(wind blowing) - (chuckling) There's my cousin right there.

Well, this is my childhood home, so this is where I grew up.

Hey, Anita.

- Hey, Brian.

- How you doing, cousin?

- Good to see you.

- You too.

(groaning) It's like, so many memories here.

- Where you spent a lot of your years.

- Yes.

Most, yeah, almost half your life.

- Yes, yes.

I really wanted to say thank you for taking over.

- [Anita] Sure.

- At the time in my life, I couldn't, I couldn't, I couldn't have taken care of it, you know.

I had my issues.

- Mm-hmm.

- I just wanted to stop by and just see it, you know?

- You're welcome back anytime.

Anytime.

It's good to see you.

It's good to see that you're looking well.

- I grew up, and I embraced the responsibility.

We weren't brought up to live the lifestyle that I was living, the best of opportunities- - Yeah.

- The best of family.

- [Anita] School.

- School.

- [Anita] Hot cars, clothes.

- Yeah.

- [Anita] Yeah, had it all.

- Yeah.

I'm glad that you were here.

- Yeah, I'm glad that I looked out the window.

- [Brian] You too.

(groaning) - Take care.

Bye-bye.

(solemn music) - Prior to being homeless, don't get me wrong, I had nice household upbringing and all of that.

I had a working mom, a working grandma, loving, both caring, gave me everything that I needed, all the tools to succeed.

And along the way, I misaligned values from what I was taught and given to me.

(train whirring) Oh, come on man, stop the train.

(train chiming) - [Train Announcer] Doors closing.

(train whirring) - [Brian] I became homeless by going in and out of the prison system.

- [Train Announcer] Clinton is next.

- Unfortunately, my grandmother and mother passed, so that left me without a stable housing situation every time I got released.

But the common thing which led to all of that was not having a place to stay.

You didn't have a place to stay, that's an unstable mindset.

Unstable mindset leads to unstable actions, leads to unstable consequences.

You're gonna go back to what you are used to if you don't have the support of a foundation.

(solemn music) (wind blowing) When I was released and the big city of Chicago was like, facing me once again, I remember all the other times that I took that same ride, and I'm like, you know, this is something different.

It's, I'm uncertain about it all because I've been down those roads several times.

And it was a fear of not making it, but it was also a part of me that was like, you know what?

You've tried X, Y, and Z, that didn't work, now here's a place that's willing to accept you.

All you have to do is show up.

(bus whirring) I got out January 4th, and how I got to St. Leonard's, had come up time for parole, so I reached out to the intake.

St. Leonard's was willing to accept me and give me a chance.

What's happening, Meiko?

(Brian chuckling) January 4th came, and the rest is history, I'm here.

(keys jingling) I got two keys on here and I'm forgetting which one to put in the door.

When I got here, I was feeling a little anxious, a little bit of anxiety.

And I walked in and got checked in, got my room, and I just walked around the facility.

Okay, Mr. Mendoza.

The next morning came- Knock, knock.

I started to meet more staff.

How are you?

Hey, Dave.

- [Dave] Hey, what's going on, man?

- All right, how's it going?

- How are you, man?

- Man.

- [Mario] Come on in.

- [Brian] A little tired, but I'm okay.

- Yeah?

- [Brian] Yeah.

- How's your day so far?

- It's going.

- Yeah?

- And I'm actually finding out I didn't need anything but to bring myself and to bring the attitude that, hey, I wanna get my life back together.

- Getting a job, that's huge, man.

How do you feel about it so far?

- You know, I feel great about it.

- Yeah?

- Yeah, I feel great.

- Now, you know, waiting process to hear back from CTA- - Yeah.

- It's a guy named Brandon that was here.

- [Mario] Sure.

- Me and him applied at the same time.

Mario Mendoza is my counselor here.

When I first met Mario, I expressed to him what I am trying to pursue.

I wanted to participate in the CTA program, CTA, when they did the job fair over there at the United Center, that- - [Mario] Oh, CTA had their own internal?

- The CTA program is a Second Chance program.

It's for individuals like myself who've been in some type of trouble with the legal system, and it gives you an opportunity to get your foot into a reputable company and gives you a chance to start a career.

Is it cool just to send 'em to- - You can go directly to them, but yeah, if you need me to be in between and send emails to them on your behalf, I can do that for you too, no problem.

