The Cheesie's Fryer and Music

(narration not recorded)
(sound outside of Michigan ave, cars honking, fades into quiet inside and church organ playing, will be under the narration)
NARR: After getting to know Mike, I wanted to get a better understanding of the place he was headed-- Chicago Lights, a social service center just across the street on bustling, and wealthy, Michigan avenue.  As I wait, I'm surprised by the beautiful modern building I find myself in-- it's immaculate, with high glass and gray finishing.  The faint sound of organ music flows in from the adjoining church.  (20 sec)
(:20)  My name is Jackie Lorens, I'm the director of the Chicago Lights Elam Davies Social Service Center.  I've been in this role since December of 2014, but I've been with Chicago Lights since July of 2012
N: I'm sitting across from Jackie in the basement, where the center is housed.  She shows me the food pantry and the clothing share closet for job interviews. (7 sec)
(.35) *recording from tour overlaps with narr, sound increases when narr ends:* I was going to say it kind of looks like a store.... from Trader Joes, and then we've got the Target one (sounds of hangers on the rack)

J:  Chicago lights is lucky in that we don't rely on govt funding, - all private funding, even though we haven't been affected by those budget cuts, a lot of other places have and we've seen the trickle down effects- so I've seen a much higher volume of people coming in who were going to other agencies for services
(1:17) And I think another huge thing is the mental health services, it's unbelievable how many folks are affected by a mental health diagnosis, and that can be anything from everyday depression and anxiety to very taboo topics such as paranoia and schizophrenia- and the fact that people who were formerly in a group home no longer have that option

(1:50) N:  I've been debating how exactly to bring up Mike in a way that won't offend her(6 sec) 

(volume of question increasing) they were waiting but they had been homeless for over a year and they just felt really stuck, I'm just wondering how do you address that feeling when you've done everything you feel like you can in your situation?

(2:19) J:  That's really tough, the way the chicago system is set up right now with waitlists its exhausted already, the resources are exhausted.  we always try to get people on every waitlist we can, supportive housing-- the vulnerability index there has switched over to people who have been homeless for several years, so it's so difficult to tell a person you're better off if you're worse off, and if a person has come in and.. doesn't qualify, it's like your options are so limited, so what are your skills, let's get you employed and work towards flexible housing, because it's to no fault of their own that they've done everything they can, there's just no solution based on way system is set up, and thats sometimes the most frustrating thing in terms of emotions, it's not always the emotional stories but the fact that you have so much hope and motivation and empowerment for this person but you can't meet their needs because there's a system at large that's just not helping you.. so it's reminding them there's still options out there, and we'll help with any immediate needs and we just need to widen our scope and think outside the box a little bit.


Jackie Lorens Profile First Draft

N:  After getting to know Mike, I wanted to learn more about the place he was headed:  the Chicago Lights social service center.  I'm Nicola Traynor, and this is 100,000-- an in depth look into homelessness in Chicago.   I find myself in the entrance of a building just off of wealthy Michigan Avenue-- It's modern, with gray accents and high glass panels.  There's a large statue made out of different pieces of colored stone, meant to look like an angel. Organ music flows in from the adjoining church.

J:  My name is Jackie Lorens, I'm the director of the Chicago Lights Elam Davies Social Service Center.  I've been in this role since December of 2014, but I've been with Chicago Lights since July of 2012

N:  Jackie is young and petite, with short, curled brown hair and a silver nose ring.  She guides me through the basement where the social service center is housed. There are rooms for counseling, a food pantry, winter supplies, and a clothing share shop.
*recording from tour overlaps with narr, sound increases when narr ends:* I was going to say it kind of looks like a store.... from Trader Joes, and then we've got the Target one

