NEWS & LIFE
Building Hope
Rhode Island’s first youth homeless shelter offers more than a roof: a space to create and thrive By Abbie Lahmers
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Photo by Justin Case Media
M
onthly LGBTQQIA+ Art Marketplaces started pop ping up this past June in Providence’s Dexter Park, and more recently at indoor locations like WaterFire Arts Center, offering a range of creative works you won’t find anywhere else and a foundation of accessibility. “[ These markets] have proven themselves to not only be a safe place for queer and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists but it has become a collective community who share ideas and resources,” says Julio E. Berroa, founder of Haus of Codec, a nonprofit organization focused on building community through art and educational empowerment. He notes that queer and BIPOC vendors are given first priority, and fees are on a sliding scale of zero to $50 to ensure income isn’t a barrier when it comes to selling work. But these inclusive markets are just scratching the surface of Haus of Codec’s mission. In De cember, the sma ll-but-mig ht y five-person volunte er board opene d the state’s first homeless shelter in Providence for transition- a g e d youth, a population Haus of Code c defines as a g es 18-24, of ten encompassing individua ls who have g one throug h the juvenile justice system, a g e d out of foster or state care, were force d out of their homes af ter re vea ling their sexua l identit y to their family, or a number of other reasons. Berroa , G E M, Ha le y Johnson, Alexander Ruiz , and Charlotte Ga g non, who ma ke up House of Code c , each put their wide-rang ing ta lents and communit y partnerships tog ether to ma ke six emerg enc y shelter be ds ava ilable in Providence. More than just supplying temporary shelter, Haus of Codec is committed to addressing the underlying factors facing youth residents experiencing homelessness. “While traditional shelter models are focused only on the immediate
Visitors flock to a LGBTQQIA+ Art Marketplace from September
Hey Rhody WELLNESS JANUARY 2022 |
HeyRhody.com
