PPTFH Shares Three Local Success Stories at Community Meeting

This Article Marks the Final Part of a Three-Story Series Detailing the Shared Stories

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness invited community members to hear client “success stories” during its meeting on Monday evening, November 14—featured here is the last of three stories highlighted at the meeting.

Glanda Sherman, Jennifer Dukes and Jessi Cortez—members of the Outreach Team from The People Concern—helped tell the stories of three clients of the program, including their progress and journey from “homelessness to housed.”

Sherman explained The People Concern works to empower the most vulnerable to improve their quality of life, and ensure they are “housed, healthy and safe.”

Dukes introduced the final program participant of the evening, A.P. She said she had the privilege of working with A.P. for several months, supporting him through his journey—from being unhoused to securing housing in August and now transitioning into the next chapter of his life.

“Like most, if not all, unhoused individuals, A.P. endured extensive trauma throughout his life,” Dukes said, “but even in the grimmest of times, he was committed to four ideals: beauty, hope, drive and focus. These ideals helped him to sustain himself …  and ultimately, allowed him to persevere.”

A.P. appeared beside art materials and his original artwork, which he called “post art.” He spoke of finding the beauty in the world around him and feeling blessed for his existence. He said he tries to capture these wonders in his original art.

“When I see something colorful, something bright, something beautiful, I actually want to capture it and see if I can bring out that feeling that it’s giving me,” A.P. explained. “In order for me to maintain focus and keep drive, I create artwork … of images and places that I’ve been. I think every one of us needs our own personal drive … You have to see that, want it and then head for it.”

He showed a piece titled “Beached,” which he said he was going to be gifting to the people who helped him and offered resources.

Dukes said A.P. has been housed for three months now and is acclimating well, and “excited and hopeful” about life.

“It was of utmost importance to A.P., when unhoused, that he not become his circumstances,” Dukes said. “He strived to maintain a state of mind that was positive and focused. Often I could hear him say, ‘I choose happy.’ It was a choice for him … He was adamant that nobody was going to steal his happy. Nobody could borrow it. Nobody could infringe on it, and nobody was going to take it away.

“He was driven by hope, hope of a better life. One that he could feel safe in and stable … He had hope of giving back through his art, and I believe that he will be successful in doing just that.”

For more information, visit pptfh.org. Previous stories covering the evening were published in the November 24 and December 1 editions of the Palisadian-Post, available in print and online.