I love Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater deeply and the current homelessness crisis breaks my heart.
I am asking for a grant from the community to support my work in 2020 reporting on the homelessness crisis and related topics. This is also a needs based request due to a 25% increase in my rent, which will rise to 105% of my Social Security Disability income starting in February. I face a hard choice - giving up my advocacy, right at the point we are finally gaining momentum, or asking for money. It is not possible for me to continue working pro bono.
NOTE: Due to COVID, and events breaking on the ground I have been doing less coverage on homelessness, and have been working more on speaking out against antifa, and the toxic environment that the left has created. My recent article is here: https://candacemercer.medium.com/why-i-voted-trump-a-coming-out-story-822da82d757d My work has also pivoted to building a movement to help flip the Olympia City Council in 2021. A majority of seats are open, and I see a path to victory, so I am doing a lot of underground organizing around that project.
My main goal is to provoke thought and change the quality of dialog around homelessness, which is often simplistic and emotion based. Other goals are factual accuracy and intellectual honesty. It was gratifying to have my work noticed by the Olympian in September.
Speaking without hate, I will look at the system from a humane perspective. I will break stories using primary sources and provide analysis based on my two+ years of research and reporting on the issue. I also have the lived experience that gives me an authentic POV that is not easily dismissed.
I am doing the most meaningful and important work of my life. It involves all of the skills I have developed as a writer and activist and has the potential to provide significant benefit to the community. I am ready to level up my leadership.
This work has pushed me to test limits around my chronic pain and fatigue, to build physical capacity and emotional resilience as I speak out publicly. The support has been far greater than the attacks, which are challenging, especially when they use emotional manipulation. I want to help people recognize the dynamics to be better able to resist guilt and shame.
Highlights of my work:
My first article on Medium, The Real Crisis In Olympia is Not Homelessness, has nearly 50K views and 11K reads, an amazing response for a writer with zero platform. The article spread to communities around the country, proof of concept that people are hungry for alternative points of view. I have never had such an immediate positive reaction from readers, I was overwhelmed with mail and messages.
The second piece, Olympia Prioritizes 4th Avenue Bridge Homeless Encampment Over Community , included a summary of the City Council's surprise decision to stop the camp from being cleared and my subsequent visit to the camp. It has almost 4K views and almost 1K reads, despite its 5K word length and hyper-focus on local politics.
I have been meeting a wide variety of stakeholders with a diversity of viewpoints, filing targeted FOIA requests with various agencies, and studying key related topics like addiction and treatment. I am helping organize community response to the crisis and freely share information.
My pitch:
If you will invest in me, I will work as a nonpartisan to advocate for community safety and health. I am willing to meet anyone with a piece of the puzzle, including but not limited to Council Members and city staff, state Representatives, law enforcement and service providers. I am also developing sources who live in the encampments and are willing to go on record.
Media, from KVI to NPR, have reached out to me. I am trying to get the attention of both YouTube and mainstream journalists. I am registered for the 2020 Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day, and if I get fully funded, I may be able to attend conferences.
I will report back as much as possible on what I discover and publish more frequently. I plan to write shorter, more accessible articles as well as continuing with the deeper dives. I will publish more FIOA docs with minimal commentary.
I would like to explore current best practices in treatment/harm reduction, role of law enforcement and the courts, different interpretations of the Martin v. Boise decision and what it is going to take to make housing more accessible. I want to find a way to safely go into the encampments.
As I live in the impacted neighborhood, I will also continue to be the literal eyes and ears on the 2828 Martin Way Interfaith Works/LIHI housing/shelter project. I have asked to be part of the Citizen Advisory Board that my neighbors and I advocated for. I wrote this piece for Works In Progress on the effects of the unsanctioned camps, including the "Jungle," on Applehill.
While I do not have the capacity to organize large scale events/actions, I will support those who do and will look for smaller projects that work within the constraints of my disability. I will continue to do micro-reporting and fact checking on social media.
One thing that desperately needs to be done, and I have begun writing, is a position paper that reflects the goals of the community, with suggestions on how those goals might be achieved. Homeless advocates have developed documents defending Shelter-in-Place, we need similar material highlighting the impacts of that policy and why it is neither a humane nor cost effective solution. This must be well-researched, nonpartisan and, ideally, useful to broader communities. We have to have a voice in the process when the stakes are this high.
We cannot spend our way out of this problem. I will be examining DIY solutions we can implement with a minimum of cost and a maximum of buy in. Olympia has a deep DIY spirit and tradition and I feel if we can position personal responsibility through a DIY lens, we might be able to gain some traction.
My ask:
$8,000 for the year. I will be grateful for any support, and will use it in the most effective way possible. If I could raise the full amount however, it would free me to put my entire focus on my advocacy.
The grant would also cover work related expenses, which are minimal, but at my income level are a hardship. Securing funding for the year would allow me to make long term plans for more meaningful projects, while also removing a significant source of stress. My request also includes a small tech budget to make my work more efficient.
My needs are immediate. January is the last month in which my rent is less than my income.
