Steven: “Hi, I’m Steven. What’s your name?”
Naomi: “Naomi.”
Steven: “Nice to meet you, Naomi. We’re in New York City. How have you been?”
Naomi: “Yeah, Bryant Park. I’ve been better but this park is my favorite spot, especially in the early mornings before it gets crowded.”
Steven: “That’s great to hear! How long have you been homeless?”
Naomi: “Going on seven years now. But I don’t really think of myself as homeless anymore. This city…it’s become my home, even if I don’t have an actual home.”
Steven: “What brought you here, to this point?”
Naomi: “I was a dancer. Ballet, mostly. I trained at Julliard and even performed with a couple of big companies. But then I tore my ACL during a rehearsal. The injury ended my career overnight. I didn’t have a backup plan. Dancing was my whole identity, and when I lost that, I spiraled. Couldn’t pay rent, couldn’t keep my life together. Eventually, I just… ended up here.”
Steven: “That’s heartbreaking. Do you ever think about dancing again?”
Naomi: “I do. But not the way I used to. The stage is gone for me. But sometimes, late at night when no one’s watching, I’ll dance in the park. Just for myself. It’s not perfect because I’ve got a limp now but it makes me feel alive.”
Steven: “Do you have any support system out here?”
Naomi: “Not really. I’ve always been kind of a lone wolf. But there’s this little girl I see sometimes—Emma. She’s six. Her mom works one of the food trucks nearby. Emma likes to bring me drawings she makes. She says I remind her of a fairy because of how I move. I’ve kept every single one of her drawings. At some point, she became the highlight of my day.”
Steven: “That’s beautiful. Have you ever told her mom about your story?”
Naomi: “No. What would I say? ‘Hey, your daughter’s the only person who makes me feel human some days?’ I don’t want to put that on them. But Emma… she’s my reminder that there’s still good in the world.”
Steven: “Awh, that’s so sweet of her. What’s been the hardest part for you?”
Naomi: “Honestly? It’s the nights. Not because they’re cold or dangerous, of course they they are but because they’re so quiet. That’s when your thoughts catch up with you. All the ‘what ifs’ and regrets. I can deal with the stares or people ignoring me during the day, but at night, I can’t escape my own mind.”
Steven: “How do you cope with that?”
Naomi: “I read poetry. Sylvia Plath, Audre Lorde, Mary Oliver—they’re my favorites. I collect old books people leave behind, and I carry them with me. When it gets too hard, I find a quiet corner and read until the noise in my head fades. Sometimes, I write my own poems, too.”
Steven: “You write poetry?”
Naomi: “Yeah. I’ve filled three journals so far. It’s my way of processing everything—the good, the bad, the in-between. I keep telling myself that one day, I’ll put it all together in a book. Not just my story, but the stories of all the people I’ve met out here. There’s so much life in these streets.”
Steven: “That sounds incredible. Do you ever share your poetry with others?”
Naomi: “Only with Emma. She’s the only one who’s heard my words. She doesn’t understand all of it, but she listens like it’s the most important thing in the world. That’s enough for me.”
Steven: “What’s something about your life that people would never guess?”
Naomi: “I was married once. Most people don’t believe it when I tell them, but yeah. He was a musician. We were kind of this artsy power couple back in the day. But when I lost my career, I lost myself. And I guess he lost me, too. We grew apart. He’s remarried now, has a family. I’m happy for him, but it’s strange to think about how different my life could’ve been.”
Steven: “Do you ever think about reconnecting with him?”
Naomi: “No. That’s never going to happen. I’m not the person I was when we were together, and that’s okay. But sometimes, when I hear someone playing the cello, it was his instrument, it takes me back for a moment.”
Steven: “What keeps you going, Naomi?”
Naomi: “The possibility of creating something meaningful. Whether it’s a poem, a dance, or even just a moment of kindness for someone else out here. As long as I can create, I can keep moving forward.”
Steven: “If you had three wishes, what would they be?”
Naomi: “First, I’d wish for a little studio where I could dance and write again. Just a space of my own. Second, I’d wish for a world where artists didn’t have to sacrifice everything for their craft. And I’d wish for Emma to grow up in a world that values kindness over everything else. She deserves that.”
Steven: “Naomi, thank you for sharing your story. You’re such a talented and inspiring person, and I truly hope you succeed.”
Naomi: “Thank you so much, Steven.”
As someone who struggled with a sports injury, I know how hard that is. Wishing Naomi the best of luck
sports injuries are so common and it sucks because usually it will mean you can’t play for at least a few months to permanent
She mentioned of Sylvia Plath, Audre Lorde, and Mary Oliver??? She’s got great taste in poetry
Dancing in private or hearing the cello and thinking of her past. I wish I had that when I was homeless
Why?
??? This person wants something to do. When you’re homeless you don’t have much to do.
Ohh sorry, I didn’t mean to be insensitive. I was just confused
I don’t usually leave comments but this one made me feel terrible. Hearing about Emma and how she’s doesn’t want her to be associated with her hits home. Man, that’s enough to make a grown man cry
Imagine what she has to go through and she’s still holding it together
This is why I’m scared to go into sports or do it professionally because it’s so easy to get hurt
I mean it’s not that high but I see what you mean
I love that her final wish is for a world that values kindness above all else, especially for Emma. It’s a simple wish, but it’s everything to her.
when i read about emma, it absolutely shattered my heart. a child knows no wrong because they have an innocent heart. this goes to show how cruel we’ve become
Her longing for a little studio makes me wish we had more affordable spaces for artists.
artists don’t get paid much so they don’t get the best spaces to work in unfortunately
they should honestly get pay more
SO TRUE! WE NEED TO SUPPORT ARTISTSS
This lady could easily be me or you tomorrow. We are all so much closer to homelessness than we think
It’s so sad when there aren’t any friends or family to say,”Come and stay with us”.
if any of my family or friend is homeless, you bet i would help them even if it means selling some of my stuff
To have a job you must have a home. To have a home you must have a job.
a poet indeed
LOLL yeah I can’t imagine working a hard shift and going back without a home… like that’s not just physically exhausting but also mentally.
still im sure a lot of them would prefer to have a job than not which goes to show how big perspective plays
This is shameful letting talent like this slip through the cracks is a sign of how bad the system we have really is.
10 years out of homelessness, I am still healing, but when you’re continually pushed down, healing takes a lot longer than it should.
how are you doing now?
A lot better! I have a wife and three children and although we still live in a small apartment I’m glad I’m around people who are supportive and for a home
I will never complain about my little “issues” again.
I’d love to read what she’s written one day.
Naomi’s been homeless for seven years, but she still calls NYC her home. She must really love it here but it sucks that rent is so high
NYC is known for its high rent. Beautiful city but too expensive for most. Thats why I moved out
I like the helpful info you provide in your articles. I’ll bookmark your weblog and check again here regularly. I’m quite sure I will learn plenty of new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!
Thank you so much!
Wishing her the best of luck!!! Sounds like a really nice person
Appreciate it for this marvelous post, I am glad I observed this site on yahoo.