People Matter
In this line of work we are lucky to get to meet and work with people from all walks of life. Each story is unique, each experience and history are unique, each person is unique. Some of the stories we hear from clients have a history of trauma, fear, abuse and terror; but we also hear resilience, strength, power, and growth. When we talk with merchants and business owners we hear stories of enthusiasm, dreams, drive, and community connection. Our partners who are service providers, police, and other emergency responders may talk about vocation, history, passion, and service.
No matter the stakeholder I am talking to, I try to hear them as an individual, as a person with unique experiences and with unique hopes and dreams, and at the root, as a human being who deserves respect. Do I sometimes get frustrated? Sure I do. Do I sometimes vent with my coworkers or supervisors after a hard conversion? Absolutely. What is a key for me is to process the hard stuff and try to look at the strengths that the person has, and when I do sit down to process with my coworker or supervisor, to talk about the person in a way that is respectful and person first.
I try to describe people as “a person struggling with addiction,” not “an addict.” I use the term “experiencing homelessness,” not “homeless.” We use peoples’ titles, chosen or street names, and we ask what pronouns they use.
All of the people we work with matter, and the way we talk about them matters. Our relationship with city council is as valued as our partners who run the Murphy Center, the HOPE team, the 18 year old scooping ice cream at The Walrus, and a person who has just entered into homelessness and is trying to navigate the shelter system. We do this work because people matter.