Native American Elder & Grandson face Foreclosure
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Native American and Grandson facing Job Loss and Foreclosure
It is with mixed emotions that I find myself at the cross roads, after months of no income from this job loss, facing foreclosure with my 7-year-old grandson and his parents. I am an Indigenous woman, an American Indian artist currently living in strife. A single parent, of the Navajo Nation and San Carlos Apache Tribe, working and living paycheck to paycheck.
My day-jobs have been as an office administrator, such as, Executive Secretary and Administrative Assistant, in banking, healthcare and real estate industries. On my own time, I am an arts advocate, a writer, an unpaid volunteer, and events coordinator in the arts community in Arizona. I had produced, directed and collaborated live events on stage with poetry, dance, storytelling, painters and musical entertainment at art openings, arts festivals and art detours through the years.
It was 6 months ago on 3/15/2019 that the Arizona ‘at-will’ employer had severed ties with this office assistant. The office building had been sold by the owner. The employer had to relocate his business office. On my last day of work, I arrived at 8:30 AM. After a very brief exchange between me and my supervisor, I was told. Just leave. Take my belongings and go.
This was not the first time I was asked to leave. When the great recession hit I was laid off. Months later I returned to full-time employment with a deep cut in pay.
Yet, there was no verbal warning nor written statement of disciplinary action for employee violations or workplace incidents, of any kind, during this year or prior year since 2006 when first employed.
I was let go from my employment of 12 years and 9 months. All of the details of my last day of work are documented thru the DES unemployment claim, getting disallowed through the Appeal process. My legitimate award of a weekly stipend was verified and confirmed. Then was refuted and withheld. Basically, the Appeals Judge took the employer’s word over mine, as there were no witnesses present on that last day.
Okay, that was the reasons behind this impoverished state I find myself today. I live with my 7-year-old grandson, his unemployed father with disabling health issues, and his working mother with full-time paycheck for their needs. Now, she helps me with my car loan payments and auto insurance.
Yes, it takes 2 incomes from 2 full-time jobs that goes into this household. I am in desperate straits. Now, this is an emergency situation with mortgage payments in arrears. Perhaps, I should mention that I have asked, begged and borrowed from loving family members and close friends. I applied for personal loans, and been denied, at banks and credit unions.
Please know that I have been very busy with daily job searches online, emails, over the phone and in-person interviews. I am registered for office jobs with the City and the State, and almost on the verge of getting hired. All of this takes a great deal of time, energy and planning. It’s a full-time job in and of itself. It has been a very tedious, albeit anxiety-ridden, bumpy road. I have tried other industries, the call center jobs, grocery store clerk, cashier, private shopper and personal assistant jobs. I have applied for at least 200 jobs this year.
I am a very healthy person, with no disabilities. I have loving family members that I share this house with. My grandson is my inspiration, his smiles keep me in good spirits, his funny action-figure dance routines make me laugh. I take my grandson to the Arizona Falls, we walk along the canal banks as he chases the birds. He likes to throw the tiny seashells he finds into the waters. I take him to the local parks for the pool and playground fun. Or to the Dreamy Draw and Phoenix Mountains Preserve for hikes during cooler days.
This is the hardest thing that I ever had to write. I am a performance poet that can throw down improv words with the beat of a drum. I wear my heart on my sleeve with poems and purpose. To be honest, though, I am a very private person. This entire experience with the job loss all the way to this awful foreclosure event, all of it, has been a truly humbling experience for me.
I have gotten the headaches and heartaches. All the pains of depression and despair. I have my ups and downs, the watershed of tears and terrors. I am in the midst of a foreclosure, the physical end of this homestead of a few, short years. I don’t want to lose my house. I don’t want to live anywhere else. My grandson is my home. He belongs with his family, and that includes his Grammie.
That’s the short version to my story. If you can help me with my mortgage payments, thank you. Or maybe you have a job lead? Or you know an outfit that needs an office assistant that can do transcription tapes of meetings, answer phones, creates files, builds spreadsheets, set up events, schedules appointments, types 90 wpm, with mad, multi-tasking skills. And I write poems.
