By Kerbi Lynn
During a session at the 2022 State of Public Health Conference, Sophen Joseph invited her audience to experience unique way to understand the lives of those experiencing homelessness in Atlanta.
Instead of simply clicking through slides of statistics and charts, Joseph, who is the program coordinator at the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI), distributed cards featuring a QR code that led to an audio recording, YouTube video, and written transcription of a person telling their story of living unhoused.
One of the cards introduced audiences to Justin. He had to have his leg amputated a year and a half prior to the recording but said that he maintains positivity by focusing on his “faith, family, and a little bit of intelligence.”
Joseph explained that Justin, and many others experiencing homelessness, were able to tell their stories through Archi and Global Dialogues.
In partnership with Global Dialogues, Partnership for Southern Equity, Partners for Home, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, ARCHI collected Equity Stories like Justin’s to elevate the experiences of DeKalb, Fulton, and Clayton County residents who had a past or present experience of homelessness
“We are taking a free-formed approach to listening, learning, and elevating the suggestions of our community members,” said Joseph.
This approach allowed for the participants to tell their stories in a way that left them feeling empowered instead of belittled.
Once the interviews had been conducted, panels were put together where community resource organizations could hear the stories and better understand the specific needs of the people they are serving.
“We came in to understand what it was that Ms. Tamara needed at that moment,” said Joseph, sharing one participant’s story.
“Yes, she needs somewhere to stay but what has that looked like? Has she spent time speaking to people and they are turning her away for minor things, or is it because the agencies aren’t communicating well with each other? Or did Ms. Tamara need resources that had nothing to do with housing?”
While ARCHI does not take credit and is not responsible for providing Tamara with the resources to be housed, they were able to get to the root her needs and connect her to organizations to get her those things.
Justin’s, Tamara’s, and many others full stories can be found on the ARCHives website along with many other resources for those who are experiencing homelessness in Atlanta, those who want to help, and those who want to connect with the ARCHI collaborative.
