Tasked with examining the racial disparities in the homelessness response system, the Racial Equity Accountability Project team has marked its second year, holding a second set of talking circles to capture the lived experiences of homelessness in Northwest Minnesota as it continues its work.
Talking circles, which were held in multiple locations, is an Indigenized model used to listen and learn from the community, capturing real-life experiences and stories that are used to inform the REAP team’s work in preventing and ending homelessness. Specifically, the takeaways learned from the talking circles determine the REAP team’s priorities for funding and strategic planning.
In addition to the human stories, the REAP team analyzes data metrics, develops strategic plans, and changes policy and procedure to address the racial injustices in the homeless response system.
What are the racial disparities?
Data shows that, historically, people of color have been and continue to be disproportionately affected by homelessness in Minnesota.
In Minnesota, the total number of homeless individuals of color comprises nearly 64% of the total homelessness population, while only accounting for 13% of the state’s total population, according to the 2023 Point-in-Time Count (PIT Count).
That same PIT Count showed that there are approximately 923 youth and young adults aged 18-24 living in a state of homelessness or housing insecurity in Minnesota. In Northwest Minnesota, Indigenous persons under 24 years old who were experiencing homelessness comprised over 39% of the region’s total homeless population in Northwest Minnesota, though Indigenous individuals represent only 9% of the general population across the region.
These disparities are further exacerbated when examining the amount of time youth and young adults must wait to receive supportive housing services: In Northwest Minnesota, 72% of youth who identified as being homeless for more than 90 days were represented by people that identified as Indigenous.
Shifting the narrative
In order to successfully support systems-level change in the homeless response system, the REAP team is working to shift the narrative and approach. Instead of asking those who are experiencing homelessness, “What is wrong with you,” the focus is instead becoming, “What is your story? What are your strengths?”
“Systemic change in homelessness must be people-centered,” said Barbara Johnson, a program officer in Northwest Minnesota Foundation’s Homelessness program. “We believe that individuals are more than just a number. We’re working to facilitate positive, strong relationships with all individuals living through homelessness and developing a system that is racially just. This starts with holding space for conversation and dialogue.”
Much of this happens through the talking circles. Participants receive a $100 gift card, but the primary benefit is sharing their stories and offering insights, expertise, and knowledge about the homeless response system.
Excerpts from those circles include the following:
“I never went through housing services because there is a long waiting list unless you were related to somebody on the housing board.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
“Most of the time I did have support, but there were situations where I didn’t feel comfortable and safe either. I couch-hopped for years, 12-plus years, and stayed all over the area.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
“I felt safer when I stayed in one of the many shelters as most of them don’t allow people in that are under the influence or drunk.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
“I built myself a small shack in my uncle’s yard and stayed in there day and night even sometimes when it got cold I stayed there for almost 8 months and I never really thought about my safety.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
“When my husband had to come back to the area, we moved back with our daughter. We didn’t want to stay at that house because they were doing drugs, didn’t want to stay at that place because they were selling drugs, didn’t want to stay over there because they had already 15 people in their home … I worked very hard for years and have accomplished a lot for my family and I. We own a home now.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
Many individuals participating in Community Talking Circles express hope, and healing at being able to participate, and share their voice.
“Thank you for giving me time to tell my story.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
“I am now renting a home from a distant family member sharing the expenses with family to keep afloat it hasn’t been easy but glad to be with family now. That’s the most important thing.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
“I would like to share that as a young native woman who went from having a home, onto staying with family and friends, on the street, in shelters, sleeping outside … (I) can go from all of that to having my own home, a job and almost having enough money.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
“I was able to be heard, I had a voice in what I needed at that time.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
“WE can do it, WE just need a good support system.”
– Community Talking Circle participant, 2024
What happens next?
The work of the REAP team is ongoing.
The REAP team was formed in 2022 by the Northwest Minnesota Continuum of Care, a planning body comprised of stakeholders who share a goal of preventing and ending homelessness in Northwest Minnesota. The REAP team serve as the decision-makers for the NWCoC and is primarily composed of individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or persons of color, as well as those who have experienced homelessness or housing insecurity in Northwest Minnesota.
REAP team members, along with the NWCoC, are continuing to work to improve the homeless response system for Northwest Minnesota. Already, they are seeing improvements in the data through the implementation of the strengths-based approach.
Currently, around 150 people access the homeless response system each quarter who ear unable to access housing, according to the NWCoC. That’s 600 households annually that are in need of housing.
In 2022, 180 youth and young adults (under 24) requested housing services in, and only 39 were able to be permanently housed.
“At the Northwest Continuum of Care, we believe in building systems designed for continuous, ongoing improvement,” said Barbara, who serves as the NWCoC coordinator. “We do not have all the answers for creating systemic change … (but) by practicing humility, and being in community, we can listen, and we can learn. Developing a system that fits the social and racial needs of the region’s homeless population will be a fluid, complicated, and dynamic process.”
