>> From WXXI News.

This is connections.

I'm Evan Dawson.

Our connection this hour is made six short days from now with the launch of Fashion Week Rochester 2025.

And yet, when we think about the high end fashion out on the runways, and then we consider what Fashion week is meant to benefit, it can feel jarring.

On one end is creative designs from a lot of local designers.

Also fashion sensibility from around the world.

On the other is the benefit of child homelessness.

Kids who can't afford their own clothes.

For years, one of the creators of Fashion Week has said she gets it.

She understands that it can feel like two very separate worlds.

Elaine Spaul is the executive director of the center for youth, and their mission focuses on youth homelessness.

Elaine has held to her belief that Fashion Week can center the kids and the people, and the causes that are often left out on the margins of society, and it can be a really good time, too.

And the numbers regarding child homelessness are really, really tough.

In fact, there's been a steady increase.

I've been looking at the data and since 2006, it's been like a 20 year rise in youth homelessness with only little bits of improvement, but certainly no end in sight.

Right now, there is so much work to be done.

So that's what the event that we're going to be talking about benefits and we're going to be talking to two people who are going to share their experiences this hour.

It's always a powerful hour.

And I want to thank the executive director of the center for youth, Elaine Spaul, for being back with us.

Thank you for being.

>> Here, Evan.

I missed you, you missed me.

Where was I?

You were?

Well, I'm not going to say where you were.

You can say.

>> I was on paternity leave.

>> Okay, so we're not so loving listeners.

We are now allowed to speak about his family.

>> You're like the Kristen Wiig character from SNL who's, like, not allowed to give away a surprise.

>> And then.

>> Be like, no, do you want to?

You're going to, like, post baby pictures.

You're going.

>> To do.

I have one, I have a baby picture, and I have a baby picture of of a gift that I gave you and the amazing Megan.

and this gorgeous baby.

So you know, one of the things that's happened for for us, we have had a consistent relationship for really years now, starting when I was a councilwoman.

And the work that we do at the center.

And you have believed in me and trusted me and let me come and say all kinds of crazy things.

>> I tried to reject you, and you just showed up one time.

>> I did.

>> Feel like I can't say.

>> No anymore.

And another time I said, if you're not able to do it, I'll just do it for you.

And there was like.

>> That actually happened one year.

I left and you didn't even notice.

I didn't.

You did the.

>> Whole show.

I even did the whole show.

That is not true.

>> You know, I love you and I really appreciate you being here because as I said, Elaine, I look at the data and it's not easy to look at the data on child homelessness in.

>> This country.

Yeah.

And we want to talk about the choices our community has made and the choices the center has made to run into the fire when most people are running in the other direction.

And what we've been able to do in my three colleagues today will talk about what we've been able to do and what we still have to do.

You just had an hour talking about housing.

And so one of the things I did we were able to do earlier this week was Miguel, our president of council, had a full day testimony on homelessness.

And Mark and I were there talking about the difference between youth homelessness and adult homelessness.

Most people want to focus on street homelessness, chronic homelessness.

What we see at Peace Village, we're here to talk about youth homelessness, which is often invisible and not always seen because our kids are very clever.

They're they're doubling up.

They're couch surfers.

They're being places maybe that aren't safe.

So we have to shine a light on youth homelessness.

And we're so grateful to be able to do that today.

>> Well, let me welcome Mark, who is next to Elaine, assistant director of RHC and Counseling Services.

Welcome.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you.

Evan, tell people a little bit about what your role is.

Mark.

>> So primarily I oversee our transitional living programs, our rapid rehousing program.

but we at the center for youth do a little bit of everything.

so whether it's helping a young person move into a new apartment, finding donations to fill that apartment answering phone calls, looking for resources for young people.

everybody at the center for youth wears many hats.

what I focus on in my line of work is generally older adults or older young people.

I should say what we call transition to age youth 16 to 24 year olds.

and that's you know, that's a big challenge.

That's the fastest growing population homeless population here in the city of Rochester.

And and it keeps us busy all the time.

>> Yeah.

I think it's important to point out Mark's title, RH why is runaway and homeless youth.

And when we talk about homelessness, it means different things in different contexts.

It can mean, as Elaine said, couch surfing.

It can mean literally living on the street.

It could mean you know, your family got evicted.

it could mean runaway.

It's a lot of different things, right?

>> Yeah, yeah.

I mean, it could be getting kicked out of your primary Guardians house.

It could be finding yourself where you're unable to pay rent.

yeah.

Young people are also who are in domestic violence situations.

very often need to become homeless to.

>> For their own safety.

>> For their own safety?

Yeah.

and then young people who are.

Are just coming from crowded, unsafe living environments or often crowded living environments.

find themselves unable to thrive in those environments.

They're sleeping on a couch one week, they're sleeping on another couch.

Another week.

Now they're staying with their aunt, who's already living in an apartment with too many people for the apartment complex.

So we try to provide opportunities for those young people.

through housing and through different programs at the center for youth so that they can thrive.

