Cheech relocated to Austin to try and jumpstart his career as a chef. Because he was homeless with mental and physical disabilities, he wasn't able to maintain employment. Cheech has homeless in Austin, Texas now for four years.
I honestly could sit and listen to Cheech all day long. He is brilliant and very knowledgeable about homelessness and the social services system. Because of his disability, Cheech is getting Social Security; however, that is not enough to pay for rent. When I asked him about qualifying for housing, he responded that a lot of people are getting housing, but there are still a lot of people that have been homeless for years not getting housed.
During my stay in Austin, I met one man who was outside for 34 years and several others homeless for 20 years and 10 years. In many cities, homeless services are doing better than they ever have but because of the affordable housing crisis, more people are entering into homelessness than they are able to get out of homelessness.
Cheech shared something that is so profound that it blew me away. He went on to forecast how a rich man, a cop, and a minimum wage worker would be treated by other homeless people when they ended up on the streets. Cheech's prophesy I believe is spot on. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Cheech is very knowledgable on homelessness in Austin. He shares about attending city council meetings and the growing criminalization of homelessness.
Your voice can help end homelessness. If we do not fix the affordable housing crisis, homelessness will continue to get worse. Click here [invisiblepeople.tv/getinvolved] to tweet, email, call, or Facebook your federal and state legislators to tell them ending homelessness and creating more affordable housing is a priority to you.
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About Invisible People
There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, a living wage or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.
We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Each day, we work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, we are changing the narrative on homelessness.
This isn't just talk. Each year, our groundbreaking educational content reaches more than a billion people across the globe. Our real and unfiltered stories of homelessness shatter stereotypes, demand attention and deliver a call-to-action that is being answered by governments, major brands, nonprofit organizations, and everyday citizens just like you.
However, there is more work to be done on the road ahead. Homelessness is undoubtedly one of our biggest societal issues today and will only continue to grow if we don't take action now.
Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since our launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.
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