Extended Interview:

Well, I was born in Georgia, and I moved to Portland when I was six, grew up there, and then went to Arizona and then moved back here to Vancouver. And this is where I've been ever since. So. And, I, like doing art, gardening. I went to an art show yesterday over at Clark College.

It was really cool. That's my first art show, so I'd like to do more of those. That's about it. Wonderful. How would you describe yourself in a few words? Caring. Loving. Hopeful. Respect. I. He doesn't come here. He doesn't come in here.

It's like we could not sit down when I go sit down by the garden. Come here. Because I got got his leash on him. Come here. Anybody? Oh! Stop it! What? Stop! Oh, I know what. Quit it! Rat, rat! No! Stop! Me! Good boy.

I think you feel like. It's like there's nothing against what's going on. Like a walk block to. Yes, it's a long ago for this. My back's kind of hurting. There's some pretty wildflowers up the road that we were looking at yesterday. They come every year. I haven't looked at the garden while everything was really tiny. When I first came out here.

It's. Yeah. Everybody's doing really good. Come here so I can put your leash on. We don't need you running over there acting like you're a big dog. Yeah. Because it's the same thing. We. And so what made you get this in here? I probably never get it off. Oh, there we go. All right. There you go. All right.

All right. So this is a okay. Look at that. Garlic cheese.

Oh, smell so good. It's. Yeah. I didn't do a garden this year, but it's kind of kind of. There's a lot of people that live here, though.

What are they like as neighbors? It's quiet on my floor. I don't really see too many people, so. But as far as being down in the common area, I mean, it's a mixture of everybody. So.

It's what happens when you live in an apartment complex. You lose, you know? You know who to not talk to and who to talk, so to speak. Guys I know don't like being on a leash. I'm sorry. Yeah. So there is some questions about your life for him. Okay. Well, usually when when I have my kids, I usually work, like, two jobs.

Like always. And then when I had, when I was having my last son, I had to stop working two jobs because I worked swing and graveyard. And, the doctor said, now you can't do that anymore. So. So I just went to graveyard then. But then I think that was harder on my system than just working the swing.

So, you know, I've been married a couple of times and got four kids. I got nine, ten grandkids.

So. And life was good. I mean, I've been homeless a few times. Not just here. In Arizona. I was homeless for three years, and it sucked that bad because it's so hot there. So it's the heat. How does it compare between the two? I think there's more more services here than there are in Arizona because they're like.

They're like behind like, we got light rail first. And when I went down there, they didn't even have a light rail yet. So same thing with music or shows or any of that kind of stuff. It's kind of like you're in a time warp or something. Are there things you love doing or keeping you close to during this time?

My parents I was really close to and, you know, I had some friends that was close to my parents passed away. So my mom passed away in 2018. So that's when life just kind of just went crazy. Started using drugs and.

Got caught up in that. And then the apartment that I was living at, I had to move from one apartment to another. And I really didn't like where I was staying because the two roommates, not the one so much, but the other one. So. And then, that's how I ended up at, 415 West, because I was homeless.

And, a friend of mine brought me down, and, I filled out an application, and I just kept going by, you know, checking, checking in and doing some stuff around there for him. I pretty much gave up. It was like, two weeks. I didn't do anything. I was just like, screw up. They're not going to call me, so.

But they were trying to get Ahold of me. But I lost my phone, so. And I had a, Case manager, c NSW, and, he had called and left a message with a friend of mine. So then I called and talked to Crystal and came down to that whole packet thingy. And then I came in the next day.

What was that phone call like? I was excited because going from person to person and trying to find some place to stay, and I had I had a cat at the time too. So both my pets were at two different places, and so trying to get to see them and then trying to find a place to sleep and food and all that stuff was kind of rough.

Too. Or some challenges in between. Some, like I said, just finding a place to sleep and food because, you know, I had food stamps, but you can't cook anything, basically. So you're spending your money on stuff that's already made, and it gets expensive. Or people would, like, try to con me out of them when I was staying with them.