It is with mixed emotions that I find myself at the cross roads, after months of no income from this job loss, facing foreclosure with my 7-year-old grandson and his parents. I am an Indigenous woman, an American Indian artist currently living in strife. A single parent, of the Navajo Nation and San Carlos Apache Tribe, working and living paycheck to paycheck.
My day-jobs have been as an office administrator, such as, Executive Secretary and Administrative Assistant, in banking, healthcare and real estate industries. On my own time, I am an arts advocate, a writer, an unpaid volunteer, and events coordinator in the arts community in Arizona. I had produced, directed and collaborated live events on stage with poetry, dance, storytelling, painters and musical entertainment at art openings, arts festivals and art detours through the years.
It was 6 months ago on 3/15/2019 that the Arizona ‘at-will’ employer had severed ties with this office assistant. The office building had been sold by the owner. The employer had to relocate his business office. On my last day of work, I arrived at 8:30 AM. After a very brief exchange between me and my supervisor, I was told. Just leave. Take my belongings and go.
This was not the first time I was asked to leave. When the great recession hit I was laid off. Months later I returned to full-time employment with a deep cut in pay.
Yet, there was no verbal warning nor written statement of disciplinary action for employee violations or workplace incidents, of any kind, during this year or prior year since 2006 when first employed.
I was let go from my employment of 12 years and 9 months. All of the details of my last day of work are documented thru the DES unemployment claim, getting disallowed through the Appeal process. My legitimate award of a weekly stipend was verified and confirmed. Then was refuted and withheld. Basically, the Appeals Judge took the employer’s word over mine, as there were no witnesses present on that last day.
Okay, that was the reasons behind this impoverished state I find myself today. I live with my 7-year-old grandson, his unemployed father with disabling health issues, and his working mother with full-time paycheck for their needs. Now, she helps me with my car loan payments and auto insurance.
Yes, it takes 2 incomes from 2 full-time jobs that goes into this household. I am in desperate straits. Now, this is an emergency situation with mortgage payments in arrears. Perhaps, I should mention that I have asked, begged and borrowed from loving family members and close friends. I applied for personal loans, and been denied, at banks and credit unions.
Please know that I have been very busy with daily job searches online, emails, over the phone and in-person interviews. I am registered for office jobs with the City and the State, and almost on the verge of getting hired. All of this takes a great deal of time, energy and planning. It’s a full-time job in and of itself. It has been a very tedious, albeit anxiety-ridden, bumpy road. I have tried other industries, the call center jobs, grocery store clerk, cashier, private shopper and personal assistant jobs. I have applied for at least 200 jobs this year.
I am a very healthy person, with no disabilities. I have loving family members that I share this house with. My grandson is my inspiration, his smiles keep me in good spirits, his funny action-figure dance routines make me laugh. I take my grandson to the Arizona Falls, we walk along the canal banks as he chases the birds. He likes to throw the tiny seashells he finds into the waters. I take him to the local parks for the pool and playground fun. Or to the Dreamy Draw and Phoenix Mountains Preserve for hikes during cooler days.
This is the hardest thing that I ever had to write. I am a performance poet that can throw down improv words with the beat of a drum. I wear my heart on my sleeve with poems and purpose. To be honest, though, I am a very private person. This entire experience with the job loss all the way to this awful foreclosure event, all of it, has been a truly humbling experience for me.
I have gotten the headaches and heartaches. All the pains of depression and despair. I have my ups and downs, the watershed of tears and terrors. I am in the midst of a foreclosure, the physical end of this homestead of a few, short years. I don’t want to lose my house. I don’t want to live anywhere else. My grandson is my home. He belongs with his family, and that includes his Grammie.
That’s the short version to my story. If you can help me with my mortgage payments, thank you. Or maybe you have a job lead? Or you know an outfit that needs an office assistant that can do transcription tapes of meetings, answer phones, creates files, builds spreadsheets, set up events, schedules appointments, types 90 wpm, with mad, multi-tasking skills. And I write poems.
Organizer
Jules Dinehdeal
Organizer
Phoenix, AZ