Storytelling, or telling my story, has been the bridge between myself and receiving the support I needed while I was homeless. I believe connecting with other people is the best way to end homelessness because of this.
Let me share with you how storytelling saved my life while I was homeless and helped me continue to connect with people about homelessness even after I was housed again.
During my homelessness and the year leading up to it, I struggled with a vicious slumlord and blogged about it. I blogged the entire experience, even the day-to-day happenings. Through this process, I made online friends. These were friends I needed at a time when I would not have survived alone. These connections made it so I had enough to eat some days.
Honestly, it blew my mind then.
One day, when I was talking to a friend online about how scared I was, he asked me if he could do anything. He encouraged me to share my PayPal to make an Amazon Wishlist so people could help me.
I couldn’t believe the people I shared my story with sent me $50 for groceries or bought socks and winter boots from my Amazon Wishlist. They checked in with me regularly. And to be honest, I’m alive today because I shared my story. Those connections I made provided love and support from online friends when I needed it the most.
It wasn’t only about getting the help I needed through this unexpected mutual aid; I needed to see the kindness. When you’re homeless, it can feel like you’re invisible or, worse, less than human. Unworthy.
I couldn’t even open a bank account while I was homeless. It was impossible to rent an apartment when my last three addresses were homeless shelters. I didn’t fit in society anymore. I felt alienated, like I had ruined my entire life, and it hadn’t even started.
But then, I regained my identity and humanity by telling my story and talking about my life. Suddenly I was a human being again.
Through telling my story, others could see how similar our lives and experiences were. Suddenly it became apparent that none of us were so different after all. Many of us had gone through periods where we barely made ends meet. Some had been homeless before, even.
This was a time in my life when I really needed an ally. Homeless people need allies. They have none. They have little ways to reach for one. And by that, I mean people like you and me. Not just social workers, public service workers, but someone they can call a friend, someone they can build solidarity with.
That’s the big difference here. One is charity; the other is friendship. Storytelling is the bridge to friendship, solidarity, and mutual aid. It changes the entire game.
If the homeless sector could help us make this change, we could dramatically make a difference. If we could help others see that homeless people are no different than anyone, their families, or their friends, they would fight. They would not allow it to happen and would start looking a bit closer and asking hard questions. They’ll see how the income equality and classism hurt all of us.
Years later, when I was housed, that homeless stigma still followed me. I was afraid other people would find out I was homeless. I was afraid it would completely change their perspective of me. But I was also struggling with post-homeless trauma and needed support and reassurance that I was okay. I needed to know that I was safe.
That, of course, is no guarantee, but it’s no way to live – just constantly waiting for the next ball to drop. And again, in those moments, I found storytelling to be the gateway toward getting the support I needed.
Being heard and seen is such a big deal. I know it was for me, and it is a big deal for many homeless and formerly homeless people. Let’s share our stories, connect, and become allies.