- Yeah, I like when Mario gets involved.

(chuckling) (Mario laughing) And he encouraged me.

"Hey, man, if that's what you wanna do, do it.

(soft music) There's nothing stopping you.

You come this far."

- You know, and I'm proud of you.

You're doing all the right things, you're putting in all the work, so just try to do your best to stay the course, and anything you need help with along the way, I got your back, okay?

- Hey, man, I appreciate the small recognitions.

- Yeah.

- I really do, man, because it kinda pushes you.

- [Mario] Exactly.

- It pushes you.

- Yeah.

- You just don't know sometimes that helps, helps me keep going, man.

- Keep up the good work, all right?

I'm proud of you.

- Yes, sir.

- All right.

- I appreciate it.

- Have a good rest of your day, all right?

(soft music) (car whirring) (door creaking) - All righty.

Well, we got about five minutes before we officially open up the cup.

- [Brian] I work with Chicago Coalition of the Homeless.

- At about 4:15, Brian is going to share testimony and also his poem.

- Educating, advocating, different speaking platforms and panels.

- Will you fight with us for permanent housing solutions and will you talk to your colleagues?

- [Brian] Right now, I'm doing advocating work for Bring Chicago Home.

That's a proposal to generate a revenue stream to help expand our voucher system, provide permanent housing.

- Thanks, everybody.

- Along with providing wraparound services to help individuals keep their permanent housing.

How are you?

- [Staff Member] Good, how are you?

- A little nervous, but you know.

- [Staff Member] You feeling good?

- Yeah.

- Do you wanna practice?

- That's what I'm about to do.

I'll just get a feel for it.

I had no idea the connection and the bond that I would begin to take with the staff.

I just was like, coming and just kept participating with the grassroots leader meetings.

- Hey, baby, how are you?

- I'm fine.

Just bridging the gap about housing situations, advocacy work, and just getting to learn me.

Start with the Bring Chicago Home proposal, which is increasing of the real estate transfer tax.

Properties over a million.

We know that permanent housing and supportive service is a proven solution to keep people in stable housing.

Let me tell my story.

Then she introduces myself.

And why it was important to me.

- I'd like to introduce our first speaker, Mr. Brian Rodgers.

(audience applauding and cheering) - I'm here today to share with you the experience of homelessness from the point of those individuals who have been formerly incarcerated.

I'm also speaking on the importance of stable housing and how it can impact the lives of formerly incarcerated individuals for the better.

As I rotated in and out of the prison industrial complex, the question was, what is the common denominator that keeps me coming back to the prison system?

Each time I had those good intentions and preparedness, I had the tools that I learned from different programs I attended and the motivation to match it.

What I didn't have each and every time I was released from prison was stable, permanent housing.

- [Audience Member] That's right.

- You see, stable housing, it provides the opportunity for individuals such as myself to build a stable life step by step.

Remember, it took years to get in this position to mess my life up, so it's gonna take years to fix it.

(audience applauding and cheering) (solemn music) Wow.

That household in particular, Mr. and Mrs. Collier, my childhood friend, Dex.

She gave me a place to stay one time when I got released.

She said, "Hey, look, I know your mom.

You grew up down the street.

I know you."

And she allowed me to stay in her household.

That was really nice of her.

When I realized that I did not have a place anymore, I reached out to people who were in my community.

In spite of whatever they were going through, they still knew me, I knew them, and this neighborhood was real tight-knit, so all of us knew each other.

They knew my situation, what I was experiencing, and they would rather see me there than actually just flat out on the street, so I was grateful for that.

(wind blowing) The individuals on this block, they were all like family.

This is my foundation.

This is what I want my life to be, these homes, having a home.

This is where I come from, so I know what it feels like to live in one of these houses, to have a decent job, to get up, go to work, to have responsibility, to live life instead of surviving.

When you're homeless, that's what you're doing.

There's not much room to live.

(solemn music) (vehicles whirring) When I got out, and as soon as I got off the train, I seen that it was a problem.

As soon as I got home, I saw that.

I mean, it was just clear as day, was no hiding that.

It was a homeless crisis.

That problem there has been looming for several administrations now, it just was on the back burner.

Homelessness on all different levels, all different ages, all different races.

