Dismazed and Driven: My Look at Family Homelessness in America

Latest

Diane Nilan

In her book, Dismazed and Driven: My Look at Family Homelessness in America, Diane Nilan, who hit the road in 2005 to chronicle stories of invisible families and youth experiencing homelessness in non-urban areas across America, shares her stories and videos.  For fifteen years, crisscrossing the country in her small van, she filmed scores of interviews of parents and kids. The excerpts below are from one of these interviews. Her book will be available soon.The Editors

One woman I had the honor of meeting just days before she died was “Alicia,” a mother of 3 young children. They had stayed at the Hope Haven shelter in DeKalb, IL run by a longtime friend of mine, Lesly Wicks. She asked if I’d film an interview with Alicia so her children would have a memory. Yikes! Of course, yes, but the scope of this interview was far from what I imagined doing.
I connected with my friend Gary, the shelter manager. We went in and he introduced me to Alicia, “Derrick,” a friend of hers from the shelter, and her kids, ages 10, 6, and 3. The guys took the kids somewhere so we could have privacy.
Alicia sat on the couch, hooked up to oxygen. I tried to explain as gently as possible what I thought we should do, not having any clue how this was supposed to be done. I knew I needed to hold it together until I got out of her apartment.
This determined mother had used her short time at the shelter to put the pieces back together after personal crises. She earned her GED, became certified as a nursing assistant, and got a job. Bingo! They moved out, all looking good. About two months before I met her, Alicia called Lesly and said she was having trouble breathing. Lesly urged her to call the doctor and offered whatever support she could give.
Alicia’s life swirled out of control. The doctor visit, heart surgery, discovery of inoperative cancer brought changes she never expected. Was this trauma related? I can only suspect yes. The impact on her already-traumatized children agonized Alicia and all who knew and loved them. Alicia’s sister lived in town and was willing to take the children.
Alicia struggled to talk, especially when speaking about her children. The entire interview lasted less than 10 minutes.
When Gary, Derrick and the kids came back, I left. It was a beautiful day for a drive in the country. I hadn’t selected a route so I just headed in a general direction, north and west. I was numb. Alicia and her kids’ faces stuck in my mind. This interview took a toll on me. Life took a toll on Alicia. And her family. She died about a week later.

+ Articles by this author

Diane Nilan is President of HEAR US Inc.,an organization that gives voice to families and youth experiencing homelessness. Nilan has devoted her life to advocating for and presenting the real face of homelessness in America, focussing on families and children. She has more than three decades of experience running shelters; advocating for improved state and federal policies; filming/producing award-winning documentaries. Her latest work is the book, Dismazed and Driven: My Look at Family Homelessness in America.

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

Winners and Losers in Trump’s ‘Ugly Bill’

Winners and losers: The bill represents the greatest upward transfer of wealth in U.S. history. It cut health care, food subsidies, raised cost of other necessities to give massive tax breaks to billionaires.

Resistance Against Mass Deportations Webinar Scheduled July 17

The Zooming to the Resistance Against Mass Deportations Coalition is planning the second in a series of webinars exploring how people across the country are fighting mass deportations. During the webinar, scheduled July 17 at 4 p.m. Pacific, a panel of fighters from California cities and the East Coast will share their experience resisting the cruel ICE raids.

Mamdani’s NY Campaign Electrifies Those Seeking a Better Life

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, has struck a nerve by voicing the demands of those who are struggling to survive as the cost of living continues to rise.

Another Big Beautiful Betrayal for Rural America

You slash Medicaid, you’re swinging an axe at the heart of our rural hospitals, community clinics, doctors and nurses — and every family that depends on a job for a living. It’s not too late to raise hell.

ICE Terror Campaign Threatens Us All

Several recent Facebook reels show how ICE is ramping up its campaign of terror against immigrants, citizens and protestors alike as the effort to create a police state continues and resistance grows. One creator speaks to the significance of Haitians now being targeted.

More from the People's Tribune