Allison Moss

Located in north-central New Jersey, Allison is a single mom of four who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, faced multiple insecurities including houselessness, while navigating her own health concerns and caring for her children.

I want my kids to grow up knowing that you can be anything you want to be and it’s not because what they saw me go through is not how they have to live and things like that, you know. They could basically be, you know, what they want to be and just try hard and there’s a way.
— Allison Moss

Annotations

1. Social Support - A social network is an active circle of strong bonds with family members, neighbors, and different communities alike that help mitigate the cycle of homelessness with emotional and instrumental support.The presence of social support effectively decreases the length of a homeless period. Allison finds her social network within the church that helped her family relocate into a community-based neighborhood and, from their influence, she is inspired to continue to lift herself out of housing precariousness. A positive social presence of any kind can shorten the length of one's homelessness and empower the individual to help others too.
2. Housing Capacity, Housing Quality - A poor quality housing situation can be detrimental to a child's mental health and emotional stability. Either physical hazards, like an unstable constructed part of a shelter, or simply a hostile and/or abusive social environment like Allison's previous home, can ultimately distress a child experiencing this instability to a point where it effects their entire being. Authority over space, even if the space is modest or unideal, is incredibly important for a child to practice while developing. People seeking to re-house families coming out of a precarious situation must consider issues like capacity, comfort, and quality—not just immediate housing. Consideration of capacity needs, space, and ability to live comfortably in temporary housing is significantly important in the re-housing process, too.
3. Housing Quality, Community - While temporarily re-locating a family experiencing housing precariousness, a certain level of spatial awareness is critical to the family's chances of self stabilizing into secure housing. Likewise, recognizing the amount of spatial segregation that occurs around homeless populations contributes to the disadvantages of finding stable and available housing. Though the act of placing a family in a safe spot is important, recognizing the area's other residents and participating in community building are just as important to the family's chance at happiness and growth.
4. Caregiving - Covid-19 has put a variety of young people in unpaid caregiving positions, where children are taking care of their parents. According to Forbes, "25% of Gen Z and Millennial caregivers were in caregiving roles for the first time during the pandemic, compared with 15% of Gen X and Boomer caregivers. Overall, 20% of caregivers surveyed were new to caregiving and 60% of them were Gen Z or Millennials." The caregiving role can be emotionally taxing and can greatly affect the mental health of a young caregiver. Allison's children often used to sacrifice social activies to care and worry for their mother.
5. Food Insecurity - Consistent and affordable access to food is imperative for a person with secure housing and even more so for someone going through housing precariousness. Allison finds access to food after she is granted a simple tool like a stove. Providing people the proper tools to access quality food can be an instrument of support for someone trying to better their circumstances. Food confidence can build authority, self respect, and a tangible point of empowerment that can often inspire continual secure housing.
6. Remote Learning - Allison is among many parents who fear the transition of her children going back to in-person learning. The concern is not just for the safety for her children's health, though that is most likely the main factor, but for her health and safety as well. A parent with a compromised immune system can be susceptible to transmission contracted through in-person learning.
7. Employment - People experiencing housing precariousness can face a variety of barriers while searching for a job. Allison’s circumstances are only exacerbated with her physical illness and dialysis treatment. She hopes to return to full-time, physical work, but her dialysis affects her capability. The pandemic has disproportionally affected people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or anyone immunocompromised, including their ability to maintain employment as well as sustain shelter.

TRANSCRIPT

Interview conducted by Ala’ Jitan

Conducted Remotely

August 27, 2020

Transcription by Rutgers Oral History Archive

Annotations by Mikayla Luchun

0:00

Alright, so the timer on the microphone is running and the Zoom is recording and I'm going to step out.  I'll be just right outside the door, so that you can feel free to take your mask off, so you could see each other like regular, you know, and I'll be right here whenever you're done. Okay?  

Thank you so much Carrie.  I appreciate that. 

Thank you, okay.  

Hi, hello.

Hi.  

