AUSTIN, Texas — Don’t forget who you are.
It's a message heard through the music playing from the speakers of Anthony Jackson’s vehicle as he unloads food, fruit and clothing from its backseat. It's a powerful message Jackson wants the homeless community to take in during a weekly pop-up of supportive services and resources for unhoused residents.
Jackson is the founder of We Can Now, a nonprofit outreach group focusing on uplifting minorities experiencing homelessness in Central Texas.
“We don’t turn anyone down needing services, but we’re just out here making sure that our brothers and sisters, Black and brown, are getting the resources they need because we’ve been underserved for so long,” said Jackson.
We Can Now is one of three recipients of a $2 million grant awarded by the nonprofit organization Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, also known as E.C.H.O, to address racial disparities among unhoused residents of color.
“We’ve been dealing with racism for a very long time, systematic racism for a very long time, and gentrification is taking place right now. For an example, if you’ve been living in East Austin and you’ve been there for the past 10 years, and now the property value has risen and you can’t afford it now you’ve got to get out of your house or your home and that leads you into homelessness,” said Jackson.
Matthew Mollica, the executive director of E.C.H.O., believes homelessness is a symptom of racism and inequitable access across the country.
“We know we’re not going to end homelessness here in Austin until we solve for Black homelessness. It’s 40% of our population and we know we need to work with and fund community partners that do that work in those communities,” said Mollica.
“You gotta understand it’s been a full-blown attack on Black and brown people, and that’s why you see us out here struggling, especially in such an equitable city,” said Jackson.
Jackson says We Can Now will use its portion of the grant to staff their outreach team to take on newly formed encampments in Capital City to be a constant resource for people in need.
“When you see us out there, understand that we are people of the community bringing the community together to create the solutions that we need,” said Jackson.