Tracy and I met 9 years ago when she commented on the Facing Homelessness Facebook page. Her sharing was, you could say, a tour de force of emotional outpouring.

Today I want to revisit that exchange because something important happened, something I believe is available to all of us and provides a path for moving forward when discussing difficult societal issues.

In this episode with David, I wanted to talk with him about the work he has been doing since leaving the prison system. We cover his work at the Freedom Project and the Black Rose Collective.

At the end of our last episode, David, who was just 16 years old, took part in a serious crime. His life was about to change in a profound and now unavoidable way. This pivotal moment was put into motion when he asked someone older, someone he refers to as “the adult”, for a ride to his girlfriend's house. Once in the car, along with others, he learns he’s not going to his girlfriend’s place, but rather, being taken on a crime spree.

In this episode we explore David’s life in prison, how he educated himself, began his journey of healing, and the remarkable turn of events that led to his release.

David knows first-hand the impacts of mass incarceration, after receiving a life sentence at the age 16. In his words, “being thrown away at 16 years old wasn’t the event. It was an exclamation point” on the consistent messaging he’s been receiving his whole life from systems that failed to see his humanity. He was released after serving 24 years, following legislative reform of juvenile sentencing standards due to a new understanding of youth brain science.

He now works to develop community partnerships with individuals, groups and movements who share an alignment with and affinity for dismantling systems of oppression.

This is the 3rd and last part of an episode called The Skipping Rock. When we left Casey in the last episode, in Part Two, she was heavily addicted to street drugs, so much so that she was no longer able to dance at the strip clubs. This not only robbed her income, it took away her sense of being in community. Now that that was gone, she was trapped in an increasingly vicious cycle. Through these events we will continue to explore the idea of choice.

This is Part 2 of a 3 part episode. When we left Casey in the last episode, in Part 1 she was making some big decisions in her life, wanting to not only leave the trauma and dysfunction of her childhood behind, but also coming to grips with having to earn a living. She decided to take a waitressing job at a strip club, which led to dancing, and the fast money of the sex industry. Casey was 18 years old.

In this episode we hear from Casey, a woman who will explore with us the idea of choice. What it means to fit in and find a way in life when choice is limited, or, removed altogether. When all you have in front of you are bad options.

In this episode we talk with Benny The Stone Dancer. He has lived homeless in the Fremont neighborhood, artfully stacking stones on the parking strip, in the same place, for the last 30 years.

We explore why diversity is important in every community.

In this episode we speak with Sparrow Etter Arlson who is a co-founder of Aurora Commons and Seattle Planning Specialist at King County Regional Homelessness Authority.
When responding to complex societal issues, we are all familiar with the shortcomings of treating symptoms rather than causes. How do we shift our focus to successfully addressing root issues rather than symptoms? How do we get past giving in to knee-jerk responses?

In this episode we meet Blair who helped James get into housing and have his basic needs met, she helped reconnect him with family, and maybe, most of all, feel loved in the last few years of his life. And James, what he did for Blair was to change her life. He helped her take an off-ramp.

In this episode we meet Preacher. Personal relationships can be thought of as the foundational supports of a healthy community. By simply getting to know each other, being exposed to different life experiences and views, we broaden ourselves and deepen our ability to empathize within the community.

On this episode we are talking with Rev. Rick Reynolds. He has spent most of his life stepping closer, getting to know those struggling. For nearly 40 years he worked at the nonprofit Operation Nightwatch, most of that time as the Executive Director, engaging in direct action for those in need.

The ‘WE NEED YOU NOW’ episodes are a quick call-out for all of us to step forward when direct and immediate action is needed for someone struggling in our community.

The episodes are typically less than 15 minutes, being short and to the point, just enough to let us all know the situation and what is needed.

In this episode, you will be hearing from Kaitlyn, a young woman struggling through addiction, homelessness, and loss.

When we first met Kaitlyn, she was in her tent suffering from a great deal of physical and emotional pain. Even worse, for her, she was emotionally distraught over a stranger having taken Prince, her dog, her best friend.

There is a wide diversity of people who make up the population of Tent City 3. For every person living there you will find a profound reason for why this is their best choice for now. For some folks the stay is short, others stay longer to work things out while having shelter from the storm. Others arrive and discover their mission in life. Turning their experiences from hindrances into assets.

On February 19 2023 Rex delivered a sermon during morning worship at the University Unitarian Church in Seattle. He focused on homelessness in Seattle and building relationships between people who sleep outside and people who are housed. Full video of the event available on the episode page.

There were 310 homeless deaths in 2022 in the Seattle area. A 65% increase over the previous year. In this episode we want to share about one person who lived chronically homeless in Seattle. Just one of the 310 that passed away in 2022.

A conversation with author Rebekah Demirel who takes us on a soulful journey of heartbreak, loss and grief, her own difficult homeless teen years, and the resiliency gained from those experiences.