Good afternoon.  Yes, I'm glad that we went over everything with Carrie at first.  I just, before we get started, I want to introduce myself, my name is Ala'.  I am a recent graduate of Rutgers University over in New Brunswick and I studied history and geography. So, I studied race, ethnicity, the environment, culture, a couple of different things. So, that's kind of my background.  I'm on board with this project as interviewer and then also in some of the other related projects as a researcher.  So, that's kind of where I come from and I just want to let you know that, to remind you, that even though we went over all everything before that so I have a note pad in front of me.  That's one of the reasons I'll be, fussing with some notes that I took.  So, I have some questions that I probably would want to get through but again, just to remind you that you can or can't, whatever you do or don't want to answer is up to you, whatever your comfort level is and if you change your mind about a name or a place or say, "I don't want that in the final thing," feel free to just interrupt me and be like, "Okay, let's fix that or change that."  So, we just want to remind you that even though we are interviewing, that, because this is a history-based project, that the story is yours and whatever you want to talk about is up to you.  So, even though I have questions, it is still kind of in your lane.  So, I just wanted to make that kind of reiterate that really quick.

Okay.

Yes, and then the other thing is we have about an hour set aside but if you need more time, I won't stop you, and then if we get stopped or if you have somewhere to be, and you need to go, also just let me know, "I got to go, this is it."  And then if you want to add more time on a separate day, we can arrange that, another day to make up for it.

Oh, okay.

So yes, that's basically what I wanted to go over before we got started and ask you if you have any questions before I started?

No.

Okay, cool. All right, that sounds good. Great, so the questions are going to start off really easy and then they're going to get more in depth. So, we will start off with really simple. Just your information, so, could you tell me your name and then just so the people listening to the audio have it, you could spell it, that's fine.

Allison Moss.  A-L-L-I-S-O-N M-O-S-S

Great, and how old are you?

I'm forty-one.  

Okay, and do you identify with a certain gender or sexual orientation that you feel comfortable sharing?

Female.  

Okay, and do you identify with a race or an ethnicity that you feel comfortable sharing?

African American.  

Okay, and do you identify with a religious background or a religion?

No.  

Okay, that's fine. Great, and then, what is your place of birth?  Do you remember where you were born?  

I was born in Plainfield, New Jersey.  

Alright, and then the next question is, where was your last place of residence before where you are today?

South Plainfield, New Jersey.

Okay great, and so where are you today on a day to day basis? 

Highland Park, New Jersey.  

So, you're in Highland Park, okay.  So, as you're in Highland Park, what is your relationship or your connection to the Reformed Church or to the affordable housing commission?  I guess if I can ask you, where was your way in to Highland Park?  Where you last lived?  

I was currently homeless with my four children and I started reaching out to different resources and I spoke to someone. Her name is Michelle but I can't remember her last name.

Okay.

I just can't at this time. She reached out to some of her resources and that's how I got here where I am today.

5:14

Okay, what do you remember about that process, that it took from getting to Highland Park from, you said it was South Plainfield?  

Yes.  

Yes.

It was, uh, one of the worst times in my life, just being homeless with my girls and I didn't want them to see me struggling and think that that was the way to live. So, we basically just took it one day at a time and everything worked out.  

Yes, well that's good to hear and I'm happy that you're here.

Yes.

So, you said you're with your four children?

Daughters, yes. I have four girls.  

It's you and your four children?

Single mom, yes.

Would you tell yourselves as your family?

No, I'm just a single mom, me and my four children. I have a brother or a sister but they're, they have their families and it was rough.  Every day had to worry where we're going to sleep at. Where we're going to get food and different things like that. Michelle, she helped out a lot as well as other people. They were bringing us food, bringing us clothes. Giving us money to wash clothes, different things and we stayed there for seven months and they helped us out a lot.

Okay.

They helped us out a lot and I really appreciate it. A lot of times I cried because I didn't think that there were people out there like that. That would help. And I was just thankful and I was like, when I see people, it makes me want to help other people.  

[Annotation 1]

Yes, that is great and it kind of continues on. So, were you all going through this for just that seven-month period or after?

Well, it was, before that we were staying with family and the way I was raised, it was like family was our, parents and stuff was so tough and they kept us separated from the other family.  So, we didn't really get raised with the family loving thing. So, we were staying with family and everybody was like sleeping. It was like maybe four or five people in a room and everybody wanted their space, and there was a lot of fighting and arguing and different things like that. So, we had to get out of there. It just wasn't working out. My girls were crying and different things like that. They just wanted their own. They couldn't wait to just be able to walk around and without someone saying, "You can't sit here."  Or, "You can't be over here."  "This is my food."  "This is mine, that's mine," and different things like that, yes.

