The Second Unitarian Church hosted the homeless youth art and talent show while The Night Ministry and The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) co-sponsored the event. The activism group called H.E.L.L.O.! (Homeless Experts Living Life’s Obstacles), co-sponsored by The Night Ministry and the CCH, took part in the event’s visual art display and tribal drum ensemble.
The H.E.L.L.O. group also submitted a visual medium entitled “10 Strengths Word Tapestry” made out of ribbon, tree branches, string, and other found objects that included the words “we are homeless youth,” “my soul is spiritual,” “my heart is good,” and “we are strong.”
Others expressed their experiences and the struggles they have encountered while living on the Chicago streets through poetry, paintings, and collages. One collage in particular, entitled “Celebrities Who Have Been Homeless,” showcased celebrities that didn’t have roofs over their heads for a while, including Halle Berry, David Banner, Lil Kim, and Tyler Perry.
Some read their personal testimony to the crowd. Lashanti Brown, 21, shared her experience of being illegally evicted from her apartment. At 17 years old she got her first apartment and graduated from high school. While attending medical school and working full-time only making $6.50 an hour, Brown couldn’t pay her rent or other bills. This led to her landlord illegally evicting her without a chance of going to housing court. That is how Brown found the Open Door Shelter, which took her in while she was four months pregnant and in medical school. Now working at Pepsi Co. and with a three-month old son, Brown urges lawmakers to see the urgent need of helping homeless youth.
“I feel it is important for homeless youth to be recognized in this budget hearing because all we need is an opportunity to make a change and funding makes that change possible.”
Tennika Rayford, 21, lived in shelters and hotels for about two years before finding her own apartment. She also thinks it’s important to give a voice to the homeless, which is why she participated in the event. “I believe I have a lot to offer to homeless youth because it’s something I’ve had to deal with before.”
“Change Please” was organized to educate government leaders and the general public about the lives of homeless youth and squashing the myths.
According to Anne Holcomb who serves as the Night Ministry continuing care coordinator and co-organizer of H.E.L.L.O!, a recent study conducted by the University of Illinois Chicago and the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, there are nearly 26,000 homeless youth in Illinois annually, 10,000 of whom dwell in Chicago. It looks like H.E.L.L.O! and groups like it have their work cut out for them.
Christina’s Facts: Christina McGairk holds a BA in Print Journalism from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. The Indiana native worked for Topics Newspapers and The Noblesville Ledger in Fishers, Ind. before moving to Chicago in the fall of 2006 to attend Roosevelt University. She is currently a second year graduate student and serves as an editorial intern at Today's Chicago Woman magazine. Christina is slated to graduate with a Master's of Science in Journalism with a magazine concentration in May 2008. She can be reached at
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