HEALING THROUGH HOUSING BY DAVID ROTHENBERG Founder The Fortune Society
The Fortune Society opened the doors to the Fortune Academy (the Castle) 20 years ago. The castle was built with healing at its core. It houses 93 men and women, all having experienced homelessness and incarceration. It is a temporary residence for people seeking a new life – one they never anticipated. The rules of the Castle are flexible with one strict rule: no violence because if people are striving to change their lives, they must feel safe. The residents, with guidance from the staff, shape the culture of the Castle. Feeling comfortable voicing a problem is part of the community dynamic. We always ask residents “How will you deal with this when you move into your own apartment?” Time at the Castle should be used as a lab—a place to discover new ways of solving problems. “How did you deal with conflicts in the past and what was the result?” The dynamics of the Castle are the antithesis of a prison, but the demographics are the same: age, gender, race and history with
substance use and violence. Replacing violence and punishment with hope and clarity. Easy? Not at all for people who self-medicate when stonewalled, who use their fists or a weapon when cornered. They always faced a threat —the reality of punishment. Change comes slowly. Castle staff will tell residents that the hard work is to dig deep and discover themselves. Counseling and therapy are available, and participants are encouraged to proceed at their own pace. We hold no judgments on their past but instead offer a path to a different life.
“The carceral system tells people what they can’t do. The Castle tells residents what is possible.” There are relapses. Some people are not ready but are encouraged to return when they are, and many do. Visitors from around the nation visit the Castle and ask if it can be duplicated. The answer is “yes.” There is no blueprint for healing except knowing that everyone is different and processing
VOLUME LIV • SPRING 2022
different demons. The residents have to be heard. I’ve been witness to 20 years of healing, observing people discover they don’t have to define themselves by the worst thing they ever did. It’s a constant struggle. Men and women wounded by childhood traumas who entered punishment factories that identify them only by a crime and a number. Healing is not fast or instant, and it is not without sidetracks and disappointments. But if you create an environment that shows the uniqueness and possibilities of an individual—the results are astonishing. The carceral system tells people what they can’t do. The Castle tells residents what is possible. I’ve seen the damage of prisons and also, the inspiring, celebratory aspects of healing. It’s an environment where people can be heard and where there is laughter for people who were rarely heard or laughed with. At the Castle, the goal is to recognize the pain, identify it and replace it with pride and purpose. That may be a broad canvas, but it is a good place to start. It’s called healing.
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