[Annotation 2]

Yes, so, sorry go ahead.  

No, I just want to say, it just feels, like, really good to finally have our own and we don't have to worry for now.  

9:25

Yes, so it sounds like before, even though you all have a roof over your shoulders and some family around you, what you needed more wasn't just the place, also the needs of your children and the space that they needed to grow and connect to other people from what you are telling me. So, between then and now, how are those things change for you for the better specifically?  What do you feel like you all have now after the transition period?  

Well, the girls have their own space, their own rooms. We were just able to just, like I said, walk around with no one saying, "You can't come in this room, you can't go in that room." Or, "I'm watching this." Or, just different things and they have their own. They can walk freely with their clothes, underwear and bra, things like that. 

Yes, that's really important.

Yes, so, they're just really happy, like, “Mom, now we can clean our own room! We can clean up and help you out,” and take a little stress off of me because I'm forty-one on dialysis and I've been on dialysis for almost three years. So, my children's been watching me sick for a long time and they're like– they're feeling like, my daughter's fourteen and she's sick now too. So, she's feeling like she has to help mommy. She wants to work. She doesn't want to go to school. She wants to work. They want to get jobs and pay bills and I'm like, "No, you have to be kids and live the kid life and when you grow up you have time for that. This is something mommy has to take care of." But for them seeing me struggle and go through everything I've been through– they're just trying to help Mommy.

[Annotation 4]

Yes, do you feel like being in a situation where you're homeless affected the way that you had those conversations?

I'm sorry?

I was just asking; do you feel like you're in a situation where you're looking for a place to call home.  Did that affected the way you're having that conversation with your kids?  

Yes, yes. Like I said, I just don't want them to think that this is the way life is and it is– people out there, that are willing to help and if they stay on the right track and stay around positive people that they could have a better way to live then how they were raised with. I don't want to say me but the family I was around, we were raised that way.  

Yes. So, yes, thank you for answering that question.  It froze, I'm just, okay, you're back. Yes, that's, I mean, that all kind of makes sense that's connected and I know that's a lot and there's a lot more to it probably. I guess, before I ask more questions about the present, is there anything else you wanted to say or wanted to communicate about your relationship to overcoming that or your relationship to where you're transitioning through that phase of your life?  

No.  

13:42

That's fine. So, then the next set of questions, I kind of wanted to think about, and what we have been asking other folks, is how has this pandemic, the ongoing pandemic with the Coronavirus, affected either your life or the life of your family or your own mission to getting toward the?

Well– it's just– well, with me, ever since I've been on dialysis, I haven't been able to really get out there and work like I used to. When I had jobs, I kept jobs for years and liked doing what I did at work and I'm really, like, in a house more now because, with my situation, as far as me, my immune system is very weak, weaker than others, so if someone coughs and they have a cold, the next day or so I will be sick.  So, I'm just really cautious of being different places, around a lot of people and having the kids stay in the house as well. They want to go play. They want to go to the park but it's like, uh, we can't right now, and I really would love for them to go outside because then it will give me a break, you know the little things, but it's like really scary. It's scary right now. 

[Annotation 7]

Yes, absolutely.

Yes, and then you can't breathe in these masks, it's like, so, I can't breathe, but yeah.

It's like being outside, it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be safe when they come back home.

Right, right. Every time they come home or they go somewhere, I'm like, "Did you keep your mask?" They cough or something I'm running them to the emergency room, sitting in there for hours, and it's not good to be in there either, so it's like. It's really rough right now with that, yes.  

Yes, how much of that precaution that you feel like you have to take, do you feel like is your responsibility or the responsibility of other people around you as all this is going on?  

Well, I find both. When I see people without masks, it bothers me because we're trying to get rid of this thing and it's like you're walking around risking me as well as yourself and I don't want to, I definitely don't want to get sick. 

Yes, and I'm sure you don't always have an opportunity to tell people, especially like strangers in public, that you have this issue with dialysis or your autoimmune, so.  

Yes.

Do you feel like you are taking extra, extra precaution?  

Yes, yes.  

On top of that?