>> In a moment, I'm going to introduce the guests on the other side of the table, just briefly.

We will talk coming up here about maybe the biggest event of the year for the center for youth, which is Fashion Week Rochester, which starts next Thursday.

Where is it this year?

>> So we're going to go back to the convention center because we've been there really partly because they're so generous and loving to us.

You can park in, people are still trying to figure out about downtown.

I'm like, come downtown, guys.

It's safe.

It's wonderful.

We have a vibrant downtown center, so we're going to go back down and we call it Magic Downtown because we want to bring that magic.

You can have a vibrant city if people don't feel comfortable coming downtown.

So that's we're going to be for at least this year, October 9th is really kind of an edgy October 9th program.

Next Thursday it supports our net house.

We're going to talk a little bit about the net house.

One of the things Marc is referencing is that a lot of our young people who may identify as LGBTQ plus find themselves not welcome where they are.

So we have a shelter, a transitional living shelter for those young people, and then for young people who have been victims of trafficking highly, highly, highly dangerous situations.

So that's Thursday.

Friday is a family show.

I'm putting something together with Meg.

She's letting me and we door Meg Mundy.

starting with two year olds on the runway with their fathers.

father daughter.

It could be a complete disaster, but we're hoping it works out.

There's about 20 fathers and daughters.

>> Why would it be a disaster?

>> Because they're two years old and they're.

Oh, yeah, but it's going to be gorgeous, and it's going to end up with Shaun Nelms and Ben Jacobs and all kinds of people with sort of grown, you know, 15, 16, 25 year olds.

It's going to be perfect.

Saturday is always kind of the grand finale.

And I think what's important right now is that we believe as you can look good and do good, and we laugh about it, we tease about it.

Our city deserves to have this kind of energetic vibrancy bringing together amazing people, sponsors, dancers.

City ballet will be dancing Florida.

I mean, we have a lot of really cool things happening.

Meg has put together a three amazing shows, and at the end of the day, we're going to make sure our kids are safe in shelters and on the street and feed and clothe and house young people.

And I just can't imagine anything better.

I don't think Paris Fashion Week or New York Fashion Week has anything on us, on us.

I think that we believe and we see these outcomes and we'll raise, you know, a lot of money.

And I want to talk just a little bit about our situation with the federal government.

Maybe not right now, but, you know, it is more important than ever because our funding is tentative.

I will just say this and Joe Morelle knows.

So I can say this, we were told that our most recent application for housing for transitional living and street outreach was defunded, was funded, but pulled back by dosage that we weren't going to get it, that they knew sort of a New York state on Saturday morning at 7:00, I got an email, saying we were funded.

Now, on Wednesday, October 1st, we were told the funding was still there, but we couldn't access it.

But on September 30th, we pulled down all of our federal funds and we got it.

So who the heck knows?

>> But why did why did DOGE want.

>> To cancel it?

What was the reason?

>> DOGE is watching sanctuary cities and watching some of the things we're doing.

And as you probably know every month we report to the federal government to DOGE what we spend and on what and for whom.

we had to also, for the first time ever.

And God bless Malik Evans and our deputy chief and the chief of police, who allowed us to do an RFP with their blessing with an MOU.

We had to tell the government that we would be working with RPD, and they allowed us to do it in the kind of gracious volunteer way that we do it.

So grateful for that.

So we got the funding.

Now, whether or not we're going to have a shutdown forever, I think it'll end.

It didn't end yet, but I think we'll be okay.

But that makes what we're doing on behalf of these young people we love so much, who have often been abandoned by even some of their own families for whatever reason.

often not at their own fault.

As Mark said, you're living in a situation, you're about to be evicted, and you can't just fit everybody in.

Some of our older young people have to find their own way.

So Fashion week.

15 years in will really be amazing for this city, but also for the center for Youth.

>> And.

>> Information, where online.

>> center for Fashion Week.

fashion week.

Org fashion week.

Fashion week.

Rochester center for youth.

you can find us Eventbrite.

Tickets are still for sale.

The tables are pretty much sold out every night.

but lots of tickets still to sell.

>> Fashion Week Rochester.

>> Org across the table from Elaine Miles.

Moses is here.

Hello, Miles.

Welcome.

Thanks for being here.

>> Thank you for having me.

>> And welcome to Ginger Harrell who is also here.

Welcome.

Nice to meet you today.

Thank you.

I'm going to start with Ginger.

And what I want to do is let them tell their own story to the extent that they want to do that.

And I think that this this will inform a little bit of the work that Elaine is talking about.

And, Ginger, I'll start with you.

So the floor is yours.

Tell us about yourself.

>> so for me.

>> Get real close to that microphone.

You want to hear you there.

>> Okay.

Can you guys hear me now?

>> Yeah.

>> We can.

Okay, so for me how I got connected with the center was a different type of story.

So for me, my family was kind of going through their own things.

And like we said, you know, when you're the older part of the bunch, you kind of have to make the decisions and find your own way out.

So I found my own way out.

I was in like a certain center.

I got connected with some navigators that were sent to help youth.

