People who live in Memphis’ poor codes not only die sooner than anyone else in Shelby County.
They die sooner than people in developing nations like Ecuador and Bolivia.
That someone born in South Memphis may not live to age 70 while, according to the CIA World Factbook, someone born in those two poor, Latin American countries may live to age 74, may not surprise many folks.
But what also shouldn’t surprise many folks is that residents in 38126 and 38106, people who live in a rich nation but struggle to live as long as people in impoverished ones, might give the side-eye to a government that suddenly seems to value their lives.
Angelica Butler was tired of having to out herself as a transgender
woman every time she applied for a job or tried to rent an apartment. Prospective landlords and employers rejected applications when her identity documents didn t match her gender, ultimately throwing her in-and-out of homelessness for seven years. I was at a place in my life where for me to have a home of my own is a big deal because I didn t want to be out on the streets, Butler said.
Now,
with its own bedroom and kitchen
in Memphis, Tennessee,
as part of a
landmark project started by grassroots organization My Sistah s House to help solve transgender homelessness. The effort broke ground in January and hopes to build 20 tiny homes in total, five of which will be completed this year.