I have said to people, “I think, you should put your mask,” not in a mean way or anything, just. I don't want to be sick and I don't know how other people will feel, like, if they want to get sick but I don't want to get sick. 

Right.

Yes, 

Yes, I mean, you can't assume that other people don't want to get sick but it is in their best interests to be (??) for you that you're trying to make sure they're healthy.

Right.  

Yes, that makes sense.

Yes, oh, I'm sorry, is there like a– Carrie said they're doing like cutting down all these trees right here. So, it is kind of hard to hear.  

Oh really?  

Yes, and it was like directly right here, so.

Oh.

Yes.  

Oh, that's alright.  

Okay.

If you need me to repeat anything.

Okay, I'm fine.

Or, if you just want to wait for it to stop. I don't hear it in my headphone.

Yes.

But it's no worries.

Okay.

If you need me to ask a question, just say so.

Okay.  

18:34

Yes, so that's all kind of happening now. Do you remember what it was like at the beginning of all that and how that has kind of changed?  Or, do you feel like it's the same constant, or you're just trying to keep?

Actually, to me, I believe that everyone should've been wearing, like at the food places and stuff, they should have been wearing masks and gloves in the beginning, so. I mean, I think that's a good thing but I don't want to walk around in these masks forever. It's like, when is it going to end?  Yes, that's how I feel.  

Yes. Yes, so where are you getting your news or your updates about the situation or about own things in your life? Where are you getting your news from, while this is going on?

What? Which about the COVID-19?

Yes, about the Coronavirus or about your access to your food or your home or whatever else it is that you, either or?  

About the food? I'm not sure.

I'm sorry, is it breaking up?

You said about food?  

Yes, well I was asking on both things. I meant, more so about the Coronavirus, like where are you getting your news from?  

Yes, well, when we were at the hotel, we would watch television, listen to the news and different things. People just talking and different things.  

Yes, how has that changed? The word I was saying earlier how has the news that's changing or the requirements that are changing affected you and the ways you need to, for example, you were saying earlier, like you're getting food and seeing other people with no masks. That's just one example since you mentioned, but are there other ways that things are changing once these rules and requirements are to change around?  

No, it's just that I have to be very cautious with me and the girls. Just washing our hands, a lot more and just trying not to be around too many people at once, and that's basically it. 

Okay, has there been anything on the news that you have been hearing that you feel like affect you directly? Whether it is where you are living or whether it's your health because, like you said, you have your dialysis or anything else that's going on that you feel like connected to when you're hearing it on the news?

No, because me and the girls we basically, we don't really go out much, too much.

Yes. 

And when we do, I just make sure we mask up. Everybody has a mask. Everybody's wearing gloves when needed and I'm just basically keeping them in my eyesight and stuff. That's really it because I haven't worked in about three years.

Okay.

So, we don't really.  Well, as far as the girls with school, I felt like, to me, I don't really want them to go to school right now. I would rather them stay home and I think that idea is a lot better as far as staying at home and doing the school work at home for now, until everything gets better.

[Annotation 6]

22:58

Yes, okay.  So, right now, they are, right now, what is their situation in school?

Well, they go back on September 8th and they're supposed to be doing it from home. 

Okay.

I'm not sure really, exactly, but I think, what I'm hearing is their school is supposed to be doing it at home.  

Okay, like all online?  

Online, yes. I don't know how many hours or anything.  

Yes, so what sort of things has the school asked you to prepare for?  

Well, we just got here, so I haven't really been able to speak to anyone.  

Yes

I just got the applications recently.  

Okay.

I guess I will find out soon. I know it's right around the corner, yes. It's right around the corner, September 8th.

Yes, so that's soon. Also, like that's okay because I know pretty much every city, almost every school is doing it in their own way, so that, yes.

Yes, some people are going, I heard, going back to school so I heard.

Yes.

Yes.

But that's not an option for you, you said.

Well, no, no. I'm too scared.  

Yes.

I don't want them to come back with, you know, nothing.

Yes, absolutely. So, then I know you said you're not working but what other kinds of activities or day-to-day are you getting involved in? 

Well, I'm actually doing Door Dash.

Oh, okay.

