Episode 32 - "Showing the Humanity in Homelessness" with Miracle Messages Founder Kevin Adler (#ThisIsMyEra the Podcast)
Article by Stephen Reynolds
Kevin Adler started his professional career in the tech industry, eventually deciding to make a difference by getting into education. On his walks home from work, he witnessed widespread homelessness in his neighborhood.
One day Kevin decided to not just walk by like everyone else...he stopped and began talking to people and listening to their stories. After an epiphany moment, he realized how we could use social media to create good. That’s where Miracle Messages was born.
We’re All People, No Matter Our Circumstance
Kevin realized that the perils of being homeless aren’t restricted to only physically being without a home. One individual told him, “I didn’t know I was homeless until I lost my family.”
The human aspect of homelessness is the sense of loss and the feeling of being looked through; of being alone and ignored. Kevin’s organization uses recordings homeless individuals create for their family and friends, then uses social media to facilitate a reunion. Miracles Messages reminds folks who they are. They re-humanize.
Nurture Your Neighborhood
Wherever you live, an unfortunate reality is there will be some degree of homelessness. Roughly 47% of all Americans say they are one paycheck away from homelessness. In Kevin’s hometown of San Francisco, over 20,000 people will cycle through homelessness each year.
Through his work, Kevin has been asking his "neighbors without a home" if there is anyone they would like to reconnect with. By visiting shelters and soup kitchens, his organization works to create a sense of neighborhood and making people more comfortable with each other as human beings.
Now, 20% of those who have worked with Miracle Messages are back with family and in homes, while 80% have had positive outcomes that materialize in various ways.
Take Massive Action Now
1. Learn who you are
Learning who you are allows you to understand your values and what you stand for. When you have that sense of self, you will have the resilience to offer those values to others and to your community. You can show up for others in the ways that they need you to.
2. Show your empathy
With a little focus, we all have the ability to put ourselves in the position of those around us. When we do so, we can more clearly see what they are going through to better understand their point of view. This creates a sense of neighborhood. In this episode, Kevin weighs the pros and cons of catalyzing a National Coming Out Homeless Day, a holiday meant to destigmatize homelessness. Star urges him to be stronger than his doubters.
Pull quotes:
- “Take the courageous first step to say who you love, who you miss, and who you want to reconnect with.”
- “The more of an internal sense of love you have - where you have a Ph.D. in yourself and you know who you are and what you stand for in your values - the more you can show up for others.”
Connect with Miracle Messages:
Website: http://miraclemessages.org/
Call: 1-800-MISS-YOU
Connect with #ThisIsMyEra:
Connect with Alexander Star:
Join the conversation across all platforms with the hashtag #ThisIsMyEra
Episode Outline:
(1:00) Introduction
(2:45) What sparked the idea?
(8:30) The emotional toll of homelessness
(13:00) Witnessing widespread homelessness
(17:00) The idea of National Coming Out Homeless Day
(25:30) Experiences of Transformation
(34:30) The work Miracle Messages curates
(35:50) Challenges they face
(39:50) How can people get involved?
(44:30) How Kevin Adler making THIS his era
