Oral history interview of Juanita Olivas, an unhoused neighbor living in Tacoma, conducted by dindria barrow on April 9, 2022. Juanita shares how she became homeless, how her faith has carried her through life, and why she does volunteer work. Juanita is 60 years young and plans on completing high school so that she can get a job as a medical insurance billing and coder. Juanita dreams of being “somebody that can help out with the community, always. I would love to have a really big apartment building that I could just take in all the homeless…just pour my heart out to ‘em, because people out there, you never know their story until you actually talk to them and I’ve met a lot of people that is so talented out there and so educated, but their story just breaks my heart.”

A conversation with those dealing with homelessness and tent cities. Tracey Collins discusses the conditions in tent cities and the outreach work he does with Northwest Urban Ministry. Members of VOCAL (Voices of Community Activists and Leaders) also discuss their history of homelessness and advocacy work for homeless people. Videos filmed throughout September and October 2016.