J:  It can get very emotionally intense.  When I first started more intense work in social services, I would often take that work home with me, but emotionally.  There wasn't any paperwork to take home, but there were the stories to take home and that can really wear on you.  But I think that I've gotten better at channeling those emotions with self care and you also just have to have a really good sense of humor and find a silver lining even if it is a very small one.
Chicago lights is lucky in that we don't rely on govt funding, - all private funding, even though we haven't been affected by those budget cuts, a lot of other places have and we've seen the trickle down effects- so I've seen a much higher volume of people coming in who were going to other agencies for services
And I think another huge thing is the mental health services, it's unbelievable how many folks are affected by a mental health diagnosis, and the fact that people who were formerly in a group home no longer have that option


N:  It takes a while for me to figure out how to bring up Mike, but eventually I do.
(volume of question increasing) they were waiting but they had been homeless for over a year and they just felt really stuck, I'm just wondering how do you address that feeling when you've done everything you feel like you can in your situation?

J:  That's really tough, the way the chicago system is set up right now with waitlists its exhausted already, the resources are exhausted.  we always try to get people on every waitlist we can, supportive housing-- the vulnerability index there has switched over to people who have been homeless for several years, so it's so difficult to tell a person you're better off if you're worse off, and if a person has come in and.. doesn't qualify, it's like your options are so limited, so what are your skills, let's get you employed and work towards flexible housing, because it's to no fault of their own that they've done everything they can, there's just no solution based on way system is set up, 


Jackie Lorens Draft 2

N:  After getting to know Mike, and learning that he felt the organizations in place had never helped him in a meaningful way, I wanted to learn more about the place he was headed:  the Chicago Lights social service center.  I'm Nicola Traynor, and this is 1 in 100,000.   I find myself in the entrance of a building just off of wealthy Michigan Avenue-- It's modern, with gray accents and high glass panels.  There's a large statue made out of different pieces of colored stone, meant to look like an angel. Organ music flows in from the adjoining church.

J:  My name is Jackie Lorens, I'm the director of the Chicago Lights Elam Davies Social Service Center.  I've been in this role since December of 2014, but I've been with Chicago Lights since July of 2012

N:  Jackie is petite and younger than I'd expected, with short brown hair and a silver nose ring.  She guides me through the basement where the social service center is housed. There are rooms for counseling, a food pantry, winter supplies, and a clothing share shop.
*recording from tour overlaps with narr, sound increases when narr ends:* I was going to say it kind of looks like a store.... from Trader Joes, and then we've got the Target one

J:  It can get very emotionally intense.  When I first started more intense work in social services, I would often take that work home with me, but emotionally.  There wasn't any paperwork to take home, but there were the stories to take home and that can really wear on you.  But I think that I've gotten better at channeling those emotions with self care and you also just have to have a really good sense of humor and find a silver lining even if it is a very small one.
Chicago lights is lucky in that we don't rely on govt funding, - all private funding, even though we haven't been affected by those budget cuts, a lot of other places have and we've seen the trickle down effects- so I've seen a much higher volume of people coming in who were going to other agencies for services
And I think another huge thing is the mental health services, it's unbelievable how many folks are affected by a mental health diagnosis, and the fact that people who were formerly in a group home no longer have that option


N:  It takes a while for me to figure out how to bring up Mike, but eventually I do.
(volume of question increasing) they were waiting but they had been homeless for over a year and they just felt really stuck, I'm just wondering how do you address that feeling when you've done everything you feel like you can in your situation?

J:  That's really tough, the way the chicago system is set up right now with waitlists its exhausted already, the resources are exhausted.  we always try to get people on every waitlist we can, supportive housing-- the vulnerability index there has switched over to people who have been homeless for several years, so it's so difficult to tell a person you're better off if you're worse off, and if a person has come in and.. doesn't qualify, it's like your options are so limited, so what are your skills, let's get you employed and work towards flexible housing, because it's to no fault of their own that they've done everything they can, there's just no solution based on way system is set up, 