>> How old were you?

>> I was 18, freshly 18, and I was just sitting there and outside of the center, and they came to me and they told me about everything that the center offered.

At that point in time.

I was like, I was so confused with my next step, like, what do I want to do?

How can I get out of this situation and do better for myself?

Because, you know, the difference between youth when we get homeless or faced with it, it's much different.

It's also because of family conflict or rejection or just not a good stable stability environment.

So we're left without any knowledge of how to go into the world and figure that out.

I was met with a few ladies one time we sat down, we had a conversation.

I told them my needs and how I needed help.

They supplied me with cards and information and we ended up speaking and setting up another meeting time.

I was like really confused.

Like, should I take this help?

Like, how are they going to just give me information and just toss me into the world and tell me, go figure it out?

No.

They literally met with me again.

They walked me through a lot of applications.

We talked about the goals that I wanted to have, how I wanted to obtain an I.D.

and documents.

Because you can't just get a job, you can't just go get an application without having identification.

So they helped me navigate through the whole Social Security system, finding out my Social Security, having all my birth certificate, all the correct documents that I needed that were withheld from me.

So I was able to collect those from then I went out job searching, got a job, and then I was like, okay, now I'm time.

Now it's time for me to move into my own situation, my own living situation.

So give it about a couple weeks to a month.

I was placed in a rooming house.

they supplied me with the security deposit, the rent to help me get started.

They paid half of the year for me.

>> And who's they?

>> The center.

>> For you.

Okay.

>> I was in rapid rehousing, so it was quick.

Took a little bit of time to find something for me.

They found it for me through there.

They had job fairs and job connections, so I also met with them again to see if I can get any further employment to pay for my own bills that were extra.

My skincare, my hygiene care.

You know, the things that you need as a young lady and they found many programs that would help me with my situation.

Being that I was homeless and not having a permanent, you know, address to put down as a document.

And from there, they just kept coming and checking on me, making sure that everything was right with me.

And if I needed anything to reach out and call them.

I got introduced to to Bridge to Peace, which is another department, and center for youth, and what we do there, which is my job position, because I have that hookup with the center, I was able to step in as a youth leader and be a part of a program, reengaging teens and restoring justice, which also helps with youth that we're dealing with homelessness or either judicial justice or just runaway homelessness, or if they needed just some type of restore restorative circles.

So what I do is I work alongside a navigator and I help the kids get with these resources and programs, and we walk them through there.

So it's kind of like, how can I say I'm kind of like taking the torch and passing it on with other youth, letting them know that the center is here for these opportunities and that there is a future.

>> Oh can I ask you, how.

>> Do you I mean, it's over.

>> Mark and I can just.

>> Leave.

I know these stories.

Maybe you can, too.

I'm just saying.

I mean, sorry.

>> No, it's remarkable.

And it seems like you're doing well now.

First of all.

>> yes.

I recently got a promotion with that job to be the youth program coordinator.

I take that very serious, because being someone who has walked in my shoes that has had issues with family, then forced me to be in a center away from my family and navigate the world and be by myself.

It's really a scary situation because when you're young, like you don't have all that financial knowledge, you don't know how to keep up with it.

You don't know the community.

You really just it's not knowing anything and being put into a world.

But the center came in and helped me.

So when I see youth come in that are lost and they're dealing with not having their family as their support, it's so awesome to be like, I work with a company that will be that support and treat you like family.

>> How old are you now?

>> I recently just turned 21 a month ago.

>> 21?

Yes.

but you know, a lot of this started.

Well, it sounds like it started when you were 18.

>> You did.

>> What was were you 18 or was it younger when you really were homeless for the first time?

>> I was actually 18.

You know how some families, they believe when you turn 18?

Oh, they done it like that's it.

You can go figure out the rest.

Yes.

And it's really that's the time that you need the guidance the most like.

Because.

What do you mean credit?

I'm fixing my credit, making sure that everything's okay.

I'm.

It's just it's really interesting how the adult world really works and how it is.

>> Yeah.

And I, I take that point.

I mean, look, there's a lot of us still trying to figure it out, right?

Yes.

A lot older than 21.

Yes.

but, you know, I, I think 18 is technically an adult.

>> Yes.

>> But that's tough.

That's tough.

to kind of be totally on your own and figuring it out.

Yes.

when you understood that your situation was in the category of homelessness, did you how did you find the center for you?

I mean, like what what happened that led you there?

>> What happened was I was at one of the centers that are for adults.

It's not a shelter, but it's like a it's kind of like a shelter, but it's not like anything permanent where you can, like, really stay.

It was a center, and they just came in one day.

I just remember seeing ladies come in looking nice, you know, being friendly, saying hi to everyone.

And they pulled my name and said, we would like to meet with you.

We're here.

We find the youth that are struggling and are in centers or shelters, and we could give them the opportunity to get out of there and get their life on track.

So of course I was like, wow, like, is this going to be a program that's going to be welcoming me step by step, or are they just here to like, show me the information, the data?

