Getting Ready for the West Coast

I land in Seattle this coming Monday at midnight and am eager to finally get to the city of flying fish, trolls, amazing summer weather, 1990s grunge, the best public library I've ever seen, complete with a book-return conveyor belt. Packing's going well and currently includes what I think should be appropriate for the dress code: several flannel shirts, hiking gear and a rusty pair of Dr. Martens not worn since 9th grade (ok, I wasn't cool enough to own Dr. Martens but if I did have them, they'd be dumped into my summer suitcase as well).

For all of the amazing attractions that Seattle holds, it also is one of the few cities in the nation with an ordinance allowing the existence of a rotating tent city. TentCity 3, in existence since 2002, routinely houses approximately 100 homeless individuals and is hosted most often by a community church for a period of three months. All residents have their own tent and the community is self-patrolled, meaning residents can leave their belongings in their homes while working or looking for work. The tent city emerged as a temporary solution to the limited space available in the city's temporary or transitional shelters. Additionally, we know some residents elect to live there over a shelter in order to remain with a partner, which may not be possible in a traditional shelter. Currently, the TentCity 3 is located at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral and sponsored by SHARE/WHEEL, a city non-profit that supports that initiative.

In a city like Seattle, where social service programs are strong and to be modeled, we're hoping to hear female tent city residents' stories and opinions about what works well and where there are gaps to be filled, specifically when it comes to access to health care. While dental and primary care clinics routinely visit the residents of the tent city, we're not sure what services might be lacking, if any. And the best way to learn about the program's strengths and weaknesses is by listening to the residents. This summer, I'll be working with Seattle Women's Commission to interview female residents of TentCity 3- those who currently live there and who have lived there previously. From these conversations, we're hoping to draft policy recommendations to the city to support greater access to health care, including reproductive health care, for all of its female-identified residents.

This experience is made possible by the Harvard Women and Public Policy Program and Roy Family Fellowship. I'm tremendously grateful to have this opportunity.