Yes, so, but I wear my mask and I wear gloves and a lot of people are requesting the food to be dropped at the door. So, that's a lot better for me. I could just put it on the step and just keep going.  

Yes, no contact.

Yes.

So, how long have you been doing that for?  

About two years. 

Oh, okay.

Yes.  

Yes, so you feel you're used to that? Kind of like just the door drop instead of opening the door?

Yes, I mean, for now, for now.

Yes, okay.  Are there other things that you feel like you want to get involved in? I know you said earlier your kids wanted to be going outside. You're worried about that. What are some of the other things that you're looking forward to?  

Well, I'm looking forward to going back to work.

Alright.   

I want to go back to work, full-time. 

Yes.

So, I can be able to provide for the girls like I would want to. It's still pretty rough right now for me.

26:21

Yes, I understand.  What kind of work were you thinking about doing?

Well, I was doing housekeeping for five years and, um, I mean, it's pretty rough right now for me. I wouldn't be able to do that right now but it's something that.

Yes.

I liked doing back, you know, a few years back.  

Okay, yes, and it's definitely unpredictable, but I feel like it always helps to imagine, or say out loud what it is that you want to do, even if it's far away.

Yes.

Yes, I guess in general, what do you feel like brings you the biggest sense of security for you, your family, I guess to ask in general?

I'm sorry?

What do you think you and your family are most secure? Like you and your kids. What is it that you feel like you need to feel the most at home?  

I mean, we're happy now.  

Yes.

I mean, we have a nice three-bedroom apartment. 

Okay.

And that's more than enough space for me and my girls right now. We're eating healthy. I say that because when we were in a hotel.

Yes.

We didn't have no stove or things like that. So, we were eating basically out. People were bringing us, like, you know, Michelle would bring us some cooked food here and there but we were eating out a lot, and it wasn't healthy for me or the girls and now we could finally cook a dinner and set a table and eat, and enjoy it and I thank everyone, you know, that helped us and, like I said, I didn't know that there were people like that because the way I was raised, you have to do for yourself, no one's not going to help you and stuff like that. It's like we're just very thankful and we can– I can finally take a deep breath and say–

Yes.

Thank God, we have somewhere to live and I don't have to worry where we're going to end up tomorrow and stuff like that, so yes.

[Annotation 5]

Yes, that's huge. I'm really happy that you have that now.

Yes.

And I could imagine like you said, that's more than enough.

Yes, we have a backyard.

Yes.

We have neighbors, you know.  

Okay.

And the community is very nice.  Everyone's just so loving and caring. The neighbors brought cookies by the second day we were there, just like, we felt like home.  

30:04

So, you have good neighbors, yes, that can make a whole different.  

Yes, and Pastor Seth, he's like so amazing. It's like, he's the main one who helped out the most as far as, you know, he said, "I'm going to see what I can do," and he did it. It's a nice church here and I'm trying to get the girls and to, um, getting used to going to church and things like that.

Yes.

They went on different, like, some type of camp thing here for the kids and they made tie-dye shirts and my kids were so happy. They were like, "We made shirts and they're so nice. We made friends,” and stuff like that because we were in that room closed up for seven months and they finally, and we finally got out and it's like, to see people that are willing to teach them and just like show them like there's people out here and they're just so happy and thankful that we got friends now and my daughter's playing. She wants to play basketball and the girls come by and try to get her to come out. She's shy but it's like–

[Annotation 3]

Yes.

But she'll get out it, you know, so.

Oh, that is really sweet. So, it sounds like they're also getting involved too. Besides basketball and the activities that you mentioned at the church, what other sorts of things are the kids involved in?  What kinds of things do they like to do?  

Well, they like to sing, dance, read, they like a lot of things. My kids are really active. They like to do a lot of things but they just couldn't, at the hotel it was like we couldn't really be loud. We couldn't get out like we wanted to. People walking in the hallways. Like, you– we got to wear masks. They were so closed in and then, with me being sick and coming from dialysis, I'm just sick. They were like every time I would go, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, they would be, "Oh Mommy, is she going to come home sick today?" And stuff like that. So, they were, like, worried and they couldn't be the kids that they wanted to be and it's like, now, they could open up a little more and be kids. 

Yes, that's great.  So, you feel that now that you all moved, they're starting to get more involved in the artistic.

Yes.