I plan to leave the campaign open because were I to exceed my goal, I would use additional funds to either take advantage of opportunities and/or to expand the grant period further into 2021.
About me:
I am originally from Buffalo, NY coming to Olympia in 1996 via Knoxville, TN and Denver, CO. I am an artist/writer/activist with a 40 year career spanning fashion design to street art to rock criticism to fiction editing.
I am an autodidact who has read 2849 books in 21 years. That is approximately 1.5 tons of books (I did the math), at least 95% non-fiction. All this book learnin' allows me to look at issues from multiple perspectives and disciplines. I aspire to be a one woman think tank.
One of my main fields of study has been what I call "Wrongology," all the ways we can be wrong. The includes critical thinking, perceptual error, cognitive bias, logic etc. This study has uniquely enabled me to stake a claim in reality around the politics/psychology of the the homeless issue, which is often dominated by emotion and magical thinking.
Homelessness is not an abstract concept for me, but a constant anxiety. I have been fully disabled since 2000. Because I have the steely fiscal discipline required to remain housed, there are no programs to help me with housing. It is only through the rest of my safety net that I survive. I have tried for 10 years to just get on the list for Section 8. It is opening in January and I hope to win the literal lottery for a slot, even then it could take years to be chosen.
Praise for my work:
From real people on Next Door where IMHO I do some of my best work, or at least try to.
Whoa way to knock it out of the park! I'm doing a little You Rock Queen dance from my couch :-)
- E. B. (in response to my piece on the 4th Avenue Bridge)
I just wanted to let you know that every time your name comes up on a post here on ND I look forward to reading your views. I find your posts extremely reasonable, well thought out, and thought provoking. You are inspiring in your bravery and willingness to open up about your ideas and to share what you’re reading. Thanks for being an interesting and cool “neighbor”!
- B. M.
I was taken aback multiple times by the simplicity and profundity of what you said. It is often difficult for me to engage the ideological language presented in that twitter post as it is so laden with traps for someone like me who is anything but marginalized, but your post is so full of warmth and truth and it was a relief to come across.
- E. A.
Far too reasonable for Olympia Next Door. It's almost like you're a real person without an agenda. Like a mythical creature around these parts.
- J. A.
Gratitude:
Thank you for reading my story. I appreciate any help and will make the most of your support. I will do my best to represent well and report truthfully no matter where this journey takes me.
I also want to shout out to Olympia Photography and News for graciously allowing me free reign with their vast catalog of images. Their work made mine shine, those articles would have been tough slogs without their amazing eye and fortitude in documenting the encampments.
I am asking for a grant from the community to support my work in 2020 reporting on the homelessness crisis and related topics. This is also a needs based request due to a 25% increase in my rent, which will rise to 105% of my Social Security Disability income starting in February. I face a hard choice - giving up my advocacy, right at the point we are finally gaining momentum, or asking for money. It is not possible for me to continue working pro bono.
NOTE: Due to COVID, and events breaking on the ground I have been doing less coverage on homelessness, and have been working more on speaking out against antifa, and the toxic environment that the left has created. My recent article is here: https://candacemercer.medium.com/why-i-voted-trump-a-coming-out-story-822da82d757d My work has also pivoted to building a movement to help flip the Olympia City Council in 2021. A majority of seats are open, and I see a path to victory, so I am doing a lot of underground organizing around that project.
My main goal is to provoke thought and change the quality of dialog around homelessness, which is often simplistic and emotion based. Other goals are factual accuracy and intellectual honesty. It was gratifying to have my work noticed by the Olympian in September.
Speaking without hate, I will look at the system from a humane perspective. I will break stories using primary sources and provide analysis based on my two+ years of research and reporting on the issue. I also have the lived experience that gives me an authentic POV that is not easily dismissed.
I am doing the most meaningful and important work of my life. It involves all of the skills I have developed as a writer and activist and has the potential to provide significant benefit to the community. I am ready to level up my leadership.
This work has pushed me to test limits around my chronic pain and fatigue, to build physical capacity and emotional resilience as I speak out publicly. The support has been far greater than the attacks, which are challenging, especially when they use emotional manipulation. I want to help people recognize the dynamics to be better able to resist guilt and shame.
Highlights of my work:
My first article on Medium, The Real Crisis In Olympia is Not Homelessness, has nearly 50K views and 11K reads, an amazing response for a writer with zero platform. The article spread to communities around the country, proof of concept that people are hungry for alternative points of view. I have never had such an immediate positive reaction from readers, I was overwhelmed with mail and messages.
The second piece, Olympia Prioritizes 4th Avenue Bridge Homeless Encampment Over Community , included a summary of the City Council's surprise decision to stop the camp from being cleared and my subsequent visit to the camp. It has almost 4K views and almost 1K reads, despite its 5K word length and hyper-focus on local politics.
I have been meeting a wide variety of stakeholders with a diversity of viewpoints, filing targeted FOIA requests with various agencies, and studying key related topics like addiction and treatment. I am helping organize community response to the crisis and freely share information.