And then, you know, I got to figure it out on my own.

which was like, not the truth.

The truth.

They actually did walk me through everything.

And they kept meetings with me.

>> So.

>> Evan, I want to.

>> Just.

>> Again, blown away by this woman.

And I don't know how.

So she spoke at an annual meeting recently, and the next day I went and brought her roses.

I mean, you don't know what to give.

anyway, she's magnificent, but often a young person's going to end up in adult shelter.

And Mark and I will talk a little bit later after we talk about all the good things that are happening, about why that can happen, how inappropriate that is for a freshly turned 18-year-old in an adult shelter.

not what this community should be doing.

I saw Mike Patterson and Eric Frisch in the hallway.

They're like, we're sorry.

I said, yeah, you should be, but not really.

I'm not blaming the city.

It's not the city's fault.

But for a young, precious woman who is on her own to end up in an adult shelter, youth homelessness is different.

>> Well, whose fault is that, then?

>> Well, we'll talk about how systems broke and systems came back and funding changed.

And a lot of agencies just decided to go in a different direction and close beds, many, many beds were closed pre and during COVID and they never came back.

So now we've got a dilemma.

We've got a conundrum.

And all I can tell you is we we value and we appreciate these other agencies.

They're just not our partners anymore.

So I was laughing in the car.

I said, you know, gymnasia and Miles ever stopped loving me, which I don't think they will, but.

>> Who knows.

what's going to happen.

They would.

>> Have to go somewhere else.

Where would.

>> You go?

There's no place else.

>> Are you talking about?

>> Well, the last was salvation.

Salvation Army, Genesis house.

You know, and we have these two wonderful young people that came here today with miles and gymnasia, but sometimes the relationship between the center for youth and between the young person is not always it's sometimes it's rocky, and young people get sick of us, and then they want to leave our shelter, or they want to leave our TLP, or they want to leave our rapid rehousing program.

And that's fine.

You know, we offer voluntary services.

That's them exercising their autonomy.

We want to encourage them to be to be an autonomous.

But since we're the only community partner, we have no community partners left like we once had with Genesis House through the Salvation Army.

Their only option is us.

So they could get sick of us.

They could go to Salvation Army.

They could get sick of them.

They could come back to us.

And sometimes that would work for a 16-year-old between 16 and 18 is that they're kind of bouncing between those two and family supports that will offer up temporary housing until they can become 18, or until they can become 16 at least and get into like a transitional living program.

So people often ask like, what?

What would you what do you need most?

And its community partners, other people to offer these young people a different perspective, because not always are we the perfect fit for everybody.

And we'd like to be, but it just doesn't always happen that way.

And to have others other agencies out there that can fill in the gaps for young people when they get sick of us and, you know, it, it works on a greater continuum.

>> Do you want to add to that, Elaine?

>> Yeah.

>> You know, we're not vilifying people, but hillside doesn't have beds.

Villa doesn't have beds.

Salvation Army doesn't have beds.

Mercy residential doesn't have beds.

I mean, these are not they're all good people, good agencies.

They decided to go in a different direction.

And there wasn't really a conversation.

An aggregate conversation.

I mean, we were having it because we began to see.

So, you know, I've been there a very long time, and I was supposed to be there for three years.

It's like 25 years.

Whatever.

I told my husband, you know, the same thing.

I'm married 54 years.

I know you're shocked, but it's true.

but we had a whole 24 hour agreement when I started, and this 24 hour agreement was beautiful because it could say exactly what Mark said.

You're with us.

We have some pretty strict guidelines, but we're voluntary.

Remember?

You can come and go.

You decide you want to go try something else at hillside or at Salvation Army.

You could do that because we had a 24 hour agreement or we're full.

We are full, full, full.

We're turning people away.

You saw the data full, full turning.

But we could call someone and say, hey, in this moment, can you take this 19-year-old for us or our emergency shelter ends at 17, almost 18.

What do we do?

We have to turn kids away.

>> Tell me if I'm hearing this right.

>> Okay.

>> Some of these these agencies who you've considered partners.

>> Yeah.

>> Have just changed the way they do things and and they will no longer take.

>> They don't have homeless services for young people.

They don't have beds.

>> Okay.

>> And and it's tough because they're not here.

And I know you said you respect them and they do great work.

>> They do every.

>> One of those organizations.

>> They do other things.

>> And we.

>> We work with them in other ways.

But we they are not we do not have right now in this moment, an emergency shelter for 16 to 21 year olds.

So someone like a gymnasia and I'm not saying this happened, but she would not have been able to come into our emergency shelter at 18.

Luckily, she was grown enough and sophisticated enough and fabulous that she could actually go into a transitional living and rapid rehousing, which is permanent housing.

So, and I'll let her tell you herself, she owns that lease agreement.

Her name is on that lease agreement.

We just pay it for her and eventually, eventually, and probably sooner than later because she's so amazing, she will have her own lease and her own.

She'll.

She'll be able to take over that.

That's the goal of permanent.

It's a HUD program.

>> I think she's already there.

