Staff Spotlight: Charles Manning
As National Homeless Youth Awareness Month comes to an end, we share some personal reflections from our very own Charles Manning, coordinator of youth programs, on his own journey as someone who experienced homelessness for most of his youth.
For how long did you experience homelessness?
I was homeless all my adolescence, but I wasn’t aware of it then. My adult homelessness occurred from 2019-2021, until I finally moved into my own apartment in October 2021.
How were you able to get out of homelessness?
I used any resources I could find. People that I knew referred me to housing programs, specifically the Montrose Center.
What was the hardest thing(s) about not having a home?
By far the most difficult thing was never knowing if you are safe, and not being able to fully relax or decompress. It’s like you’re always on edge because you don’t know where you’ll be sleeping.
What are the biggest barriers to getting out of homelessness?
The biggest barriers are not knowing who to talk to, where to go, not having transportation or ways to communicate. I would wonder, Do I have all the needed documents? Are they going to send me back to the street? How long will it take?
How do you think people who haven’t experienced homelessness view people who are experiencing it? What are some common misconceptions people have about the unhoused?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that many people who’ve never experienced homelessness think that people who are unhoused aren’t trying to do better for themselves, when that’s rarely the case. When you are in that predicament and feel as though your back is against the wall, it’s easy to fall into not caring anymore, because life and the systems/polices have failed you.
People look down on the unhoused and pass judgement – that they are drug addicts or threw their life away – so the unhoused start to believe these things themselves and adapt to the "homeless lifestyle."
You’ve come full circle now working at the Coalition. What does it mean to you to be able to help others who are where you once were?
This means so much to me because I can truly understand how people feel going through the homeless response system. Now I can share my voice in this space on policies that did and didn’t work and share my story on what changes need to be made to the homeless response system, specifically for the youth, so we can get our youth and young adults off the streets and couches and give them a second chance at life so they don’t end up homeless as adults.
What do you want people to know?
Never give up! Go for what you want. When you know you’ve reached the bottom, the only place to go is up. Don’t forget yourself. Stay true to who you are and give yourself grace for going through all these trials and tribulations and still be standing. It may be hard to not give up, but stay focused and blessings will come your way.
[Edited for length and clarity.]
