WHERE I STAY Intro

A look at the stories behind the new podcast created by Rivet & Streetwise to highlight "invisible homelessness" and housing instability

StreetWise, best known for the weekly magazine sold throughout the Chicagoland area by those experiencing homelessness or joblessness, is co-producing a new podcast, WHERE I STAY, with Rivet, about the invisible homeless in Chicago.

The podcast, two years in the making, follows the plight of the invisible homeless through the eyes of one woman, Angelica, who first experienced homelessness at age 12. The 8-part podcast hosted by Jesse Betend takes us on a journey through the child welfare and criminal justice systems, as well as the alternative economies that often feel like the only option to survive, and the lasting impact on a life.

“StreetWise saw this as a great opportunity to branch into a new medium to leverage its magazine coverage of homelessness, poverty, inequity, and inequality, and life in Chicago. The podcast featuring local, original art, and set to the sounds of those in the independent local music scene, bridges advocacy and culture in a way that lifts the story off the page,” said StreetWise Executive Director, Julie Youngquist.

“This story is more than Angelica’s journey. She is a broader representation of what homelessness looks like in Chicago and across the nation," said Editor Suzanne Hanney. “Her experience is representative of almost all who experience invisible homelessness.” It is available at www.streetwise.org/whereistay and wherever you find podcasts.