You know, it's just it's it's a vicious cycle. Like, like, well, you're homeless. It was stressful. And, I was still using when I was homeless, you know, There's, I mean, you just basically at the lowest point in your life, and there's really nothing else to do. So. And everybody I was hanging around or staying with were using.

So I just went along with the flow, I guess. Was there a moment that stands out to you during this time? You know, I was just always, like, nervous about somebody stealing my stuff. I had a tent and a sleeping bag, and, like, if I did use it, I. The next day, I would pack it up and take it with me because I knew if I left it there, somebody who's going to take it.

So and I have like had a couple of sleeping bags and a couple of tents, I just got one, another one before I moved into 415 West and I gave it to somebody that needed it that was staying on the block. So. Challenging is like trying to keep my room is always a messy point in my house, but everything else is clean.

So I'm just like, trying to, like, have places for everything and make sure I put it back when I get it out. That kind of stuff. And you stand at the block before. Perfect. No, I don't even know what that was or the the wall. I don't even know what those places were until I started going down to the cube.

And then I figured, oh, that's the block. Just crazy. Did you have, like, much of a community while you were out there, just like, you know, friends that were using, but I mean, really not. And I wouldn't call them friends per se, because we were just using drugs together. And it's like the thinking, the way I feel is they could really care less about me.

You know, it wouldn't be somebody that I could totally count on, you know what I mean? What kinds of support did you try to access and how was that experience? I called Council for the homeless, put my name on there, but she said, you know, there's a lot of a lot of people that are homeless, and there's a lot basically, there's a lot of people ahead of me.

My had already signed up at the Vancouver Housing Authority for the voucher and other places because where I used to live, the fourth Lane Commons is like, like 3 or 4 blocks from where I used to live. So I was hoping I'd get in there. But then when they opened up, it's like I couldn't even qualify for the tax credit union unit, you know, which I thought those places were in place to help people that are homeless or don't or can't afford, you know, rent or whatever.

But that isn't the case at all. You know. Yeah. I think it's, you know, the government's like, get it somewhere in your display. Okay. Can you tell me how things started to change for you when I got into 415 last? I still used for two weeks when I was there, but, a friend that was staying there that I met when I moved in there, she she she stopped me one night, and then one of the staff members that works wing, did the same thing, and then she did it another night.

It was three nights in a row, and I was like, that's it, I'm done. I can't do this anymore. So I'm McLean for a year.

Yeah. So like the heavy conversations. Yeah. Like they're not coming out and like basically saying it to my face. It's just like roundabout, you know, I knew what they were talking about. They didn't have to say it. You know what I mean? So, that's what helped me stop. Was there a specific person, event or resource that helped you start moving forward?

I mean, 415 help, but, I mean, I'm pretty self-sufficient. I was raised to do stuff yourself and not depend on anybody else. So that's basically what I do. And, yeah, all the staff there was pretty nice and helpful, you know, also, like, I really appreciate hearing everything that other you have to say about 415 but we're not in a dismiss anything if you want to talk about like the problems with the systems and the way that support is, well, you know why I was there?

I felt like there's a lot of favoritism going on, and I think that everybody should be treated the same throughout the whole community. Shouldn't be okay for one person and not okay for another, you know, and, you know, I, I seen that quite a bit when I first got in there and then, I mean, after being there for a month, I really didn't want to be there anymore.

You know, I just wanted to do get housing or something and be gone because I'm not a I'm not a like, social person. So and then hiking up to the bathroom and kind of tell me, you know, I appreciate the bathroom in the laundry, I really do. That's that's a perk there. And, the and the food was great, you know, and not everybody's going to get along with each other when you live in a community, even an apartment.

I mean, that's just the way it is, is good as a stepping stone. But yeah, it's good. I mean, I'm very grateful for being off the street because that that was wearing me down big time, you know? And I miss my pants. So the perk was coming there. I got my pads, but my cat got hit when I was there by a car on, on voting day, November or November 5th.