I think she's already paying her own rent.

>> She's okay.

See?

>> See, I'm out of the mix.

because I don't.

Yeah.

but that's that's the goal.

So this is this is taking someone from a terribly unstable situation with the right kind of supports and watching them grow into their own person.

Now, with a full she's got a full time job with us.

So that's the goal.

That's the goal.

>> But but to put a point on this and then we'll get Miles story here.

The reason that different organizations are not offering beds is not because homelessness is suddenly better or eradicated or deeply declining.

No, it's that's I'm looking at data that so that's probably a separate conversation.

To be fair to anybody else who's not.

>> In the room.

And they're doing good work in different ways.

It's just not the beds.

Okay.

>> Yeah.

>> So that's and I want to make sure I say that because these are my my colleagues and I don't I'm not throwing shade on people.

I just it's a reality.

>> No, I get you.

But and.

>> That's why our agreement is with me, myself and I.

>> And that's why this is a this is going to sound like the question that you scripted for me.

And it's not I'm not here to do PR for you, but that's why events like next week at Fashion Week are huge for you.

Yeah, because there aren't a lot of organizations doing.

>> This right.

It's tough.

>> It's tough.

It's really tough.

Talking to Anne Spaulding, executive director of the center for youth.

And, one of the creators of Fashion Week Rochester, which is back next Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the convention center.

Right.

And they would love to see you there.

Fashion week Rochester, it benefits the kind of services that we are talking about with Mark, who's assistant director of Re and counseling services at the center.

You just heard John E. Jean Carroll.

When we come back from our break, we're going to talk to Miles Moses about Miles story, and we'll continue this conversation.

A very, very important conversation to understand what's going on in our community right here on connections.

I'm Evan Dawson Monday on the next connections.

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>> This is connections, and in the last ten minutes, hearing Janice's story, listening to Mark and Elaine talk about the state of youth homelessness, it's easy to to see stats on a page.

What's the graduation rate?

What's the how are the math scores?

How are the Ela scores?

It's another to say how is a 15-year-old going to be passing math when they are homeless, when they're trying to find a couch, when they're in their third place in the last three months?

How are they doing math homework?

And this context gets left out of this a lot.

Youth homelessness is not declining since 2006.

In this country, it's been on a steady increase by some counts, 77% higher in 20 years.

It's a huge number.

And so organizations like the center for youth are doing what they can to to be a service that helps.

gymnasium story is pretty remarkable.

And you wish that there weren't very many like gymnasium.

But now here you are doing great.

Elaine didn't even know you're paying your own rent.

Doing great.

what do you want for your future?

When we talk in ten years, ten years from now feels like forever.

I know, but what do you want to be doing?

>> definitely.

Owning a home of my own.

definitely comfortable financially.

but most importantly, I would love to continue in, like, this work of this field with social work.

I want to continue to help the youth because it's really important to help youth, because we're really impressionable.

At a young time of our lives, and we don't know which way to go and the wrong guidance or lack of support can just push you through the wringer.

So I would definitely want to be someone's right hand and walk them.

So that's why I see myself in ten years as a home owner, financially stable and happy, doing a career that helps the youth.

>> I mean, I've known you for half an hour.

I clearly think you're gonna do it.

Thank you.

I really do.

miles?

Moses, I want to give you some space to tell your story.

Floor is yours, miles.

Tell us about yourself.

>> Okay, so originally, I'm not even from Rochester.

I'm from Brooklyn, New York.

We moved here when I was around 5 or 7. a little bit more towards the five side when I my first.

Well, let me start.

Right.

So we lived in shelters, right?

So I seen poverty, I seen homelessness, I was very desensitized to it at a young age.

but my first experience with it personally, I was 14.

Me and my guardian weren't seeing eye to eye.

never really did never really had a great connection.

Never really fostered that.

So once as a teenager and as a black man.

Right.

I started to understand that what I was facing at home, I shouldn't have been facing in any form at all.

So me starting to rebel, I guess you can say.

But technically I'm not rebelling because I shouldn't be going through this.

that showed my guardian that I wasn't going to let it happen no more.

So then I left.

so I've been considered 14.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

but at 14, I was also where I differ, where I differ from most 14 year olds at that time I was already working with teen empowerment, which is a a youth organization, almost like the center for youth.

But it does more with youth employment.

Right.

So I was already in front of the Rochester government going to Albany asking not asking, protesting.

And getting higher budgets for the school for the RCSD.

So at 14, I was already conscious of what was going on in the world.

And my place in it.

So when I decided to leave, I had to couch surf.

Right.

couch surf before I was on the street.

Right.

I was on the streets.

I was 14.

It was only about two months where I was just mostly just, you know, walking, sleeping, walking, trying to get some sleep.

parks anywhere with a bench.

Really?, but usually those spots were taken, so it was just a lot of walking.

It wasn't too much sleep.

And I was also going to school, so I would go to sleep in school, but that's where I was going to talk about you was saying, how do how are 15 year olds expected to do math homework when they're trying to find somewhere to sleep and.

