A Squatter's Story: New Face Of Homeless

"You don't look homeless."

In the winter of 2008, I was a 44 year old divorcee with 2 children.  After that divorce, I was in a financial perfect storm, hardly making ends meet.  I was living in a ugly fixer upper with high rent, and driving a car with no heat.  I endured a bitter, vindictive custody battle strategically coerced by ex-husband to further discredit my character and integrity.  I was highly stressed spiritually, mentally and physically.  My house was broken into while at work and I was afraid of living in Livernois/Davison area.  I lost my job and had nowhere to go.

My sister's house was empty due to her foreclosure.  She said, "No one is living there, it needs a lot of work."  This is where my squatter's journey began.  The house had numerous problems, more problems than I had money.  Fortunate for me, I am a "do it yourselfer" and I worked my magic.  I scrubbed, cleaned, exterminated, painted, and wallpapered that vacant, abandoned house into a home.  I had to be creative with the utilities, lol, but my children and I were never cold or hungry.   We slept in warm beds, did homework, watched tv, and played games.  I cut the grass, had bar-b-ques and parties like I was paying rent.  My children never knew what was going on.  They were my motivation to make lemons into lemonade.

Was I afraid? Yes.  Was I happy? No.  What sustained me?  First, God always provided for us.  I had income from child support, some graphical design work, and food stamps.  I reached out to several human service agencies, but was often pre-judged because "I did not look like I was homeless" (that still puzzles me).  

My niece told me to visit the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, because they had housing resources.  While there, I sat in on a meeting by a non-profit agency called the Detroit Action Commonwealth (DAC).  I remember feeling inspired, compassionate, and focused.  My purpose was birthed that day.  I knew that helping the homeless, those facing homeless, and the indigent would give me great joy.  I joined that agency and enjoyed my roles as a member, recording secretary, organizer, vice president, and president.  I attended seminars, trainings, homeless marathons, and traveled to workshops and conferences in other Michigan cities meeting other organizers and administrators.  I have met city officials, congressmen, lawyers, judges, and other human service workers.  I guided others down the squatters road, some found permanent housing.  In, 2010, I was chosen to represent DAC at an Organizer's Conference in Washington, DC.  I marched and rallied to the home of a Bank of America's top executive, and Bank of America's corporate headquarters.  I visited the Capitol along with hundreds of other organizers and crammed in a congressman's office with a list of demands.

This was not the only time I would be a squatter.  The next time, I gained more knowledge about the law and the background of the property.  I became transparent with my testimony.  Most importantly, I learned that you have to run to the fear when you are the most afraid.  
I have sustainable housing today.  I pray to God that I never have to squat again, but I am not afraid too either.  The majority of my volunteering was when I was homeless, there is always something you can do.  Your time is just as valuable as your money, which do you have more to give.  
My favorite quote was written by Marion Wright Edelmon, "Service is the rent we pay for living on this planet."