Wince. Wonder. Wow!
By Kim Rathjen
Onward Founder and former Board President
Earlier this week,15 community members gathered at the Eden Prairie Library to discuss Emi Nietfeld’s book Acceptance: A Memoir. It was my honor to lead the discussion.
In her book, Emi, now in her 30s, shares her experience of living without stable housing, both while growing up in the Twin Cities and during holiday and summer breaks when in college. I invited people to share things from the book that made them wince, wonder and wow.
The cover of Emi Nietfeld's 2022 book Acceptance: A Memoir
Wince
Many of Emi’s experiences caused us to wince. Living with a parent with mental health challenges. Sexual assault. Foster Care. Lack of ongoing or relevant support from community care givers. Years of instability with not having a safe place to live.
We’ve heard these same wince-invoking histories from many Onward residents.
Wonder
Emi’s story prompted many questions about how we can better serve young adults experiencing homelessness. One of my biggest takeaways is that as a “helper,” it is important to ask what someone needs. Then believe them. Too often we want to come up with solutions that we think someone else needs.
Our program manager, Corey, does a wonderful job of listening to residents. She helps them make and implement plans based on their expressed needs.
Wow
We were all wowed by Emi’s intelligence, determination and drive as she worked toward her goals. Too often it is believed that people experiencing homelessness do not possess these attributes.
Every day, our residents show us how smart and determined they are to reach their goals.
Action
Here are some things you can do to better understand and help address young adult homelessness.
