Gossip in the Sanctuary by Varnette Honeywood.
About this Episode
From urban cities to rural landscapes, the United States’ crisis of the unhoused is yet another pandemic in the age of COVID. It’s estimated that nearly 200,000 people sleep on the streets every night. But countless more are invisible, teetering on the brink of foreclosures or evictions, dwelling in substandard housing or resorting to vehicular shelters. We explore the status quo in an era when unhoused has become a lurking nemesis for too many women and families. While this episode makes plain the national dilemma, we share stories about defying gentrification, beating the odds and tapping into the indomitable spirit that makes a way out of no way.
In this Episode
Khadijah Williams
“School was a way to escape from homelessness… It’s really important to feel like you can strive towards the future, that you can fight, especially for homeless children.”
Sheila Tyson
Convener, Alabama Black Women’s Roundtable, Alabama Coalition on Black Civic Participation
“We are rich, we have more technology, we have more money than anywhere. [Why] should we be living in any type of poverty like a third world country?”
Yesica Prado
“When you’re parked on the street, you’re waking up to incoming traffic at 6:00 in the morning…You’re basically opening up your door to anybody that walks down that street.”
Stephanie Williams
Convener, Kalamazoo Michigan Black Women’ Roundtable
“We have to demand that local government has policies in place that protects homeowners, ensures home ownership, but also protects renters from landlords that are price gouging.”
Staci Moore
“Home is definitely a safety and shelter – a sanctuary, security, being able to simply say I have…Everyone deserves to have that.”
