I stood anxiously with the others. We all waited, silently, many staring down at bright little screens, to board the long elevator down to the metro. None of us looked at each other, and the man with the sign didn’t look at us either. He didn’t call out, forcing us to acknowledge his existence, pushing … More Angels in “The Swamp”
“I’ll tell you a secret,” she said, “No one is prepared.” In about a week, I’d be biking 150 miles as part of the Johns Hopkins Ride to Conquer Cancer to honor the life of my grandmother who had passed away from esophageal cancer three years prior. I’d had grand plans of fully training for … More Why I Rode: In Suffering, There is Joy
Cancer is a word I’ve known for a long time. I’ve heard the word used in the context of medical research. I’ve heard it uttered when it has come to affect family or friends or colleagues, or those of my family, friends, and colleagues. I’ve heard it spoken at many fundraising events, looking to find … More Why I Ride: Doing My Grandma’s Life Justice
She was a girl about 11 years old. She was walking with who I assumed was her mother. She had a backpacking pack strapped on to her as she walked up a steep hill in her neighborhood. I imagined she was preparing for an upcoming camping trip, possibly her first hike into the true wilderness. … More From Girl Power to Women’s Empowerment: “You Can’t Retire from this Movement”
Since declaring myself as an actual writer, I’ve been trying to send my essays out for publication attempts prior to posting them on Rough Outlines. My first little success in this regard was an op-ed I wrote for my hometown’s newspaper in response to the changes the area is making around its homeless services system. … More When Ending Homelessness Hits Home
“I’m really an artist,” he stated, “I’m just getting my PhD in developmental economics on the side.” Over a year ago, I was on a date with a man I could best describe as “that guy who has one too many of his shirt buttons undone,” as he made this declaration to me. At the … More We’re Not Impostors
My toes were a combination of numb and painful. It was below freezing on a Friday night in the District of Columbia, and I was spending it walking around Capitol Hill talking to people living life unsheltered. I handed Dan and Jenny each a cup of hot chocolate, as they playfully teased me for the … More Conversations with God: Being a Servant
I’m a Californian. But, for over two years, I’ve resided in D.C. This city has widened my opportunities, and provided me a sense of community. Yet, during this time, I’ve lived and thrived within its borders while retaining my vote in California. Last month, realizing the fallacy in doing so, I finally let go. I … More Your Vote Counts Toward Ending Homelessness
Last February, I was walking home one morning after doing an overnight volunteer shift at a local homeless shelter. I was content as I walked to the metro, thinking about the extraordinary women who lived there and all of the hard work and passion they put into bettering themselves everyday. Together, they created a community … More Housing as Healthcare
As part of my day job, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity of getting to speak with communities across the nation about their successes with the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP). HPRP was a $1.5 billion stimulus program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and distributed out to qualifying … More HPRP Success Stories
ROUGH OUTLINES 