Native Chicagoans, migrants, individuals returning home from prison, veterans.

Whether it's people that's in these tents across our communities, whether it's people that's living doubled up because they just simply can't afford to be on their own yet, and the lack of sheer affordable permanent housing, period.

(cars whirring) (footsteps thudding) - [Speaker] There are so many people who could use a program like this.

Do we want to focus on like, who do we think this is really gonna help?

- Personal opinion, families with children, that is a priority, 'cause it's not only themselves, but you know, also someone who doesn't really have a say so but is caught in the situation.

I never really imagined that I would be a grassroots leader.

When I was younger, I know I wanted to do something for a bigger cause, but along the way things have changed in my life and maybe that light got diminished.

You know, we're identifying so many students in CPS.

The thing is getting the students to come forward, so.

Along the way participating, now it's like, yeah, this is the calling.

This is what needs to be done, this is what I need to be doing.

You know, just getting the information to them and their families that the school system knows about.

- [Speaker] Yeah, Brian, these are like, exactly the types of questions that we wanna think through during the workshop.

If you might be able to attend or someone else on your team, it could also be really helpful.

- Okay, okay.

Whether people feel the need to say, "Hey, we appreciate you."

Absolutely, yeah, no problem, but it's not about that.

It's about doing what you have a passion to do and making a difference.

(Brian groaning) It's a real change to help people.

(backpack unzipping) (solemn music) Okay, apartment, be nice 'til I get back.

(door opening) (cars whirring) I've had opportunity to seek employment.

Right now I'm in the CTA Second Chance program.

Two minutes.

So I'm working currently with CTA.

I'm employed, so I have the means to obtain housing, whether it would be through the housing system or it'd be at fair market price for myself.

I can do that now.

So the barriers that once existed, especially by me now having credit and rental history, it's better.

(soft music) Working and advocating, it is a lot.

I mean, I work night shifts, and that's 8:00 to 4:30 in the morning, Monday through Friday.

Well, through Saturday morning.

(chuckling) Working a night shift is demanding, it can be, but I face worse challenges.

A lot worse.

- [Activists] Hey, hey, ho, ho.

It's time to bring Chicago home.

Hey, hey, ho, ho.

It's time to bring Chicago home.

Hey, hey.

(activists cheering) (Brian chuckling) Had to eat.

- Every day at the shelter where I work, we see up to 335 people experiencing homelessness come through each night.

(activists chattering) - That's not right.

That's not right.

- That ain't right.

- [Speaker 1] I see and feel the pain of the people behind that number like- - You know, I'm beginning to feel stable.

I visited that in my mind the other day, and I just took a step and a pause back, and look from day one, and I'm starting to see the pieces of my life come back, slowly but surely.

Well, really hasn't been slowly, it's been rather quickly, - [Activists] That's right.

- [Speaker 2] Homeless is caused because there is systemic issues that need to be corrected.

Is that right?

- [Activists] That's right.

- City Council, we are calling on you today to pass this ordinance, put it on the ballot, and bring Chicago home so that people like them- - When I was homeless, I didn't feel like I existed to the world.

And as a matter of fact, for the most part, I didn't.

You have a tendency to want to hide.

- All right.

This man don't need no introduction.

(activists cheering) Brandon Johnson.

- [Brian] So when you start rebuilding your life, that confidence starts to come back.

- Well, I'ma look at the people, how's that?

(activists cheering) Almost 70% of those who are unhoused live in communities like mine, in black communities.

- [Activists] Yes.

- And it is well past time that we prioritize the interests of working people, but especially those who've been harmed the most.

No tricks, no divisive tactics are gonna separate us in this moment.

- [Brian] I'm enjoying life again.

(activists cheering) I got this chance.

Grateful to have this chance.

Now it's a sense of hope.

- [Activists] Bring Chicago Home.

- [Activist] Put it on the ballot.

- I had a counselor that, I asked her a question, I said, "What do you think my biggest problem is?

She told me, she said, "Why you being scared to walk in the shoes You were meant to walk in?"

And I had to think about that a long time.

All right, y'all, let's go.

A long time, and I pondered it.

What was holding me back?

Every day that you wake up, you can change whatever it is you want to change, and once you get over that fear upstairs, once you get over this up here, you can change that.

(soft music) (activists chattering) (soft music)