Location 1: Help USA located at 115 East 13th Street
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At the start of this research, I wanted to hit places that directly related to homelessness. I researched and discovered a lot of food pantries and shelters right here in New York City, even spots that I have walked by, but never noticed. I was nervous about reaching out to these organizations because I was afraid of rejection and I wanted to be careful of the boundaries that I was stepping in. I made sure to remember to respect the spaces I was visiting and be careful if I came in contact with homeless people since it is a very sensitive topic. When I visited Help USA, I was ultimately surprised about how very clean and pristine the building ways, even to the point where I was kind of skeptical of the foundation a little bit. I am always weary of people in power who are wealthy that might take advantage of people’s homeless situations, but when I entered the building, I was greeted with a calm welcome from the front desk. The person who greeted me requested to remain anonymous for security reasons, which I will respect. Our interview was short and brief due to her being at work, but when the interviewee explained that she was homeless herself, but now works for HELP USA, I was happy in that moment that a company hired someone who was homeless to help them gradually enter society. I discovered that HELP USA truly are set to the standard of helping homeless people, and even built a building for LGBTQ+ seniors.
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Location 2: Greenpoint Reformed Church at 138 Milton Street
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When I discovered this church on the website, I was hesitant on going to the establishment because I do not have a good relationship with religion and it made me anxious to go back. I saw on the photos online that they hung an LGBTQ+ pride flag, so I decided to get it a shot since it seemed like a safe space. When I reached up to the building, I stood in front of it for a little bit with a debate going through my mind, but seeing the trans pride flag waving proudly in front of the church, I decided to push through and entered through the aging wooden doors. I entered a room with fruits, vegetables, and bread on separate tables with one person handling the groceries. The person introduced herself as Cara, and I began interviewing her after I introduced myself. After the interview, we bonded over art since she was an artist as well, and Cara was kind enough to give me a tour of the building and talk about the accepting atmosphere the church holds. I discovered a whole garden of vegetables, and the amount of groceries they prepared for homeless people. I was amazed at their hard work and their ability to keep in mind accessibility for homeless people. Moments like these really warm my heart because sometimes people do not want to actively help homeless people and it hurts to be casted aside with no one to empathize with your situation. I am very glad I visited this church because now, I am an active volunteer at their food pantry!
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Location: 14 Street Union Square Metro Station
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This entire project has been a liberating experience for me. I saved the best for last, I sat down and talked with Josh, or Joshua, a person who is currently homeless, but optimistic about the future. The interview portion of this location is very long, but it was the best conversation I had. It was a nice moment to be able to connect with someone who share similar experiences, and we both just shared our story to each other, sitting on the floor of the subway as a flood of people kept walking by us and ignoring us. In that moment, I felt at peace, and very happy to have someone that understands the struggle. We both talked about mental health, the intricacies of handling homelessness, how to navigate through it all, and the survival atmosphere in the street. Sitting through this conversation, I reflected a lot of the traumas that inflicted on me due to homelessness and I realized a lot of privileges in my life, despite it being tough right now. Josh was talking about how he was really happy for me that I was continuing school because he dropped out. He was diagnosed with depression and his wife passed away at a young age. They were childhood best friends. Josh experienced a lot of death in his life which caused him to detach from reality and everyone. After our conversation, we created a friendship that I will truly cherish and I can not wait until our paths cross again.
