Thank you for courageously sharing your agonizing, and freeing, experience. So many (mostly) women are trapped in this kind of relationship. Reading your thoughtful and painful reflections will help many.
The other day I interviewed a woman for a film project I'm working on--a look at families doubled up or self-paying in motels because they lost housing and have no options. They're homeless, but invisibly so, and are outside the qualifications for housing assistance. We are trying to change that.
The woman I interviewed has 5 children, age 10-infant, by the same father. She expressed, multiple times, that she wants…
Why the Uphill Climb to Ending Homelessne$$?
Ask yourself, with all the “End Homelessness in 10 Year” campaigns, why hasn’t it happened?
Homelessness is good for the economy. It’s a profit-making venture. Too bad for the human carnage.
Without getting all Robert Reich-y on you, let me point out a few areas where homelessness is profitable.
STORAGE UNITS
Millions of Families Would Benefit
Hey, Frances!
Have you recovered from filming Nomadland? Before you take on another project, let me suggest Nomadland 2, a film focusing on family homelessness. It will be even more earthshaking than #1.
Sometimes you do what you gotta do. We didn't see the true pace that I'm sure Amazon insists on in reality.
Doubling Up Doubles Depression for Kids and Adults
The Ides of May, the day I just mentally snapped about depression. Not mine. I’m just hit with the pervasive nature of this debilitating condition that seems to affect more people than I can imagine. And I worry about a huge segment of the population whose circumstances breed depression.
A recent Facebook thread from a woman I know pushed me over the edge. She has experienced more than her share of trauma-inducing incidents. She ranted on a tepid political post I made, saying that our government is totally useless and beyond redemption. My attempt to acknowledge the gist of what…
Quit the Hypocrisy!
Mothers’ Day 2021…
hits a tender spot for me. Sunday, May 9 is the day my Mom, Ellie, died back in 2013. She had a great life, and she was able to bow out gracefully before the past 5 years or so of off-the-charts insanity (not mentioning any vile names). But, as the pandemic unfolds — still! — mothers continue to get the short end of the stick in our country, thus my call to eschew Mothers’ Day.
Seeing as we are all born to a mother, you’d think we’d have a bit of respect for those who’ve assumed that role. We have…
Pistol-packing mamas you aren’t! And you make a brilliant case for improving the offerings of education rather than making gun dealers rich. If logic has any place in this conundrum, yours wins by a long shot.
As Billions in Federal Assistance Roll Out, Who’s Thinking?
Unprecedented. In the three decades I’ve worked in the field of homelessness, I’ve never seen the outpouring of federal housing and homelessness resources that have been unleashed under the American Rescue Plan. I’m delighted!
The devastating impact of CoVid-19 combined with record-breaking homelessness, pre and post pandemic, makes the timing perfect. If implemented, not only will millions of people be rescued from thousands of dollars (each) of past due rent, but affordable housing will be created to begin to ease decades of reductions of public and private housing, greatly easing homelessness across the board.
Hold On a Moment!
But, as I read articles of…
You don’t want to know.
A family I know in North Carolina just suffered the disaster that most families fear — a fire wiped out their home. This family falls into the not-rich, not-at-the-bottom-poor category, like most families across the country. They are now devastated. Fortunately, no one was injured. They were able to farm out their smaller pets, but have four large dogs to deal with.
Another fire story from Maryland, a grandmother, her daughter and three grandkids lost their home to a fire recently. They have rotated through four motel rooms for the past month, disrupting their fragile stability. …
I guffawed at the 12 day shower record!
I'm on year 15, or is it 16? of full-timing, from being a totally newbie. I too downsized from a 27' Class C to a 24' Class B, and was happy I did. It's usually just me in my rig, and I work on the road, filming documentaries of family homelessness.
I can relate to all your learning experiences. Every. Drop. Of. Water.
I ended up writing a memoir/social narrative about my experiences and the people I met. For those interested, https://bit.ly/2ITtkZz
Thanks for your post! It's validating!
Diane Nilan
Founder/pres. HEAR US Inc., gives voice & visibility to homeless families & youth, ran shelters, advocate, filmmaker, author, 15 yrs. on US backroads.
