Carla B. has been a Contributor vendor for years, and she’s lived in Nashville even longer. She’s endured lengthy bouts of homelessness and found herself at the intersection of mental health challenges, struggles with substance use, and a lack of program support that suits her needs. Despite her difficulties finding a place to live comfortably, Carla’s never grown to resent the city around her. In fact, Carla loves Nashville.
“I want to thank Nashville for their support, because everybody’s looked out for me,” Carla said. “They always make sure I’m okay, and they give me money, and they’ve just always made me feel welcome.”
Living in the city since 2010, Carla’s become a fixture downtown and where she sells in Bellevue. Despite her continued troubles finding a stable place to live or even lay her head, given Tennessee’s larger policies about public camping, she’s shown incredible resilience and survived year after year.
Watching Nashville explode in population and undergo sprawling development has been surreal, but Carla’s confident the city’s sense of community has only been bolstered by those who have come to address issues like homelessness.
“I got here in the floods,” she said. “I’ve watched it expand and grow. It didn’t have half as much as what it has now … [it’s changed] for the better. There’s more outreach and there’s more for the homeless, and you don’t go hungry in this town.”
Selling The Contributor has helped Carla stay in touch with the community she loves, she said, and the occasional customer that surprises her with a generous tip or just a kind word goes a long way in keeping her motivated. She continues to sell in Bellevue because of the customers who recognize her and make the trip from downtown worth it.
While Carla has been in and out of housing over the last decade, it’s always been fleeting. She said “running into the wrong people” is always a concern when you’re trying to stay sober, and living on the streets makes that nigh impossible.
“I’ve been in motels and stuff, and rented rooms, but something always happens,” she said. “The last time I had a room, it was with [a former partner], and we broke up.”
However, Carla was recently referred to a housing program through nonprofit Park Center wherein she receives case management and support getting back on her feet. After living there for two months, she said she’s finally found a great fit.
“You got to meet the requirements, it’s sober living. You’ve got to be with your case coordinator twice a month, and you’ve gotta follow the rules. It’s been going good for me,” Carla explained. “I bought new potholders and a couch yesterday … it’s nice to be off the streets, it’s nice to know where I’m gonna lay my head every night, and it’s nice to know I’m not in the heat. It’s just security.”
Carla was eager to decorate her new space and have a place where she can get away from the chaos of downtown, she said. While the new lifestyle is invigorating, what Carla appreciates most about it is the peace and quiet. It’s given her a chance to stay in touch with her religious side and meditate on some experiences she’s had that have cemented her lifelong piety.
“I’m just staying sober and reaching out to God,” she said. “I met God when I got busted in 2005 and I ran to Florida on the run, and I went to the beach for the first time … and I said, ‘God, what do I do now?’ All of a sudden, I’d seen three steps walking my way and three steps walking out, and that was the first time I ever heard God’s voice. He said, ‘Baby, it’s time for me to carry you.’”
“He was gonna teach me how to survive. And he did.”
For those dealing with the same challenges Carla’s finally found respite from, she recommends persistence, both in commitment and in spirituality, as that’s what kept her going when things were at their bleakest.
“Just give it all to God and take it one day at a time and don’t lose your faith.”