Podcast: DC Homeless Woman Finds Path To College Degree, Career

WASHINGTON, DC — Sheila White ended up being homeless after a piped burst in her Washington, D.C. apartment. She wasn't sure what to do.

"The flood was so bad that I left," she said. "I think I found myself traumatized more than anything. I just found myself out of a home. I found myself wandering the streets."

For three years, White slept on park benches in some of the old neighborhoods where she'd lived before. She did this so that people who recognized her would know she wasn't going to hurt anyone.

Sometimes, White would ride the Metro bus at night, going from one end of the route to the other.

"It was safe for me, because I could ride that number 32 line all night long," she said. During the day, she'd try to catch some extra sleep on park benches.

White's life changed dramatically about four years ago, when she became a Street Sense vendor, helping her earn money by selling the now weekly paper to commuters.

With the help of Street Sense, White secured housing. More importantly, she gained confidence and picked up skills by taking classes in art and photography taught by Street Sense instructors.

In this week's episode of the "Look At This" podcast, White talks about how working for Street Sense put her on the path toward earning a college degree and pursuing a career in photojournalism.

Related:

Episode 1: DC's Homeless Share Their Stories On New Podcast Series

"Look At This" is a podcast series produced by the homeless men and women who sell the weekly Street Sense newspaper in Washington, D.C. Michael O'Connell, a D.C.-area journalist, podcaster, and editor at Patch, oversees the production of "Look At This."

The podcast series is a production of Street Sense Media, a nonprofit whose mission is to end homelessness in the Washington, D.C. area. It does this by providing people with the skills and tools they need to become more confident and empowered.

In service of its mission, Street Sense Media produces journalism about homelessness issues in the D.C. area, publishing it in a variety of platforms, including film, theater, photography, illustration, and podcasting.It also publishes the weekly Street Sense newspapers, which the homeless vendors sell as a way to earn income.