My Eyes Feel They Need to Cry: Stories from the Formerly Homeless

Acknowledgments

xiii Acknowledgments I wish to thank all the many, many people who supported the creation and implementation of “Your Story and Mine: A Community of Hope” that gave birth to this book, a reflection of this project. It continues to be a “neverending story.” First, I am grateful to all the participants in the project who willingly, graciously, and honestly shared their painful, difficult memories and stories in so many different ways—through words, art, and music. They are all remarkable human beings in their own special ways. They each honored their commitment to the project from the beginning to the end. They are truly my mentors: Wynette, Lewis, Robert, David R., Jackie, Bill, Dora, Loren “Smokey,” Brandy, LaKashia, LaKeya, and Robin. Others also came to classes occasionally and we are grateful for their participation. I wish to thank all the members of our dedicated team who gave everything they could to make this project work for everyone. Their energy, enthusiasm, patience, intellectual expertise, unique life experiences, talents, wisdom, strength, and humor are remarkable and profound. You will have the opportunity to hear their voices throughout this book, which is merely a small reflection of all the work they did. Furthermore, they were unequivocally supportive of my endeavors to share our story as a book with the world at large. MyEyesFeelTheyNeedtoCry is merely a reflection of everyone’s collaboration—both mentors and mentees. Susan E. Cancro, executive director of Advent House Ministries (AHM) and a member of the Greater Lansing Homeless Resolution Network, was responsive and xiv supportivefromthemomentIcalledhertoinitiateapartnershipbetweentheMichigan Historical Museum and Advent House Ministries. She nurtured the original project and then suggested that the participants paint a mural of their life experiences. This idea mushroomed rapidly into an even larger endeavor. ToniTownshend,literacydirectoratAHM,becameandcontinuestobemymentorandrolemodelforworkingwiththeguestsatAdventHouseMinistries .Herunassuming , calm, positive, nonjudgmental, understanding approach helped me develop confidencetoworkwiththesepeoplewhoweresounfamiliartome.Shecontinuously feeds me positive reinforcement and always thoughtfully answers my million questions . Without Toni inviting me to her jobs classway back when we wanted to initiate thepilotproject,IdonotbelievethatIwouldhaveeverfoundawaytobecomfortable, feeling so at home with the homeless and those looking for homes! Looking back on thatmorning,Ithinkitisalmostlikeadream,andyetthiswhole“never-endingstory” of “Your Story and Mine” is like a never-ending dream of laughter, smiles, and tears. Allyson Bolt, LLMSW, director of the Employment Program, AHM, originally came to us as a graduate student intern from Michigan State University. Within an hour of our talking on the telephone about the internship opportunity at the museum to work on “Your Story and Mine,” Allyson came to the museum to meet and brainstorm with me. She was a godsend who jumped right in to help. Upon receiving her master’s degree in social work, Allyson became a regular staff member at Advent House Ministries. Erika Magers, artist, muralist, and art therapist in training—another amazing humanbeing—guidedtheparticipantsontheirjourneyoftellingtheirstoriesthrough painting. She always encouraged them calmly and respectfully—listening to their questionsandcomments,respondingpositivelyandwisely.Withhergentle,quietdemeanor ,shealwayssoughtawayforthemtoexpresstheirstoriesinthewaysinwhich they wanted and needed to. While continuing her studies at Wayne State University, she also teaches art classes at Advent House Ministries and works on innumerable other community art projects, often helping youth express themselves. MarionKennedyHeiderworkedformanyyearsforInghamCountyFamilyPlanning , in the mental health unit of St. Lawrence Hospital, and then as a friend of the courtforInghamCounty.Onceretired,shebecameavolunteerdocentattheMichigan HistoricalMuseumandgavehertimegraciously,willingly,andhumbly—firstworking with me on an immigration program and then on this project. She sat next to each participant and provided each one with unending individual compassion. She was such a joy to have on the project; her calm, kind, patient, encouraging support greatly helped the participants and the other mentors. We are all grateful for her unqualified involvement and help. Ack nowl edg ments xv Peter Frahm, “Your Story and Mine: A Community of Hope” video producer, is an adjunct instructor in Communication, Media and the Arts at Lansing Community College (LCC), and volunteered many hours to videotape the oral history interviews at LCC, as well as art classes at Advent House. He also conducted and recorded a roundtable discussion with all the mentors. Chris Dancisak, now retired, was the director of community relations at the Michigan Historical Museum. He now volunteers as the assistant director, Literacy Programs, at Advent House Ministries. I wish to thank him as my wonderful colleague , former boss, mentor, and good friend. He encouraged and worked with me to developthepartnershipbetweentheMichiganHistoricalMuseumandAdventHouse Ministries to create the program “Your Story and Mine: A Community of Hope.” He believed with both...