"Don't judge a book by its cover"

A conversation with anonymous

How long have you been homeless? How did you lose your home?

“I don’t really identify with my previous home to be honest. My parents were never really understanding and when I came out at the age of 15 my relationship with them was never the same. In 2009 my parents basically drove me to a shelter and left me there. They said, this is where you’re going to live from now on. I’ve been homeless ever since.”

Based on your experiences, how do you describe yourself in 3 words?

“Connected, involved, free”

What was the happiest moment of your life?

“The day I left my household."

What misconceptions do you think that people have about what it means to be homeless?

"I think people think that all homeless people are inherently depressed. We’re not, sure many of us go through hard times that not only affect us economically but also spiritually and mentally, but we can and do have happy moments as well"

What are your plans for the future?

“Firstly, I want to get my college degree. Then maybe one day, I want to run for public office. Politics is one of the things I think I know a whole lot about.”

What can the average person do to make life easier for/help out those that are homeless?

“Donate more books to the homeless. I love to read. I got this book [points to book about Energy, Economics, and the Environment] basically in mint condition from college students who didn’t want it and were throwing it in the trash. I would say education is definitely a bridge between any group of people.”