DONNA
NICKELSVILLE INTERVIEWS
by Tom Hastings � 2008
Donna is 38, a Lakota American Indian from North Dakota.
DONNA
I�m Lakota Sioux from the reservation at Fort Yates, North Dakota. I�m 38 and left the reservation 20 years ago�. I�ve been homeless for five months now. I lost my apartment due to domestic violence. I could not work for two months because of physical abuse�. I was bedridden and lost my job and could not pay rent so my landlord evicted me�. I�m a high school dropout but I was a restaurant cook. I lost my apartment, all my furniture, everything. I had nothing but a small duffel bag on the street that I had to carry everywhere.
BEING A WOMAN BY YOURSELF ALONE ON THE STREET IS VERY DANGEROUS. Anything could happen to you�. Before Nickelsville, I was sleeping in doorways and sidewalks�. I slept at the waterfront downtown�. Stayed in many shelters, but most of the time they were full and I didn�t get in�. Woman�s shelters are also full to capacity�. Nickelsville aint a long term solution for me, but it is helping me get back to where I was before all this began�. I�ve been with Nickelsville since they started. It has been quite an experience to help move this camp so many times�. But this could happen to anyone�.
I�m a huge supporter of Nickelsville. I go to meetings and meet with important people. It�s been a great blessing for me�. I FEEL A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY AT NICKELSVILLE. WE�RE ALL FAMILY HERE. |
