9 minute read
“HEARD” OSA’S NEW PODCAST
MARIA JAMES
8TH & MARKET STREETS VENDOR SINCE AUGUST 2014
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In northeast center city, you can find Maria, on the north side of 8th and Market, who is originally from West Philly. She has shown leadership as a vendor, and is currently a team leader. One of her biggest accomplishments is her team leadership award. She has also stepped up to volunteer for additional responsibilities at One Step Away, that were integral to keeping the vendor site operating. Over the last four years as a vendor, her health has improved and so has her self-esteem. She has improved her skills, most notably her communication skills. She keeps up her sales by learning everything there is to know about the magazine and creates new strategies for getting people interested in the magazine. She lets them know about her article, or the change from the newspaper to a magazine. For extra motivation Maria listens to Where Is the Love, by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. When she’s not vending, her favorite things to do are crafty and creative. She likes any kind of arts and crafts, cooking, painting, sewing and making jewelry. In addition to obtaining permanent housing, her goals including owning a motorcycle. But she’s willing to settle for riding one. Maria would like to visit Disneyworld or Paris. She’s never been overseas. When in Philly she loves to visit Boathouse Row. Maria regrets marrying too young, and would tell her younger self to “listen to her own opinions and make your own mistakes. Don’t follow anyone else’s advice. Some choices affected me much more than I thought they would.” This is similar to her message to others to “Be your own person.” Maria encourages other homeless not to be discouraged and to keep trying. Those that wish to help should teach the homeless how to survive and handle more responsibility.
Launched April 29
On April 29, we launched our new podcast “Heard”. “Heard” is another platform for people experiencing homelessness to share their experiences in their own words. Each episode will feature a different voice and perspective on homelessness in Philadelphia. Dylan Yuska volunteered with One Step Away to produce the podcast. He spoke with many of our vendors to share their unique stories and experiences. “Listeners will hear stories of hopelessness, struggle, reflection, recovery, and strength. They’ll hear from people who have overcome homelessness and those who are still knee-deep in it. There will also be some really tough conversations, but also some of the most inspiring,” Dylan says of the podcast and the experience. Through it all, we hope these stories will help bridge understanding, the kind of understanding that can make all the difference. We also hope to reach new audiences through this innovative platform, as we begin to digitize more as a society.
The first season will feature nine episodes that will be released at 8:00 am every Monday morning starting April 29th. You can subscribe on your preferred podcast platform to receive episode updates. The podcast is sponsored by One Step Away, produced by Emily Taylor, recorded by Dylan Yuska and edited by Max Morgan of Malix Media.
LISTEN TO MARIA’S FULL STORY ON “HEARD”, ONE STEP AWAY’S NEW PODCAST SERIES.
MARIA IS OUR FIRST VENDOR FEATURED ON OUR 9 EPISODE PODCAST. NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAY AT 8am FROM APRIL 29 TO JUNE 24.
Currently “Heard” is available on 7 Podcast Platforms.
MARILYN BLAKE
20TH & MARKET STREETS VENDOR SINCE SEPTEMBER 2011
I’m in my eighth year as a One Step
Away vendor. And I have to say I LOVE
MY JOB more every year.
While I’m originally from Chicago,
I’ve lived all over the country, including
New York City and Southern California.
Philly is home now for nearly ten years. During my life I’ve been blessed with some great accomplishments, the greatest one being a Mom. I had a challenging seven-year career on Wall
Street which taught me a lot. But my job with One Step Away has given me such personal growth and satisfaction.
I like the self-employment aspect of it for its flexibility and independence. The best part, however, is the people I meet.
You’re wonderful! I feel satisfaction in the belief that we have the opportunity to uplift the image and increase the understanding of the homelessness every day.
Early on people used to say to me: “You don’t look homeless.” Back then, the belief seemed to be that people without a home are all kind of grimy and rough around the edges. That perception of the homeless has changed due to One Step
Away’s message that each person has human dignity and is an individual with their own unique story.
Thanks to the freedom of One Step
Away, I’ve been able to express my creative side much more fully. I’m in the process now of starting a business offering my unique ‘one of a kind’ paintings, collage, and artisanal pieces for home and fashion. My company is called HEART2HAND. I’ll keep you posted.
A generous heartfelt thank you to my patrons for your emotional and financial support over these years. My recent progress as a human is in large part due to you.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms! 30 ONE STEP AWAY
CAIA IGLEHART
30TH & MARKET STREETS VENDOR REPRESENTATIVE SINCE MARCH 2019
Caia vends at 30th Street Station on the Porch in between the regional rail and Amtrak Station, and the SEPTA subway station. Born in El Paso, TX with parents in the military, Caia lived in fourteen states including New York where she went to high school and later worked in the garment district. She has lived in Pennsylvania for more than a decade where she moved to attend Temple for Landscape Architecture and Horticulture. She also went to Maryland Institute College of Art for fine art and English. She is able to use her creativity in her current position as Vendor Representative for One Step Away where she has the opportunity to contribute to the magazine as a writer. She is proud to work for an organization that is helping in such a meaningful way with an issue that is personally affecting her so seriously. Since she began vending OSA three months ago, Caia’s learned about the human connection, and how important it is to have it. “Some people avoid it and just keep their earbuds in but they are not engaging in the full human experience we’re meant to have with others.” When you engage and experience that connection it is difficult not to share in some way with those we encounter in need. She encourages other new vendors to make that connection and keep their energy up which she does by playing a Bluetooth speaker with her favorite songs. Her song list includes Shelter by Ray LaMontagne, which lyrics talk about the idea that even all our infrastructure crumbled we can shelter each other. She encourages those that want to help even more than buying a copy of the magazine find a personal fit for their service or donations. There are many good and established organizations to volunteer for. “Examine your personal resources and skill set and find a place to leverage that and team up with a good group or two of others that are doing something you find meaningful. Homelessness is a mindset of limitation from which people can finally break free through the help, care and encouragement of others.”
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