>> Something to eat?

>> Right.

That was me.

I was in ninth grade just coming out of Leadership Academy before they shut down.

And my whole energy and focus shift because now I'm homeless.

I have to figure out what I'm going to eat, who's house I might be able to stay out, stay at for the weekend.

if I was also on the missing persons list, but I'm standing in front of the cops every day.

They're looking at me.

I'm looking at them.

So who was really looking for who?

but as a kid you don't really want as a teenager, right?

Maybe even just a man.

Sorry.

I'm coming off of a cold, but.

>> no problem at all.

>> You don't really want your peers and your friends to know that you're going through something that traumatizing, right?

Because it makes you seem like maybe there's something wrong with you.

We shouldn't be around you.

Maybe you're the problem.

so growing up, I was going back and forth from different people's houses.

Different friends, different extensions of family, stuff like that.

never really had nothing concrete.

And then due to, I think it was, if I'm not mistaken, CPS, they said I had to go back to my Guardians house or she would have had something legally done to her.

I think it was like a negligence charge or whatever.

Right.

And me not wanting to be caught up in the legal system again because that's where I even got an guardian from the first place, because my mother, my birth mother, wasn't a correct fit.

She wasn't she didn't have no maternal instincts or nothing like that.

So she couldn't take care of us like she was supposed to.

Right.

I went back to my guardians house, stayed there for maybe a year.

I was showed, I was shown that these same things were happening, but in a different format.

And now I'm way older and I'm way more conscious of the stuff that's going on in the world.

And my place in it.

I've done way more work for the youth.

I'm like, why would I sit here and take this so.

I got kicked out, right?

I didn't leave this time.

I got kicked out, but I wasn't fighting it.

I didn't didn't force try to force her hand, try to get back in the house.

It was like, you want me gone.

I'll leave.

because I know who I am at this point.

I know what I can do.

And then did a little bit more couch surfing.

Surfing?

lived, slept in a couple basements.

behind a couple churches, stuff like that.

And then around the time I was about to turn 18, almost 17.

I'm still in school.

almost.

This is my senior year.

Almost graduating.

the French house.

I was staying at that became.

That wasn't an option for me no more.

Right?

Because they have their own stuff going on.

They got to fend for themselves.

Right?

I understand that.

So.

That's when I. Because I already had when I was around 15, I already went to the center for youth for a they had a shelter.

I was staying in that for a little bit, but right after that I went to a friend's house and I stayed there for a little bit.

But then once I, I was like, okay, I'm about to be 18, right?

So a little bit more opportunities are opening up for me.

But also that means I need to get certain things to make me not seem as a as much as a threat as people can perceive me as.

Right.

Because I am a black man, I'm pretty tall, I wear dark clothing.

So I had to worry about getting a I.D., making sure people can identify me on the streets just because if I'm going to be on the streets all, all day, I might as well at least have this right.

At least have some things like that.

But then I went to the center for youth.

I remember I was just going for.

I was just going for something.

Right?

And then I got what's it called?

I had got suggested a transitional living program, and I was like, what is this?

I never heard of this.

Right.

Because I've been on the streets before, never heard of this.

I qualified for it because I was 18, I was homeless, didn't have anything.

And then I got in, I got, I put in a referral or they put in a referral for me.

I did my interviews, whatever I had to do.

and I got into the transitional living program, and it kind of showed me that there are what didn't kind of it showed me that there are people who care.

There are ways to ways to negate the negative stuff that has been thrown into our path.

Right.

Because there has been a lot of negative stuff thrown to a lot of our paths.

yeah.

It showed me that at least, at least there's people trying, right?

Because that just the fact that there's organizations and people trying to help and trying to end youth homelessness and youth poverty and stuff like that, it just brightened my brightened my perspective because that's all you really need.

Your perspective is your way of life.

So somebody can change your perspective.

You can change your way of life.

>> So you feel like it was an indication that there that not all of society doesn't care, that there are parts of society that do care about your future?

>> Yes.

yes, for sure.

Because me personally, I grew up as like the outcast the person who was never really the first thought.

Never really.

the best friend or the closest in the group.

So to see that people could put their attention and energy and intention towards me and towards a better future for me.

I think psychologically, if I said that correctly, yeah, it made me feel good because growing up, I didn't have that.

I didn't have the person who was pouring into me.

>> Miles, there's so much wisdom, but frankly, there's so much undeserved wisdom.

I mean, like, you should not have to be 15, 16 years old and being self aware that as a tall black person that society might be scared of you and you have to mitigate that in different ways just to be able to get through days on the street like, that's wild to me, man.

>> If you don't mind.

I also worked for I worked in the I forgot the I think it was Department of Human Services building.

One of those buildings is on 57 Saint Paul, right?

Right across from the transit center.

And I worked there for maybe a year or two with Yvonne.

And then the Youth Policy Task Force.

But me being the tall black man, my black man I am who wears dark clothing because I don't really like, I don't like bright colors on me.

every time I go into the building, I kind of get a little discriminated against, right?