My pitch:
If you will invest in me, I will work as a nonpartisan to advocate for community safety and health. I am willing to meet anyone with a piece of the puzzle, including but not limited to Council Members and city staff, state Representatives, law enforcement and service providers. I am also developing sources who live in the encampments and are willing to go on record.
Media, from KVI to NPR, have reached out to me. I am trying to get the attention of both YouTube and mainstream journalists. I am registered for the 2020 Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day, and if I get fully funded, I may be able to attend conferences.
I will report back as much as possible on what I discover and publish more frequently. I plan to write shorter, more accessible articles as well as continuing with the deeper dives. I will publish more FIOA docs with minimal commentary.
I would like to explore current best practices in treatment/harm reduction, role of law enforcement and the courts, different interpretations of the Martin v. Boise decision and what it is going to take to make housing more accessible. I want to find a way to safely go into the encampments.
As I live in the impacted neighborhood, I will also continue to be the literal eyes and ears on the 2828 Martin Way Interfaith Works/LIHI housing/shelter project. I have asked to be part of the Citizen Advisory Board that my neighbors and I advocated for. I wrote this piece for Works In Progress on the effects of the unsanctioned camps, including the "Jungle," on Applehill.
While I do not have the capacity to organize large scale events/actions, I will support those who do and will look for smaller projects that work within the constraints of my disability. I will continue to do micro-reporting and fact checking on social media.
One thing that desperately needs to be done, and I have begun writing, is a position paper that reflects the goals of the community, with suggestions on how those goals might be achieved. Homeless advocates have developed documents defending Shelter-in-Place, we need similar material highlighting the impacts of that policy and why it is neither a humane nor cost effective solution. This must be well-researched, nonpartisan and, ideally, useful to broader communities. We have to have a voice in the process when the stakes are this high.
We cannot spend our way out of this problem. I will be examining DIY solutions we can implement with a minimum of cost and a maximum of buy in. Olympia has a deep DIY spirit and tradition and I feel if we can position personal responsibility through a DIY lens, we might be able to gain some traction.
My ask:
$8,000 for the year. I will be grateful for any support, and will use it in the most effective way possible. If I could raise the full amount however, it would free me to put my entire focus on my advocacy.
The grant would also cover work related expenses, which are minimal, but at my income level are a hardship. Securing funding for the year would allow me to make long term plans for more meaningful projects, while also removing a significant source of stress. My request also includes a small tech budget to make my work more efficient.
My needs are immediate. January is the last month in which my rent is less than my income.
I plan to leave the campaign open because were I to exceed my goal, I would use additional funds to either take advantage of opportunities and/or to expand the grant period further into 2021.
About me:
I am originally from Buffalo, NY coming to Olympia in 1996 via Knoxville, TN and Denver, CO. I am an artist/writer/activist with a 40 year career spanning fashion design to street art to rock criticism to fiction editing.
I am an autodidact who has read 2849 books in 21 years. That is approximately 1.5 tons of books (I did the math), at least 95% non-fiction. All this book learnin' allows me to look at issues from multiple perspectives and disciplines. I aspire to be a one woman think tank.
One of my main fields of study has been what I call "Wrongology," all the ways we can be wrong. The includes critical thinking, perceptual error, cognitive bias, logic etc. This study has uniquely enabled me to stake a claim in reality around the politics/psychology of the the homeless issue, which is often dominated by emotion and magical thinking.
Homelessness is not an abstract concept for me, but a constant anxiety. I have been fully disabled since 2000. Because I have the steely fiscal discipline required to remain housed, there are no programs to help me with housing. It is only through the rest of my safety net that I survive. I have tried for 10 years to just get on the list for Section 8. It is opening in January and I hope to win the literal lottery for a slot, even then it could take years to be chosen.
Praise for my work:
From real people on Next Door where IMHO I do some of my best work, or at least try to.
Whoa way to knock it out of the park! I'm doing a little You Rock Queen dance from my couch :-)
- E. B. (in response to my piece on the 4th Avenue Bridge)
I just wanted to let you know that every time your name comes up on a post here on ND I look forward to reading your views. I find your posts extremely reasonable, well thought out, and thought provoking. You are inspiring in your bravery and willingness to open up about your ideas and to share what you’re reading. Thanks for being an interesting and cool “neighbor”!
- B. M.
I was taken aback multiple times by the simplicity and profundity of what you said. It is often difficult for me to engage the ideological language presented in that twitter post as it is so laden with traps for someone like me who is anything but marginalized, but your post is so full of warmth and truth and it was a relief to come across.
- E. A.
Far too reasonable for Olympia Next Door. It's almost like you're a real person without an agenda. Like a mythical creature around these parts.
- J. A.
Gratitude:
Thank you for reading my story. I appreciate any help and will make the most of your support. I will do my best to represent well and report truthfully no matter where this journey takes me.
I also want to shout out to Olympia Photography and News for graciously allowing me free reign with their vast catalog of images. Their work made mine shine, those articles would have been tough slogs without their amazing eye and fortitude in documenting the encampments.