[1]Cori Bush

Did you read Cori’s latest op-ed,
John?

In this article, Cori talks about her experiences being previously
unhoused and how these memories inspire her work in Congress to end the
housing crisis.

“When I was living out of my car, I did not know where we were going to
eat, use the bathroom, rest or enjoy a quiet moment. I used McDonald’s
bathrooms to mix baby formula and wash my body because I had no other
options. I received food from food pantries, but I could not eat the items
that had to be refrigerated or cooked. This never ending instability,
combined with the constant fear of interacting with the police, losing
custody of my children, having my car impounded — or even losing my life —
left me stressed, traumatized and exhausted.” — Cori Bush, Time Magazine
July 30, 2021

You can see why for Cori this work to pass an eviction moratorium and an
Unhoused Bill of Rights is personal. Cori knows first hand how high the
stakes are in this push — especially now in the midst of a worsening Delta
COVID crisis — to protect families at risk of being unhoused.

That’s why Cori decided to share her story with Time Magazine and invite
everyone to join her in this work to make housing a basic right in our
country. We’re sharing Cori’s op-ed below in case you haven’t read it yet
and want to learn more about her story before going to Congress.



[ [link removed] ]We hope that after reading, you can donate $5 or
anything you can to power Cori’s organizing and legislating efforts in
Congress as she works to end the housing crisis and advocate for everyday
people in our communities.

[ [link removed] ]Chip in $5



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I had never realized St. Louis could get this cold in September. I reached
into the back seat to take my 6-month-old daughter and 1-year-old son out
of the playpen that was perched in front of trash bags filled with our
clothes, and into my arms. The hot, late-summer sun had set, and the
temperature plummeted with it. I fought sleep, my eyes watering from
exhaustion. What if my babies got too cold and I didn’t wake up? I looked
down at my watch. It was 3 AM ─ 4 hours until I had to be up for my shift.

Today, as a Congresswoman, I remember what it was like for us to live out
of my car when I’m thinking about how to legislate on behalf of my
district. I think about how society wanted me to believe that being
unhoused was my fault. We have a deeply rooted misconception in our
country that unhoused people have done something to deserve their
conditions ─ when the reality is that unhoused people are living the
consequences of our government’s failure to secure the basic necessities
people need to survive. Many unhoused people work full time but earn
starvation, unlivable wages. Some struggle to access mental health
services or substance use treatment, making earning a consistent and
stable wage nearly impossible.

When I was living out of my car, I did not know where we were going to
eat, use the bathroom, rest or enjoy a quiet moment. I used McDonald’s
bathrooms to mix baby formula and wash my body because I had no other
options. I received food from food pantries, but I could not eat the items
that had to be refrigerated or cooked. This never ending instability,
combined with the constant fear of interacting with the police, losing
custody of my children, having my car impounded — or even losing my life —
left me stressed, traumatized and exhausted.

Being unhoused in America must no longer be viewed as an individual
shortcoming, but rather as an unacceptable, life-threatening policy
failure. Our government created the economic and social conditions under
which I, and countless others, became unhoused — through unlivable wages,
the absence of affordable housing and childcare, and an inaccessible
health care system. Instead of comprehensively addressing this crisis, our
government has approached it with patchwork solutions that disregard the
humanity of people without housing and those who are living on the edge.

It shouldn’t be this way. It doesn’t have to be this way.

This week, I introduced a resolution that would put unhoused people in
homes, address the compounding public health emergency, and eradicate the
conditions that foster the unhoused crisis. The Unhoused Bill of Rights is
the first-ever federal legislation to declare the civil and human rights
of unhoused individuals, particularly the right to sit, stand, sleep, or
eat in public without fear of harassment or criminalization. It describes
in detail the multitude of complex issues faced by unhoused people on a
daily basis, especially in relation to the disproportionately high levels
of mental and physical trauma, substance use disorders, exposure to
communicable diseases, and treatment on behalf of health care
professionals.

The Unhoused Bill of Rights illustrates concrete actions the federal
government is obligated to take to end the unhoused crisis by 2025,
protect and enforce the human rights of unhoused people, and provide the
highest levels of support for unhoused advocates, communities, and
programs. Dramatically expanding the affordable housing stock, mandating
universal housing vouchers, implementing universal health care, and
guaranteeing livable wages are permanent solutions that will keep people
sheltered and safe.

With the eviction moratorium set to expire on July 31st, millions of
Americans face the imminent threat of becoming unhoused or housing
insecure while the global pandemic continues to ravage our communities.
The eviction moratorium must not only be extended, but strengthened to
protect vulnerable renters and their families. But these monthly
extensions are a temporary fix, not a solution. As elected lawmakers, we
have a solemn duty and obligation to develop and enact policies that will
permanently end the unhoused crisis. This will require bold, holistic
action that addresses the root causes that lead to people becoming
unhoused.

As I wake up every morning to a life that is so different from where it
was 20 years ago, I think of the person who spends their nights struggling
to stay awake out of the fear of what could happen to them or their loved
ones if they let their heavy eyelids fall shut. It is for that person, and
every person who went to bed without a roof over their head or not knowing
whether there will be a roof over their head tomorrow, that we must right
the societal wrongs that our failed policies have created. It is our duty
to build a better future.

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In solidarity,
Team Cori

P.S. You can read Cori's whole op-ed [ [link removed] ]by clicking here!


 


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Cori Bush for Congress, 75 North Oaks Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63121