People want to give me full body searches and use wands, and I just see let you seen.

I just watched you let that person walk straight through.

And I've been working here for a year saying hi to you almost every day for almost.

How many?

For a year?

And you still can't not see me as a threat.

So.

And I was homeless at the time too.

So what it did to my mental was like, okay, it's people who's going to see you a certain way.

There's people who are going to want you to see yourself a certain way.

You got to make sure you find your people who are going to help you and want you to be better.

>> Like the people across the table from.

>> You, like the people across.

>> The table.

Yeah.

It's amazing.

I mean, like, it's not sort of trite or cheesy to say does not matter who you are, does not matter your age.

If you don't feel loved and you don't feel like society gives a damn, I it's hard for anybody.

>> For sure.

>> and you look like you're doing okay now.

How are you doing now?

>> Right now I am doing amazing.

I think it's just more of.

I am in the transitional living program, so a lot of the weight has been lifted off of my off of my shoulders.

But it also kind of as a another, another type of feeling, another type of feeling.

Because as somebody who's been in so many different people's household and living on so many different streets and stuff like that, it feels weird being in somebody else's.

Right.

If it feels weird not having your own.

So when I do go back to the transitional living program, and I'm sitting there, it's almost like it's a double edged sword because it's like, I'm happy to have this, but I don't feel like I should need this.

There's no reason why the person who was put in a position to take care of me couldn't do that for whatever reason, or didn't want to do that for whatever reason.

And real quick, real quick, I wanted to speak on this.

I feel like our homeless youth they get a label, right?

as soon as if you, if you liberated your mind and you wanted to get out of your situation, and you left and you got out of your situation, now you're a runaway.

if you got put out because the people who were put in that position to take care of you didn't want to do that.

Oh, you're.

Something was obviously bad with you.

You're obviously a bad kid to where people can't.

>> Problem child.

>> A problem child, stuff like that.

And even me, which is just something I thought about.

But I've been a activist and an artist for as long as I've been homeless, and no one has ever asked me to be on a radio platform for my activism or my music.

But they have for my homelessness.

No, no offense, but no, no, that's how I looked at it.

It's like, so the work I've put in with my activism been doing it since before I was homeless.

Right.

And then the work I've been putting in with my music, which is it ties in all together with my activism and my life at the moment.

That is almost pushed to the side because, hey, he's homeless, he's homeless youth.

We can get a story out of him, and it might even be a a good story.

Let's see what's up with it for sure.

>> I think that's a fair observation, and I think nobody wants to be seen at their lowest point, as that's their only identity.

I will tell you that as much as we're focusing on the story, your story and your colleagues story.

Yes, sir.

You know, that's not the only thing that I see about you at all.

And I know, I know that the people in this room agree with that.

But I also understand your frustration.

Where do we find your art, by the way?

Where do we find your music?

>> so you can find me on Instagram at Moses the Prophet.

same thing for YouTube.

Moses the prophet.

but I am a performing artist.

that's where I get all of my my energy.

Like, when I am in front of on the stage in front of people, it makes me feel like, hey, the spotlight is on me.

I have however long I have to make these people think about what I want them to think about, and it's going to be something positive.

It's going to be something that works towards a better you, a better us.

so yes, follow me on Instagram and I will let you know the next performance.

You guys can be there.

I'll pay for you to be there.

If you really want to go yeah.

>> I asked you where she wants to be.

And when we talk in ten years, ten years.

Long time.

Okay.

To to to someone who's 19, I get it.

But what do you want when you're 30 years old?

What do you want to be doing.

>> When I am 30 years old?

This is how I see it.

I want to be doing the same things I'm doing right now, but on a bigger standpoint, on a bigger stage.

Like with my music, I perform almost once every month.

Right?

If I can do that, maybe I perform once every week to a larger crowd.

I'm always doing activism work.

I work with the center for youth right now, so if I can be doing that at a grander point, right.

We have multiple organizations who do have beds, who do housing, and they even try to get the label taken off of the homeless youth, whatever I am doing now, like even with my just my personal life, like with my mental health, I'm at a point to where it's like, I understand what I have to understand, but in ten years, I would love to be able to know and not have to believe.

Hey, this is how I should live.

But I want to know.

I want to have that peace of mind for real.

>> Well, wow.

>> Yeah.

So one of the things that I just you know, there's no, like, instruction about coming on the Evan Dawson show.

It's like, hey, guys, what are you up to?

Can you come with me?

Sure.

I'll pick you up at 1230.

And Mark drove us, and we got her in the car.

I said, you should say as much or as little as you want.

And they're like, yeah, cool.

That's it.

And they're not scripted and and I'm the authenticity, the organic conversations is really what is so important to us at the center.

So sometimes we we navigate basic skills like, we got to get this guy in housing, we got to get her food, we got to get them out of there.

We got to get them safe.

And that's where we like spend so much time.

And then now, by the way, Miles, watch out.

Because now I know another hope.

So I've been just admiring Miles and his determination.

Finishing school, graduating from school.

