Andrea's Reflections

Andrea Allen Stuart-Lehalle, LT'24, SIFF

A strong image emerged in my mind after participating in our Basic Needs Possibility Day. It was one of a massive plateau. Atop the plateau are communities of unhoused people living in various shelters, such as caravans, tiny homes, tents, cars, or improvised. At the foot of the plateau are thousands of people grouped on floating little islands. Each island floats just out of reach of the base of the plateau. There is a lot of buzz and activity across the islands. Sometimes the islands shift toward one another and brush up against each other for a short time before bouncing in another direction. Separating the plateau from the islands is a high rugged wall of rocks, sand, branches, and brush.

The image depicts two communities: a group experiencing houselessness atop the plateau and a sea of disparate organizations on islands trying to get at the plateau to make an impact. The high jagged walls are the systems and structures that appear to suspend the unhoused community, propping them up in their position. 

We began our day reflecting on home and what that means to each of us. We talked about how some of us happily cocoon in the safety of our home environments with family who shelter us from social judgment and racial discrimination. Home to us is people, community, and shelter from unsafe conditions. We took time to consider those in abusive home environments who do not share the same sense of safety at home that we do.

Learning from people who work in various regional support services and organizations helped add a new dimension to my awareness. I have found it frustrating the ways in which people affected by homelessness are often treated as a monolith. This Possibility Day exposed me to a variety of organizations that are responding to the diversity and uniqueness of peoples’ situations. It was informative to learn of the progress that has been made in the veterans' homeless community in King County, showing how services that respond to specific, individual needs can make an impact. 

While I felt deep cracks appear in the hope I have around progress for this issue, I felt energized by my LT colleagues who contributed their knowledge, expertise, and curiosity to the conversation. When we collaborated on drawing a tree that depicted the root causes and manifestations of homelessness, many inspirational and difficult conversations were sparked. 

A beautiful remark from William Chen of our cohort patched at least a few of the cracks in my hope: “Community is a form of generational wealth." If we can each hold each other in community, whatever that means for us, we can survive and thrive alongside the many things that will come our way. That, to me, is a large part of what Leadership Tomorrow is building and cultivating toward. 

Mary's Reflections

Mary Roper, LT'24, Slalom

It was evident from the energy in the room that there was a lot of lead-up to this particular Possibility Day, which focused on the basic needs that communities need to survive and thrive. Throughout the day, we were guided by several experts and change makers in the space, who were gracious enough to not only speak on a panel but also to spend time in breakout rooms, taking our conversations one step further.

One of the key moments that I am still reflecting on came at the end of the day when we broke into small groups to share our reflections and learnings from the day. Our conversation turned to the social norms and invisible codes by which we live that are keeping the housing crisis in place, an idea shared earlier in the day by Dr. LaMont Green, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc. In a moment of abstract thought, we likened these norms and codes to the plaster of patriarchy and the mortar of supremacy walling off our unhoused neighbors and people with lived experience from the rest of the community – and preventing them from having a seat at the table to help inform and shape housing related policies. 

I am still replaying this image in my mind. It is daunting to know that there are so many ways in which our society upholds these invisible norms and devastating to learn the impact that it is having on our community. But what makes me hopeful is that there are strong community leaders combatting the housing crisis from every angle, many of which are tied to the Leadership Tomorrow program. Spending time with these leaders, through formal and informal conversations, has inspired me to take a more active role in bettering our community and challenging the norms keeping the housing crisis in place.