No Fixed Address

I finally made it out this weekend to see the "No Fixed Address" exhibit at The Leonardo downtown. I have to admit there are a lot of stereotypes that I believed to be true which are actually not! I believe that this exhibit is important, especially for people who are uninformed on the subject of homelessness. I had no idea how many children and families are victims of homelessness! I also had no idea how many people are homeless in Utah. I am interested to know how this compares to other states. I would like to think that it is on the lower side.

The film at the beginning of the exhibit entitled "My Life" hit me hard. To think that there are so many children experiencing homelessness is heart-breaking. I also don't think it would be any better for the kids to be taken from their parents, and if the system was better I might believe that they could have a chance in foster homes, but I don't. I'll admit, I am ill informed on the subject of foster homes, and I should take the time to find out more. All this kid wants is to be like normal kids, but he doesn't like the idea of being cooped up in one place, which was also a theme in one of the newsletters on the wall following the photos.

There were very inspirational quotes on the wall as well. I had never thought about the need for shelter as being something that needs to be fulfilled before a person could be employed or before they could beat addiction, but it makes total sense now. How is that person supposed to feel comfortable with themselves before they have a place to call their own? I can't imagine not having a place to go at the end of the day. It is enough to drive anyone to mental illness and addiction. A home provides a sense of self and a need to preserve something. I think that this feeling would be more to inspire someone to get a job or to become clean, they just need help acquiring a place to start the transition.

I really enjoyed this quote in the newspaper section of the exhibit. It shed some light on a demographic that I have a hard time understanding. I am a homebody. No matter how much I'd like to deny it, I love having a home and being in it. I enjoy making it my own and I even do what some would call "nesting." I know that's normally for pregnant women, but I still think that I do it. However, this quote inspired something in me, that maybe you can be your home. As long as you have people and love around you, home can be anywhere you go. It is still a thought that I struggle with, but I am starting to understand the concept more.

This next fact hurt my heart a little bit. That most people who are homeless and around my age fall through the cracks. I can't imagine not having anyone helping me do everything that I have set out to do so far. I am a very fortunate person to have as many loving people around me as I do that are willing to help me. What these people end up doing because of their homelessness is almost unimaginable to me. I feel horrible and I want to do more to help!

The last thing I want to point out is something that the Leonardo exhibit did that is reminiscent of a Candy Chang project! They set out a book towards the end that asked people to write down what home is for them. Many people had written in the book and it made me so happy! I even saw writing that belonged to children, and they wrote exactly what home means for them. I wish I would have written in it myself, but I was so tired that I couldn't really pin down what exactly home for me was. Now I can, and I know that it is with the people I love most! My family, my one and only Sam, and my amazing friends. Without them, I don't think my house would feel like a home to me.