I mean, I get photos of him from the Alonzo who manages the New Beginning house, where he's a very valued resident in his own apartment with a, I guess, a good roommate, which is awesome.

That house is full of these amazing young men.

and, you know, we then it's a beginning.

It's not the end.

So this is the beginning for both of them.

Both of them have been hired by us as youth leaders.

Why wouldn't they be?

More and more and more to come for these young people?

My biggest concern right now is that we.

And it's not empowerment, by the way, is a very important partner for us.

They have a lot of similarities.

They don't have any residential beds.

If they did, they would open them to us.

we got more beds, just generally more beds.

And this emergency shelter situation so that a 16 to 21-year-old or in really an 18 to 22-year-old has no place to go in an emergency and could end up in an adult shelter.

Miles was clever enough to have enough people who loved him let him stay and surf and back and forth with guardians.

it doesn't happen for everybody.

A lot of our young men, particularly, will end up in an adult shelter.

Not a good space.

and we know Mark, and I know that we're turning away people every day.

And that is difficult and heartbreaking.

And we are looking for more partners.

We keep applying for grants and doing what we can.

right now, the landscape is tough.

given some federal mandates we are determined we are not weary.

I know we probably should be.

Are you weary?

>> Yeah.

But.

>> Oh, he's.

Where are you guys?

Weary.

We're not weary.

>> It's tough.

>> Not at all.

Yeah.

>> You know, with adult shelters.

A lot of young people do not want to be in adult shelters.

And the situations that they'll put themselves in can become very risky, very dangerous situations.

And the wrong adults can find them.

And exploit them, take advantage.

Yep.

Please.

>> I just wanted to say the reason I think that is so prominent is because as a youth especially as a man, male youth, you have a lot of pride.

And pride is something you have to push away when you want help from somebody and when you need help from somebody.

I learned that a lot, like I have, like, because I grew up in a family to where we weren't really asking each other for.

Hey, can I get some advice or.

Hey, can I go, can I have you help me with this?

Because it was such a toxic a, toxic environment.

I'm have this this phenomenon where I. I don't like asking people for anything.

If it's right, if it's a pencil.

Just that me being vulnerable, saying I don't have or I don't know how to do this.

>> So you don't want to put your hand up and ask for help.

But for people who know how to exploit that, know how to find people, then all of a sudden, you know, Mark it can be dangerous, right?

>> Yeah.

I mean, you know, we have safe Harbor program, which helps young people that are being trafficked, both men and women.

it's not just sexual exploitation, though.

It often is.

It can also be labor.

Labor trafficking.

young people who are forced to sell drugs for for shelter, for housing are being trafficked.

These situations that they can find themselves in is when they feel like they have no alternative, is no fault of their own.

And yet, because we are lacking in this community, in that area, we're not able to offer young people the support that they deserve.

Here in the city of Rochester, which does so many things.

You know really, really well.

And, and and fights really hard for our people here in Rochester.

>> So as we get ready to wrap here, I want to thank Ginger Harrell and Myles Moses.

First of all.

thank you for for sharing your stories and and for Myles, you know, keeping our eye on the fact that Ginger and Myles are much bigger than their stories of homelessness.

They are and their futures.

Are, you know unwritten.

That road stretches out before you right now and your future is unwritten.

But it is it can be really beautiful.

Myles, I know you've been through a lot, but it's important that people know that there are people who love them.

And you got that now.

Ginger.

Same I'm really impressed.

Just getting to know both of you.

And if listeners want to support some of the efforts for the center for youth, you can attend next week at Fashion Week, Rochester Fashion Week, Rochester.

Org, you got about 25 seconds to convince people to go.

>> See you next week.

>> So we believe that together we are better.

And Mark's right.

The city does a lot of amazing things.

Our work's not done.

And coming to Fashion Week shows your commitment to helping this work be done.

And you heard from Gymnasia and Myles, the most authentic voices we could bring to you.

Truly, I'm afraid that Evan's going to invite you on next time without me.

>> I think that may.

>> Happen.

So they're remarkable.

>> Thank you.

>> I gotta warn Myles, though.

There's gonna be some bright colors at fashion week.

>> Yeah, I know, I know, I know, we're gonna get him a ticket.

>> Yes.

>> Very bright.

>> Colors.

Tones.

Maybe.

>> Yeah.

Some earth tones, I don't know.

No, no.

Some bright colors.

No.

>> It is always an amazing show.

and I just want to thank you, Elaine, for putting together this important and outstanding conversation.

Myles Johnson, good to meet you.

Good luck to both of you.

Thank you very much.

And Mark, thank you for sharing the expertise.

>> Thank you.

>> Evan Elaine Spall, have fun with the runways and all the work that you do.

And keep us up to date on what's going on with this issue.

>> Of you keep sending photos of that baby.

>> Thank you.

Well.

>> Megan's doing.

>> It, not you.

>> God bless you, buddy.

Thank you for everything.

>> From all of us at connections.

Thank you for listening.

Thank you for watching.

We are back with you next week on member supported public Media.

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