A Publication of the Coalition on Homelessness
I arrived in San Francisco from Anchorage, Alaska on Feb. 20, 2008. I stayed with the father of my children and my two sons. We stayed in my mother-in-law’s apartment in the Alemany projects. It was there I conceived my second son. I drank and did drugs during this time, while working for my brothers-in-law and my kids’ father through In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). I went to jail due to domestic violence incidents between me and my partner at the time,
Homelessness is associated with several factors and I am going to share one that I personally have been affected by: drug use and addiction. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 14.5 million Americans have an alcohol use disorder, and according to the National Institute on Substance Abuse, 11.7% of Americans over 12 have used illegal drugs in the past 30 days. This story is how I became a data point.
As a young lady I always loved flying and everything that comes with it.
(Part 1)
By: Johanna Elattar @2022
I’m an NYC girl. I was raised in New York City, and I have many great memories of growing up there. When I was in college, Sundays were always spent with friends, having brunch at some trendy spot that we had to get in line for at least two hours (if not more). After brunch, we’d go to The Angelika Film Center.
This article has been translated into English HERE.
Vine a este país huyendo del terrorismo y también para poder ayudar a mi familia que quedo en mi país . Después , llegó el feliz momento de salir de la calle y rentar un sofá por 400 dólares al mes , en un apartamento de la calle 20 Th St y la Bryant . Esperando la media noche para conciliar el sueño ya que en lugar que rente vivíamos 10 personas y todas trabajan hasta tarde de la noche y otros salían muy temprano y el sofá están en el lugar donde todos preparaban sus alimentos y además era la puerta principal del lugar y pues no dormía apropiadamente ,
This article has been translated from Spanish. Read the original HERE!
I came to this country fleeing from terrorism and also so that I could help my family back home. I lived on the street until the happy moment when I was able to rent a couch for $400 a month in an apartment on 20th and Bryant. There I couldn’t sleep until midnight because there were ten people living there.
Content warning: The stories throughout this issue may be especially activating for some readers. Many of these pieces involve descriptions of traumatic experiences including sexual violence, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, queer/transphobic violence, in addition to the violence of states and false borders.
I am undocumented, and so is my son. We are ‘illegal’ because our coordinates don’t match our birthplaces, because my legal dual American citizen husband beat me mercilessly for years and I had to run to try and save the two of us.
San Francisco las personas desamparadas aún tienen fe y esperanza en la organizaciones que le hagan brillar sus vidas de nuevo
El reto del como y cuando,
sigue siendo
el dilema
de una sociedad
que se insensibiliza,
frente a la crisis de las personas desamparadas
This article has been translated from Spanish to English. Read the translation HERE!
Las personas en crisis de desamparo, tienen una gran tensión física, sicológica,
Content warning: The stories throughout this issue may be especially activating for some readers. Many of these pieces involve descriptions of traumatic experiences including sexual violence, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, queer/transphobic violence, in addition to the violence of states and false borders.
America is a free world, offering the freedom to work anywhere with no discrimination or favoritism, or so it seems. It is a place most of us have heard through social media,
When the first case of COVID-19 was reported, no one felt or knew how far it would spread or impact our lives. No one would have known that it would affect us so much health-wise, economically and even mentally. As I write this the impact of this pandemic has been felt across borders, affecting everyone regardless of age, sex, religion or even social status. What we used to see as a normal routine became a luxury with movement restricted by lockdowns and self-isolations.
Content warning: The stories throughout this issue may be especially activating for some readers. Many of these pieces involve descriptions of traumatic experiences including sexual violence, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, queer/transphobic violence, in addition to the violence of states and false borders.
Back in South Africa, just like any other part of the world, education is considered the backbone of our country’s economy. Most governments invest in it, and the fruits can be seen in producing well-educated graduates who help run various sectors.
