Some Folks Take the Stairs

 I have been working in Human Services for the entirety of my adult life (Vocational Rehabilitation, Re-entry Services, and Eldercare/Disability supports).  Specifically, over the last five years, I have had the honor of working within the homeless system. In that time, I've had many successes but also many failures. Some, my own, others belonging to my folks. As I’m sure many others in this field would say, those belonging to our folks are sometimes harder than our own.

I call them my folks and not my clients because, to fight poverty, you must be invested and be a mentor. For the chronically unhoused, this is so important. If you spend any good length of time working closely with these communities, you will see that they operate much differently than middle class communities. Values differ as well as communication styles and general understanding of the world.

For those who grow up in poverty, the view of our world can be very bleak, and why shouldn’t it be? Imagine being on the first floor of a skyscraper building. You have to get to the 33rd floor but the elevator is only available on a lottery system. Those on the elevator arrive at the 33rd floor refreshed and ready to take on the next task.  You are told you have to take the stairs. You huff and puff. When you finally make it, you’re exhausted, sore and frustrated, and everyone on the 33rd floor is whispering about you taking so long to get there. 

Now imagine you’re going up the same set of stairs, only someone at the top is throwing marbles to trip you on the way up.

When you finally reach the top, you are told there is no help for you there.  This is what it feels like to navigate homelessness.

So many people go without the help they need for fear of being shamed or belittled. Worse than that, they risk putting in a lot of hard work for another hard no. For me, it’s devastating to watch vulnerable people struggle like this, especially when it is avoidable. It is my hope that, in addition to educating agency staff that support the unhoused, I can also support those who struggle with basic need and housing instability. I would like to support them without barriers, without making them jump through hoops that ultimately promote failure before they are given a real chance to succeed.

“It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.” - Vaclav Havel

- Katherine Brown