Speakers’ Bureau on the Road

Greensboro, NC
Guilford College
By: JoAnn Jackson

We began our journey on August 14th, 2006 to Guilford College in Greensboro, NC.
The group that went to represent the National Coalition for the Homeless Speakers’ Bureau were as follows: Michael O’Neill, Director, Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau; Francine Triplett, speaker; JoAnn Jackson, speaker; John Harrison, speaker.

We had a lot of fun going down the highway.  If we weren’t known, we are now, because Francine made sure that every place we stopped and anyone who seemed interested were well informed about Street Sense and the Speakers’ Bureau.

After getting lost for about a half hour we finally made it to Guilford College.  When we arrived the Freshmen class were just ending their simulation of what it would be like if you were homeless and had to apply for food stamps, medical care and a place to live.
Even though it wasn’t the real thing I think they got a good idea of how the homeless are actually treated.

They were given balloons to represent their children, some were given five, four, one or two balloons.  After being turned down for any type of assistance including the ones with children, some were even locked up for being disorderly.treated very rudely and even arrested the students started to pop their balloon babies with pins.  It was funny because you can’t do that in reality.

The next day was the time for the Speakers’ Bureau to give them the real facts of what homeless people go through.

Francine Triplett was requested to return to Guilford College after speaking their on several occasions.  When she spoke about her life on the street as a result of Domestic Violence and how she had been stomped in the face, the audience became very quiet and their ears were wide open to make sure they didn’t miss a thing she said.

John Harrison was very good, he speaks softly but his story got their attention very quickly.  A string of bad circumstances led to him becoming homeless.  The song that he wrote and sings to the audience is incredible and everyone loves it very much.  Personally I think he should have it published.

I spoke last and talked about being sexually molested by my uncle from ages 10-18.  After being accepted to Howard University and told by my family that I needed to work in order to help support my family, I worked several jobs and eventually was able to own two businesses in Groton and New London, Connecticut thanks to the Small Business Administration.  I told them how I ended up losing everything because I was introduced to alcohol and crack. 
I would also like to say that one student could understand our stories because she had been from shelters to shelter and I congratulated her on holding her head up high and entering college and being proud and saying in front of everyone that she was homeless but now I’m attending college.

Students left with tears in their eyes, and came down and thanked and hugged us for opening their minds and eyes by breaking stereotypes about homelessness.

We had an excellent panel that was greatly appreciated by the students.  In closing I say, “good job fellow speakers!

keep a look out in future issues of Street Sense for other stories on the road with the Speakers’ Bureau.