It seems like they're really artistic too.

Yes.

They're getting more involved in their artistic practices.  

My four-year-old especially, because she's knocking on Pastor Seth's door every day and it's Julia. I'm like, "Oh my god, don't do that."  And then they're like, "It's fine, it's fine."  So, yes.  I'm just glad that they're happy, yes.

That's really sweet.  While your kids are doing that, what kinds of things do you have as your outlet?  Your artistic outlet or your exercise. What kinds of things do you do?

I'm just in-house. I really try, like I said, stay to myself, really with this going on and it's like, I mean, I really just worry a lot. I worry a lot, yes, because I'm worried about them. I'm worried about myself and it's like I really don't do too much for fun or anything like that. My sister might, once in a while, come by and say, "Let's go out and get something to eat." You need to walk around the park or something and just get out and just enjoy life and I'm like, "I'm happy, but it's like I'm just worried, you know, still.” It still hasn't hit me yet as far as what's really going on as far as finally having a place and different things like that so it's still new to me, so it's just like I haven't gotten used to it yet.  

Okay, well that sounds like process and it is just new to you, I mean, it's okay if you want to just talk about what's going on now and it seems like it's good.  

It is, it's good, it's great and I'm just. I'm just, like– it's things inside of me that it has nothing to do with, as far as, the kids or anything like that. It's just that I'm worried about different things going on in my life, yes.  

36:37

It's all right.  That's great.  You mentioned earlier that, you said your sister, do you feel like you aren't close? 

No.  

Okay, that's fine.

I think we should be and I think, that's how it's supposed to be but it isn't always like that all the time, yes.

Yes, I get it, there could be complications.

Yes.

With your new neighborhood, you said Highland Park, you said you met the neighbor that brought you cookies. Did you meet any of the other neighbors or any other people in the community?

Not yet, because, like I said, it hasn't been a month yet.

Yes.

I've been sick a lot, so I've basically been just in the house resting and once I get able to get better and stuff, I will get out there and walk the neighborhood and meet different people.  

I hope you get to do that too. So, we were asked earlier about, and other folks about, faith tradition. So, you mentioned earlier that you, I think that you said that you don't identify with a certain religion.

Yes, right.  

Do you have a spiritual practice or spiritual background that you rely on?

No, but I do want to start going to church a little more and I've been saying, I wanted the girls to get into going to church and different things like that but we don't have a religion, no.  

Yes, how do you feel like being at church, involved in the church, connects to you, or as you said when you said you want your girls to go there, how do you feel like that is going to change?  

I really don't know but I have went to church in the past and I feel like that I had a lot of things that I prayed for and I don't know if it had anything to do with going to church but you see a lot of my prayers got answered when I was into things like going to church. I really enjoyed it. A lot of positive people and–

Yes.

The energy and things, it was just, like, so nice and I enjoyed it, so.  

Yes, was there anything you remembered when you were going to church earlier in life that you feel like you want your kids to have? 

Just the being around the positive people and stuff like that.  

Yes.

Yes, a lot of positive people go to church and, like I said, I want my kids to grow up knowing that you can be anything you want to be and it's not because what they saw me go through is not how they have to live and things like that, you know. They could basically be, you know, what they want to be and just try hard and there's a way. 

Yes.

There's a way.

40:49

Yes, feel free to answer or not but was there anything about what you had gone through either recently or before that you feel like you want to open up about or say more about?  

I don't know. No, no, just that I'm happy. More happy than I was a few months back.

That's alright.

Yes, yes.  

Yes, that's okay, you don't have to but it does seem like what's kind of important right now is that you all found a place to stay.  You live in a good neighborhood. from what I'm hearing, and that your kids are starting to play and be kids again. That's all really good and that you're looking forward to meet people, obviously as safety conditions allow you to and all that. So, it seems like finally that in itself is a lot. So, I guess one other thing somewhere along the lines we talk is I guess like, what are the ways that you feel hopeful about the future now that you are where you are?

I didn't hear the last part.

Oh, I'm sorry. I said, what are the ways you feel hopeful of the future, considering that you are where you are now?

Helpful, you said?

Hopeful.  

Okay. I just hope that I could.

Like either for you?

