To my friends who reach farther than the rule book suggests I commend you
You have chosen to laugh off no’s and let your desires grow
Knowledge over everything is the drum beating to your life’s direction
Placing you in a state of perpetual development
Others opinions on your dreams fall short because they’re irrelevant
You my friend have found purpose
Each step you take is intentional
Books you read intentional
Words you speak intentional
Bricks being placed in the castle of your potential
The oppression you face is extra weight meant to build strength and put you in the place to strive when all others crumble
When they say “no” accept it as a challenge
Creativity is your comparative advantage
If you want it bad enough you will find a way
To my friends who’ve been displaced by ridiculous sentences absorb this message it’s different than the rest of them
There is hope
But only if you have faith
Accompanied by courage to take what you already have and become something great
Adversity is our biggest asset
And once you understand that
You have taken back your power.
If you are interested in reading more of Noah's poems, he has written his first book of poetry, Morse Code Kisses, available online.
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Melissa Bauer serves as the Janus Advancement Chair and has been a Board member since 2015. She is a general partner in a family-owned real estate business.
“Never give up,” is the motto Rose carried with her during her years as a homeless youth in Vancouver, WA. After over five years of homelessness, struggling with addiction and ending up in jail repeatedly, Rose turned a new leaf on life. At 24, she is a supervisor at Papa Murphy’s, has a one-bedroom apartment, spends time with her six-year old son and is completely clean.
Finding affordable housing in the Portland/Vancouver area is difficult in the best of circumstances. For many homeless youth, the challenge may seem insurmountable—that is where Annie Colton steps in. Annie has been working as a Housing Case Manager in Vancouver, Washington for over a year. She provides the lifeboat that helps youth ages 18-25, navigate through the unchartered waters of housing. Working in collaboration with two other caseworkers in The Perch, our Vancouver drop-in center, her job is focused on getting youth off the streets and into stable housing.