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.
Adam Canaday is a Journeyman Coachman with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation that runs the museums and historic houses and sites in Williamsburg, Virginia. Adam talks about his experiences working at Colonial Williamsburg since he was a small child. He addresses some of the issues that people of color face working at Colonial Williamsburg, especially when working as historical interpreters. This interview was conducted as part of class requirements for HIST:667 Oral History with Dr. Anna Kaplan in fall 2020.
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.
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.
Longtime Petworth resident, Arvella Farmer recalls growing up in Petworth and still living in the same home she was raised in. She remembers how members in the community looked out for one another, opportunities to sing at the Catholic Church, and how music was a uniting thread between herself, her brother, and the broader community. She met Andrew Hesbacher, who lived in Petworth for a brief period in 2018, when she heard him practicing his trumpet on his front porch and walked over to introduce herself. When asked what makes Petworth unique, Farmer answers: “The people who live in it…and love each other.”
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.
In this interview, Arren Mills discusses many aspects of her life, including her family life, her career, and her hopes for the future. She touches on her personal history, her expanding career in birth photography and as a doula, and her social activism. She describes her experience at protests over the summer of 2020, her fears and hopes for the social justice movement going forward, and her desires for her two young girls. With honesty and poise, Arren Mills provides perspective on protesting, activism, and motherhood in this interview.
Ben Smith speaks about his experiences growing up in New York City as a Chinese adoptee. He talks about growing up with two dads and the impact that living in a diverse community has had on his life. Ben also discusses his interests in community building, his YouTube channel Becoming Ben Smith, and his perceptions of his identity as a Chinese adoptee.