Final Profile Jackie Lorens

20151113 123737

I was born and raised in Brooklyn NY, come up real good, had a good middle class family, mama raised 6 of us by herself and kept the roof over our heads, and all my brothers and sisters are doing good
Narr:  This is Umar.  He's sitting across from me in Jackie's office, and he's helping me get to the root of a question:  what does it mean to go from homelessness to stability?  What does it feel like, or look like?  What does it take to get there? 
I'm the only black sheep, took after my dad probably, whoever he was... been in penitentiaries 5 times, 3 states, just got caught up in the world, not from my upbringing, but from poor choices, traveling from city to city, and it eventually led me into 20 year of homelessness
the pain on these streets is not easy to bear, you have to have a real beast mentality to make it, sleeping on park benches,
I used to take showers in Lake Michigan sometimes... I'd walk in there with a pair of pants and a shirt and act like I'm crazy when really I'm just washing my stuff... so for the next day I have some clean clothes on
I got to the point in like 2013 where I started changing my mind, hadn't seen my family in 20 years... I went through the elam davis program here, and a guy named Dan helped me get a ticket to go see my mother and my family, hooked me up with this program called heartland that helps you with housing.  6 months later they called me, and now I have an apartment in Hyde Park a block behind Ms. Obama, and I have a job working for the city.  Once I got in that apartment, the doors just opened for me again, like my attitude changed, I stopped internalizing my pain.  People fall victim to their circumstances and start internalizing their pain, you have so much in your heart, people look down on you and prejudge you.
There are a lot of programs out here that can help you maintain, keep from dying, programs that make you feel they care, but not that can give you work or housing, heartland is the only one, and then you can file for section 8 but its a big city so you have a long list
I like to take care of plants, I like to clean up in parks , I used to do baseball diamonds, I like to ride lawn mowers and keep the park looking good.  I love stuff like that, it makes me feel good and gives me a sense of freedom.  I've got everything I need.... I've got my living room, my little bed back there, my music.  It's my solitude.  And it feels good knowing that at the end of the day I can go home


Quest Draft 1: Umar

Umarforproj Mixdown

Finaljackie Mixdown

I was born and raised in Brooklyn NY, come up real good, had a good middle class family.
Narr:  This is Umar.  He's sitting across from me in Jackie's office, and he's helping me get to the root of a question:  what does it mean to go from homelessness to stability?  What does it feel like, or look like?  What does it take to get there? 
I'm the only black sheep, took after my dad probably, whoever he was... been in penitentiaries 5 times, 3 states, just got caught up in the world, not from my upbringing, but from poor choices, traveling from city to city, and it eventually led me into 20 year of homelessness
the pain on these streets is not easy to bear, you have to have a real beast mentality to make it, sleeping on park benches,
I used to take showers in Lake Michigan sometimes... I'd walk in there with a pair of pants and a shirt and act like I'm crazy when really I'm just washing my stuff... so for the next day I have some clean clothes on
I got to the point in 2013 where I started changing my mind, hadn't seen my family in 20 years... I went through the elam davis program here, and a guy named Dan helped me get a ticket to go see my mother and my family, hooked me up with this program called heartland that helps you with housing.  
Narr:  The Heartland Alliance that helped Umar find a home is an anti-poverty nonprofit organization, and their housing program matched him with affordable housing and paid his rent and supported him until he was able to secure a job.
6 months later they called me, and now I have an apartment in Hyde Park a block behind Ms. Obama, and I have a job working for the city.  Once I got in that apartment, the doors just opened for me again, like my attitude changed, I stopped internalizing my pain.  People fall victim to their circumstances and start internalizing their pain, you have so much in your heart, people look down on you and prejudge you.
I set up my home so I could go inside myself, and figure out what created my delusional thinking... what made me get bitter with the world... what made me feel like I just couldn't do this anymore.
I've got everything I need.... I've got my living room, my little bed back there, my music.  It's my solitude.  And it feels good knowing that at the end of the day I can go home

Music:  "Friends" by Jahzzar
