years but feels confident his skills will get him back into the workforce when he feels ready to move on. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
SUMMARY: Bob Smith spoke about his employment history and educational background. He spoke extensively about the conditions that the homeless experience on the street in Washington, DC. He especially spoke about the conditions that are experienced when the weather is severe and how dangerous it could be. Bob also spoke about how difficult it was to make a living while trying to deal with discrimination. He expressed his frustration with elected leaders on their lack of attention on the issue of the homeless. He spoke about the lack of support that homeless experience on the street and how there are very few places to turn to help. Finally, he expressed that he hoped this project would improve the conditions of people living on the street. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
Carlton Johnson talks about his background, especially in electronics, for which he went to trade school. He also has held a variety of jobs in sales, but mostly in CCTV and Surveillance work and communications. His worst job was as a day laborer, and he believes they ought pay more. Through this job, though there was no on-the-job training, he gained a connection that allowed him to apprentice and work gainfully for a number of years in contracting. He says that he’s never had difficulty making ends meet, and that the best way to work through financial woes is through sales, and that money is therefore attracted to him. While he identified no barriers to finding jobs to apply for, he says that he has been outright talked out of jobs because of discrimination on the part of employers. He concludes that his children are going to be successful, one owing to their skills with electronics and the other as one of the brightest minds in Fairfax County. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
SUMMARY: Chapman Todd discusses his experience as an advocate for the homeless for the past twenty years. He currently serves as a consultant for the Downtown Business Improvement District in Washington, DC. He has also worked with Martha’s Table and DC Central Kitchen. He addresses the importance of moving to a strategy of putting the chronically homeless in permanent supportive housing. He also discusses difficulties with regulating food programs and reflects on the future of the Federal City Shelter building. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The interviews conducted as part of the DC Oral History and Social Justice Project record how unhoused residents of the greater DC area view the history of homelessness – how did homelessness become such an entrenched part of the city. The interviews will be used to create critical dialogue among people who are currently unhoused in Washington, DC, and then they may be used to assist future advocacy efforts.
PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community
SUMMARY: Cynthia Burwell is a woman in her fifties who has lived in Washington, DC her whole life. Growing up her parents were addicted to drugs and alcohol, and she and her siblings spent time in children’s homes and living with relatives. After graduating high school while homeless, she worked a series of manual labor jobs, including general maintenance, security, and day labor/construction. She tried to gain computer skills but claimed she was consistently cheated by trade schools. She has been out of work for around twenty years now and says her biggest concern is getting her own place. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
SUMMARY: This a half-hour follow-up interview with Washington, D.C. Hip Hop artist Head Roc also known as Vance Levy. This interview’s content returns to the idea of social and cultural changes in D.C. and its immediate suburbs with a focus on specific cultural landscapes and engagements of people in this time. In it Head Roc, details places in DC that nurtured his own cultural development. He offers a critique of portrayals of the city as dangerous or violent, viewing such notions as stereotypes of the city. He also offers a critique of the educational system that he experienced. The interview concludes with a discussion on gentrification in DC and it possible future effects on the city’s Black cultures.
SUMMARY: Interview with David Edwards explores what he believes to be the causes of homelessness in Washington, DC and why homelessness continues to be such a persistent issue. Edwards recalls his work history, history as a whistleblower, and history of his own periods of homelessness. Edwards is a self-described advocate-activist and details his plan for reducing homelessness in DC. Edwards is also a poet and novelist, and shares poems and plot lines from his novel. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The interviews conducted as part of the DC Oral History and Social Justice Project record how unhoused residents of the greater DC area view the history of homelessness – how did homelessness become such an entrenched part of the city. The interviews will be used to create critical dialogue among people who are currently unhoused in Washington, DC, and then they may be used to assist future advocacy efforts.
PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
SUMMARY: Dmitri was born and raised in Washington, DC. He has worked as a performer, but also as a custodian and a sales associate. Dmitri attributes most of the successes and challenges in his life to God. He prefers not to talk about his past and to focus on his relationship with God, which he feels has been the main reason that he has been able to get through the difficult times in his life. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The Homeless Voices Amplification Co-op (HVAC) works to amplify stories of unhoused individuals’ past and present work experiences. Recognizing that unhoused individuals are the most valuable source of knowledge on the realities of their employment, HVAC partners with the unhoused to create space for strategic community reflection as a means to further activism for economic justice. HVAC believes stories have the power to humanize individuals and undermine stigmas and stereotypes in ways statistics cannot. HVAC intends to draw upon the power of these stories to create a powerful, multi-dimensional online platform that can enhance efforts to mobilize the community.
SUMMARY: Eric Sheptock’s interview begins with his pilgrimage from Florida to Washington, DC in 2005 tracing his initial impetus to move through his current advocacy efforts as SHARC (Shelter, Housing and Real Change) chairman. Mr. Sheptock shares his insights on shelters, relationships, affordable housing as well as his personal experience as an advocate for the growing population of unhoused individuals in Washington, DC. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES: The interviews conducted as part of the DC Oral History and Social Justice Project record how unhoused residents of the greater DC area view the history of homelessness – how did homelessness become such an entrenched part of the city. The interviews will be used to create critical dialogue among people who are currently unhoused in Washington, DC, and then they may be used to assist future advocacy efforts.