And they just hit him and left. So, one of the staff members helped me. He went and married him and he wanted me to go out there and I'm like, no, yeah. You know what he looks like? And he has a red collar. I don't want to go out there. I don't want my last image of him to be that.

So I was like, no. So that was helpful. And I met some friends there and.

You know, and they've moved on. They've got housing. So it's not like it was down there. You know, we see each other every day. It's kind of hard because they everybody's got their own lives. It's but like we're universal here every year. Yeah. That would be sweet. Are there any specific, services people or programs I picked up?

Well, I started going down to the Q I went to the blue door a few times for meetings. I like the Q every down there, everyone down there is super sweet, super nice. And they offer a lot of, classes and, activities and stuff. So if someone watching doesn't know what to do is you explain.

So, it's the place where people that are in recovery or, or not can go and get services that they need. They help with. They have, dinners there. They help with, food baskets. Sometimes there's clothes there if you need it. They have they also have, recovery services like, I think it's a they offer their I'm not sure if they offer AA, but yeah.

What does being a part of this community mean to you? I think if you're a part of a community, you should give back, you know, it's not cheap taking care of a bunch of people and running that facility. So, yeah. Hopefully here pretty soon, I. I got approved to go to school for nail tech, and, the DBR program at DSH is going to pay for it.

So that's my goal. Looking back, really most proud of. I'm proud that I'm self-sufficient. And then I do stuff myself instead of depending on somebody else. And, I'm proud that I can be down at the lowest point and come back up and, you know, kind of brush your shoulder off. Hopes or goals for a future.

Well, like I said, I want to be a nail tech. So, the schooling is 12 weeks, so. But I'm just running into a little issue with my. Because you have to have a copy of your GED or whatever, and I have no idea where it is. And then there's a fee that you have to pay when you turn in your application.

So that's where I'm at right now. But once I get my nail tech license, I've been offered a job over on fourth plane, so, plan to work for that person. And if that doesn't work out, then I'll work for somebody else. And then my goal is to have it in my home, you know, have a garage or something, and just turn that into a shop so I don't have to go anywhere.

It's a stay at home. Yeah. Is there anything you want others to know about homelessness or your story? If you're homeless, you just need to reach out and try every resource that you can get your hands on and, be safe. I mean, I wish they had, like, a 24 hour shelter here, you know what I mean?

That would be awesome. But they don't. So you're kind of, like, stuck in the summer. You know, there's really no place that you can go unless you get in to another shelter. I know there's one in Portland, but I don't know if they have a 24 hour or whatever during the summer. Yeah. So that would be really awesome if they could do that, because I think I would get a lot of people off the street.

But.

Yeah.

I was proud of that. Well, I guess it's a two part. You could answer both. Okay. Looking back while you were trying to come out of that situation, was there anything that, you know you did absolutely wrong that you would go back and change? Do right. Also, is there something that, you know, you did it perfectly right and that if that one thing went wrong, if you didn't do it just how you did it, then it all would have,

Well, the second part, I think if if my friend wouldn't have brought me down to 415 and I didn't fill out the application, I probably would have never done it. So I feel that was good. And there's, you know, some places that I stayed out there that I probably shouldn't have, but I did. And hindsight's always 2020, so I probably wouldn't do that again.

You know what I mean? But people people get at their lowest and then pretty much get desperate. And so I'm sure a lot of people have done a lot of things that they regret or shouldn't have done. You know what I mean? And I think drugs have a lot of play in it, too. You know what I mean?

I'm just going to move around, get a little more footage. Okay. Different angles and.

Checks like, what is that? What is that? He's like, I know what the phone is because I take pictures of him, and he always turns his head. Yeah. No, he doesn't want his picture taken, so he'll give me the back treatment, buddy? Yeah. Good boy. I miss my cat. That was the coolest cat ever. What was her name?

