One resident’s reason for getting involved

For Carolyn Jackson, finding safe, affordable housing was a harrowing journey. Helping others avoid that ordeal is her motivation for advocating for legislative progress.

“I was living in a horrible environment,” Carolyn recalls. “It took me about five years to get out of that situation. Cost was a huge consideration.”

She adds that finding her apartment at the Brown Family House has been life-changing. “I feel truly blessed to be where I am.”

Carolyn is now lending her voice to help advocate for change. A member of the inaugural 2Life advocacy program cohort, Carolyn put her experience into words as part of a resident letter-writing campaign to legislators.

“Numbers are important. Letters coming from groups are noticed more than individuals,” she says, noting that this type of activism is a new experience for her. “The response from policymakers was very quick because of how they received it and who it came from.”