An immigrant from Zimbabwe, Salma spent 16 years waiting to become a citizen of the United States. On the day of her welcoming naturalization ceremony, the day she cried tears of joy, Salma exercised her first right as a citizen: She registered to vote.
Real Stories
Tent Life: Reflections on Experiencing Homelessness as a Child
"There was a complicated set of circumstances that caused us to live in a tent, but laziness wasn’t one of them. I have worked since I was 10 years old. There wasn’t a single member of my family that wouldn’t have moved heaven and earth to get out of our situation." Barbara Abelhauser shares what it was like to spend much of her childhood living in a tent with her family.
A Stable Home Helped Sam Find Community, Purpose, and a Passion for Art
Read how an apartment supported by the Seattle Housing Levy transformed the life of one budding artist, and find out how you can ensure our city continues to invest in affordable homes.
“I’ll Never Give Up”: Sahro Farah on Tenants’ Rights
Advocate Sahro Farah celebrated a victory last week when the Seattle City Council banned rent hikes on unsafe properties.
“It Was Very Cold and Very Dark”: Single Mother Evicted From Her Home
Gretchen Waschke fell behind on her bills while going through a divorce, and arrived home one night to find her water and electricity shut off. There was an eviction notice on her door, and she spent a sleepless night wondering where she and her daughter would live. In a new video recorded at Building Changes' "Talk It Up: Stories of Home, Lost & Found" event, Gretchen shares her story and talks about her current work serving families who are experiencing homelessness.