His name was Rome. I had my my cat had four, five kittens, I think. No, four kittens. And one of them died. And there would have been three black and whites, and he was black and white. And then I had a girl, one. And she was just like the mom. She was calico. So he was the coolest cat ever.

He'd roam around 415 West and get up on the fence and go visit everybody. A lady that lived in one. You know, he's jump on her walker, is she? Take him for a ride around the lady. Oh, yeah.

You got any like? Just anecdotal happy memories for the team that had nothing to do. Yeah, I was just thinking about that. During the summer, it was fun. We had a water balloon fight there and, me and my friend would go down to the waterfront. They had concerts down there, so we'd go down there almost, you know, once a week at least.

So, yeah, I had a lot of fun there. You seeing downtown in general, but for marketing for a no. So that was the downtown experience. And I feel like you got a lot of it. Yeah. Yeah, I love that. That farmer's market. That is for short. Yeah. I used to go there and use my food stamps because they give you an extra.

I mean, in the into the healthy thing. Now, I'm trying not to eat a bunch of crap, you know, but. That's a perfect program to have down there, because if you spend 25, I think that's the most that you can spend, though they'll fry in 25. So you'll get 50 for 25. So that's good. Yeah. And I'm not sure.

But I think you can do it like you can do 25 one day and then 25 the next day. So and they have fresh stuff down there that's really good. And you don't have to just use it on the fruits and vegetables and stuff. You can get like popcorn or, you know, gourmet stuff or whatever. And I think there's some meats that you can get wherever you saw the consequences.

No. But they had like for the whole I think it was July, the whole month of July. They had, different ones. There was a couple like Hispanic ones. They were really good. And then they had a blues one. They were pretty good, too. I, I didn't have any complaints about any of the music. It was pretty good.

Said Arizona's pretty much behind the Times Daily Way. Yeah. Is there like a specific memory from down there that you like and had to call it quits somewhere else? Well, after the homelessness thing and stuff, I, I got an apartment. And so I was living there and my rent was paid for a year, and, my daughter lives down there, so I was kind of palling around with her and visiting my grandkids.

But then. And her and I don't get along too much. So that kind of went by the wayside. And I figured, you know, my mom and dad were getting pretty old, so I think I better go back up here and just in case, and I'm glad I did, because it wasn't too long after I came up that my mom got sick and she ended up passing away.

So. And then my dad was like a, I don't know, a few years later. So that was 2018. Yeah. Yeah. My whole world just crumbled when, not when she passed away, you know what I mean? That's why I tell people, you know, whether it's family or friends or whatever, you know, cherish the moments that you have because. And it can be gone in a heartbeat.

So you don't have to expand on this. You know, you said that's what the darkness started. Well, I've been using drugs on and off all my life since I was like, I didn't start using until I was 31, so on and off. So. You know, it's just. Yeah, I don't know. I just finally basically said, you know, screw it.

You know, I was trying to deaden the pain, basically, you know what I mean? And there's no deadening it. It might for you might not, not so much forget about it. But you might, it might dull you for a minute, but it's always there. But I was having a really rough time after she passed away. I spent most of my days crying all day and not eating, and just all kinds of stuff was not good.

And I sent him to my sisters because I, I couldn't really deal with him either renting them out. And he was pretty good, though I could open the door. I lived upstairs and tell him to go potty, and he'd run out there and go potty and come back. But it wasn't fair to him because I wasn't really paying any attention to him.

So she took him for a while. How are you doing today? I'm doing great today. He gets on my nerves sometimes, but.

But we we're doing all right.

This isn't the ideal place for me, but it's a stepping stone. You know?

Everybody wants stuff, like, right now. Right now. And you just. Sometimes you gotta gotta do stuff that you don't necessarily want to do to get where you where you need to go. Because eventually I want to buy a house and stuff. That's why I decided to go back to school, because I want something to do than just being, you know, having too much time idling for me is not good.

And usually they take.