Efficiency

November 4, 2021
Starkville, MS

Abstract

D.W. was born in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1960s. After D.W.'s mother passed away when he was four, and while his father was in the military, he was raised by other females in his immediate family. He describes his childhood in the projects as happy. D.W. stated that he had been to college, but his life got off track once he began using drugs. D.W. moved to Starkville, Mississippi in the late 1980s to take care of his grandmother after she suffered a heart attack. At some point during D.W.'s battle with drug addiction, he spent time in the penitentiary. He says this taught him patience and how to live life alone. After returning to Starkville, he spent eighteen months homeless and living in his truck. D.W. has now turned his life around, finding strength through his faith.

D.W. first heard of the local community organization helping people find housing many months ago, but he only contacted them for help recently. With the help of this organization, D.W. found a one-room/studio apartment in Starkville. He recognizes the subpar condition of the unit and works on improving it. At the same time, when asked to describe his dream home, D.W. stated that he currently lives in his dream home. D.W. takes pride in his current residence as he pays for it and maintains it himself. He enjoys the privacy of the space and the responsibility of upkeep of a home and says that a home provides the structure he needs. D.W. loves his living area because he has the space to think, pray, slow down, and cook in his kitchen. He has a dedicated space with a toy display called a "kid's corner" for when his grandchildren come to visit.

You can listen to an excerpt of D.W.'s interview here:

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