Yes, that I could basically just be a little stronger and have the strength to raise my girls the right way and that they could get a good education and basically see, because. it's like, it's kind of hard to get out there really and do the things I really want to do or get out to meet different people in the community because everybody's so scared of the COVID-19.

Yes.

Me as well and, it's like, I really– I don't know.  

I like that answer.  

I don't know if I answered it the right way but.  

No. It’s an open-ended question.

There's this.

There’s a lot that we don’t know about

Yes.

44:41

Which I guess, could speak oflike, f you were to talk to a stranger, or it's me, that you don't know that well. What's one thing you wanted them to know about you or your experiences as this is going on? 

I don't know.  

That's okay.

Yes.

Because we get a lot of information, either on the news or other people, and I feel like sometimes we don't know whether or not it's true. Or, like whether or not we could contribute information.  So, that's why I ask that question because I feel like everybody has something they can share.

Yes.

But did you feel like you maybe had an answer if you thought about it more?  

So, you're saying that, when you meet a stranger, because I?

Oh yes, if you were to meet a stranger, what is something that what is one thing you want them to know, about you or about what you've been through? 

Well, I don't really, you know, open up to a lot of people as far as what I've been through but I do know that I don't mind talking to people because it's, you know, you learn something different every day.  

Yes.

So, I do speak to different people about my situation and I have gotten a lot of good feedback.

Okay.

Sometimes it is good to open up because you do– you learn something different every day so, like I said, someone might tell me something I didn't know.

Yes.

So, um, and then you never know who might be able to help you, you know.

Yes.

So– and you might be able to help them as well, yes.

47:17

Yes, I like that you've mentioned that because that's like a theme with this conversation, especially when you said it was unexpected, all the help that you were able to get for yourself and for your health.

Yes, and I hope that one day I can return the favor and give them some good information. I just basically help in some kind of way.  

Yes.

To show how much I really appreciate the help that I was given and yes.  

Yes, I like that.  

The little things mean a lot to me, so.

I'm sorry, what was that last thing you said?

I said the little things mean a lot to me.  

Yes.

I would, some people look for the bigger things, but me, the little things mean a lot to me in life. Just the positive energy around here is a lot. Everybody's smiling and just so kind, and just, yes, it means a lot because, like I said before, we're closed in and just the negative imaging, everyone just angry and just yelling all the time and everything and it was just like so stressful and stuff like that. It's like, I'm happy where I am now. My children are happy and that's one thing that makes me happy and I wouldn't want it any better and like I said, one day I just hope I can get back.  

49:34

Yes, yes, I like that and I hope so too. I didn't have any other questions other than the ones I have already asked. So, I guess and we have all the time we need but, before we go, was there anything else on your mind or anything you wanted to bring up?

No, I just want to say thanks to everyone, thank you everyone.  

Yes, for sure. Well, thank you for your time and good luck with everything and I do hope that it works out, the rest of what you have up in front of you, the next couple weeks.  

Yes, hopefully I can take off these masks soon and get out and meet people. So, they would know who.  

Yes, that's such a relief

So, they could know who the new people are on the street.

Yes.

Because I know everybody's like, “Who are the new people that moved in?” But it's like, I really don't want to get out now, so yes, we'll get out there.

Yes, hopefully soon.  We'll have to see.

Okay, yes.

Well, alright Allison, thank you so much.

Okay.  

I guess this ends our interview. If you want to follow up at all, feel free to get in touch with Carrie or Michelle. If you're still in touch with Michelle through the other things if you feel like you wanted to add anything to the interview later or remove anything from the interview or if you want to add more time that you want to get back and talk more.  

Okay, yes. No, I just hope I answered the questions.

No, you did great. We talked about a lot of things.

Okay, alright, I'm happy.  

But yes, I think that was it. Oh, I'm not sure if Carrie's around but yes, unless you need to tell us, I think you just have to hit the record button to stop the record.  

Oh, the red light, the record button, right?

I think so, yes.  

Okay, hit that button or should I just get her to come in?  

Yes, you could just get her to come in I'm sure. 

Okay, because I think she said she was standing outside, sitting outside.

Yes, but otherwise it's good and I hope you have a good rest of your day. 

Okay, thank you.

Alright, you're welcome, thanks for your time.

You too, bye.  

Alright, bye-bye.