Marcus: “I’m Realizing That It’s a Calling”

When Marcus grew up in Mississippi, his mother taught him that problems could be solved with creativity and hard work.

“She’d day, ‘When a plan isn’t working, you need erase the drawing board and come up with something better’,” Marcus said.

Today, Marcus is using that simple, homespun advice as a member of Abode’s Lived Experience Advisory Board.

We formed LEAB to receive feedback from those who have experienced homelessness, to improve the quality of Abode’s work.

Marcus said he enjoys crafting ideas that help people move from homelessness into a home.

“I like contributing to LEAB’s mission,” he said. “I’m realizing that it’s a calling.”

Marcus experienced homelessness after he moved to California to improve his job prospects, but that plan did not yield results. He also realized that it was not easy for him to ask for help, but it was something he had to do. He also leaned on another life lesson from his upbringing: To never give up.

“My Mom taught me you have to get back up in life, even if you’ve fallen far,” he said.

Marcus enjoyed working, saying he “likes getting my hands dirty.” He worked at various jobs over the years, including carpentry, construction, and auto manufacturing. As he kept working, he persistently looked for a home. Eventually, he was connected to an Abode interim housing site before finding an apartment at an Abode supportive housing community in San Jose. 

He said the stability of a home has greatly improved his life, allowing him to take classes and focus on his mental health. He is especially enthused that friends have joined him at his classes, where they can grow together.

“I like creative thinking because it’s like space – it’s limitless,” he said. “If you limit your thinking, you limit your life.”

As a LEAB member, Marcus aims to assist formerly homeless individuals because he understands their struggles.

“A lot of us have childhood trauma and that affects our adult lives,” he said. “To heal those wounds, you have to look within; people are lost becaue they’re looking for answers outside of themselves, instead of healing from within and starting from the inside.” 

He added: “At LEAB, I’m looking forward to my opinion being heard and, hopefully, that opinion inspires someone else. I want to help as many people as I can.”