A voice from the streets: a new media publication gives Wilmington’s homeless a new platform

NEW HANOVER, NC (WWAY) — The ‘Real Homeless Herald’ is a newspaper written by individuals experiencing homelessness in order to share their stories. 

Every Tuesday, the staff of the Herald meet at the Living Hope Day Center, a homeless shelter located in downtown Wilmington that provides food, shelter, and supplies to the homeless. 

Herald interviewer Sebastien Bastey-Enriquez says the paper provides an insight to the homeless community. 

“Everyone needs a voice. You never really know what a person is going through unless you hear their peace and everything,” said Enriquez. 

Enriquez has been homeless for years, first in San Antonio, and now here in Wilmington, where the city’s recent no camping homeless ordinance sparked a lot of controversy making the front page of the Herald’s first edition in October. 

The no camping ordinance, passed by the city council last week, makes it unlawful to camp and sleep on city property from 10 pm to 7 am. 

Writers like Zackaryanna Love, who’s been homeless since she was 19, says that the ordinance is one big blanket fix. 

“This is a very large, ‘oh, well this is going to be a fix all solution’ and it’s really about who’s going to enforce it, and what are the alternative options in which we can utilize to, probably, make a more beneficial society for people struggling financially,” said Love. 

The community is also getting involved to help get the Herald published. 

Delia Stanley is the Digital Literacy Specialist for the Cape Fear Literacy Council. 

She partnered with the Real Homeless Herald to provide laptops in order for the writers to work on their pieces. 

She says that representation is key, especially when big decisions affect the homeless so directly. 

“Whenever you’re having a conversation about a group of people, those people should be represented,” said Stanley. 

That is why the ‘Real Homeless Herald’ released its debut edition when it did, attempting to shed light on homelessness experiences. 

“It could be so much, like I said, so major, it might seem minor to you but, if only you knew what they were going through, you’d know a lot more than you realize,” says Enriquez.