The Power of Love and Community in Ending Youth Homelessness: Insights from Garrett Mason
Isaac Sanders I September, 2024
Love can heal all of that, so lead with it, live with it, be it.
Garrett Mason
In a world where systemic challenges often seem insurmountable, Garrett Mason, a 23-year-old multi-hyphenated artist and advocate for youth homelessness prevention, reminds us of the transformative power of love and community. Through his work with Point Source Youth and involvement in Atlanta’s ballroom scene, Garrett offers valuable insights into addressing youth homelessness and supporting marginalized communities.
Garrett Mason
In a world where systemic challenges often seem insurmountable, Garrett Mason, a 23-year-old multi-hyphenated artist and advocate for youth homelessness prevention, reminds us of the transformative power of love and community. Through his work with Point Source Youth and involvement in Atlanta’s ballroom scene, Garrett offers valuable insights into addressing youth homelessness and supporting marginalized communities.
Direct Cash Transfer: A Radical Approach
Garrett’s involvement with the Direct Cash Transfer as Prevention Program (DCT-P) highlights an innovative approach to tackling youth homelessness. This program provides young people with a one-time unconditional cash payment, optional supportive services, and case management. In its first-year pilot, the DCT-P stabilized the lives of 44 young people in Atlanta. While this number may seem small, it represents a significant step forward and underscores the vast opportunity for expansion.
Garrett explains DCT-P as “a radical reimagining of how our system should work by empowering young people with that one-time unconditional gift cash payment, also with optional supportive services and case management.” This approach shifts power dynamics by “taking the power from those older people and all those higher systems, and saying, Hey, what do you need here? You got it.” The program’s philosophy is rooted in trust and empowerment.
As Garrett puts it, “We just put all our eggs into their basket. Essentially.” This approach recognizes that young people are often best positioned to know what they need most urgently, whether it’s housing, food, education, or other necessities.
While 44 young people may seem like a small number, Garrett acknowledges this, stating, “44 is not extremely, you know, expansive of the true need that there is in Atlanta and the country as we know it, so that just speaks to how much opportunity is really left.” This pilot demonstrates the potential for scaling up such programs to reach more young people in need.
Ballroom Culture: A Model of Community Support
With its rich history dating back to the 1970s, the ballroom scene is a powerful example of community-driven support for marginalized groups, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals of color. Garrett describes how ballroom culture has evolved from providing a safe space for expression to offering financial opportunities that can change lives.
Garrett explains the historical context and significance of ballroom culture:
“Thinking back to the 1970s when it started, like when the first balls were happening. That was just such a trying time for our community… it was, you know, like the war on AIDS and HIV; there was so much misinformation and propaganda surrounding our community and just the lives that we live… We needed a space where we could show up, no matter if we’re dolled up or danked out, and just be loved on, be safe, be seen, and feel valued and protected. And that’s where ballroom came.”
He further elaborates on how ballroom culture has evolved to provide more tangible support:
“To think that we can now have categories were a transition from people just getting, you know, glory and claps and ‘Oh, yes, you’re eating it’ to now you’re getting $10,000. And that changes your life. It’s so crazy.”
Garrett emphasizes how the ballroom scene continues to address issues like homelessness within the community:
“I see kids like staying with each other. I see them having so many in a house, and it’s just like I love it because this is what ballroom has cultivated, but I also think, too, is motivation to show them there’s a way out of this, and ballroom provides that resource. It provides that hope. It provides that financial hope as well, which I love.”
This evolution of ballroom culture demonstrates how community-driven initiatives can adapt to meet the changing needs of marginalized groups while maintaining their core values of support, empowerment, and love.
“I see kids like staying with each other. I see them having so many in a house, and it’s just like I love it because this is what ballroom has cultivated, but I also think, too, is motivation to show them there’s a way out of this, and ballroom provides that resource. It provides that hope. It provides that financial hope as well, which I love.”
This evolution of ballroom culture demonstrates how community-driven initiatives can adapt to meet the changing needs of marginalized groups while maintaining their core values of support, empowerment, and love.
Community as a Lifeline
Throughout the conversation, Garrett repeatedly emphasizes the crucial role of community in addressing homelessness and supporting vulnerable youth. He describes community as a “collective force of beauty, responsibility, and compassion” that can serve as a lifeline for those in need. This community-centered approach fills gaps where formal systems fall short, providing not just material support but also emotional connection and empowerment.
Garrett explains his view of community: “When I think about community, I really see it as collective force, beauty, and responsibility and compassion. And it’s like community at its best. It’s honestly like a lifeline like it can save your life.” He emphasizes that community support can prevent dire outcomes: “you’re not just resolving the housing instabilities like you’re saving them from potential suicide or making that decision to go down a rabbit hole that they probably cannot turn back from.”
He also highlights how community support can be informal and grassroots: “I have friends where we’ll go to the store. We’ll get some food, some sandwiches, some chips, maybe get a little juice box, put it in the packet. We go down to a corner set up with djembes and drums to play music. Then we handed out the food package to anybody who shows up and needs it.” This approach embodies Garrett’s belief that “as you know, at the most minute level, community is based on love, and as long as we can just give and pour. That’s all that matters.”
The Simplicity and Profundity of Love
In his closing thoughts, Garrett leaves us with a powerful message: “Love is not something that you just feel. It’s something that you do.” He encourages everyone to lead with love, live with love, and be love. This simple yet profound philosophy underscores the potential for healing and progress when we approach challenges with compassion and unity. As we consider strategies to end youth homelessness and support marginalized communities, Garrett’s insights remind us of the fundamental importance of love, community, and lived experience. By embracing these principles, we can work towards creating a more inclusive and supportive society for all young people, regardless of their circumstances.
– Isaac Sanders