On Friday, November 7th, the League of Women Voters of La Plata County held a forum at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post 4 0 3 1 in Durango, where community members experiencing homelessness shared their stories of how they lost stability and security and how they survived day to day. An audience gathered to hear the panelists share their stories, challenge stereotypes, and humanize an often invisible population. You are watching the Local News Network brought to you by Sirius, Texas Barbecue and the FLC Center for Innovation. I'm Sadie Smith.

I'd spent years in service to the military, and then I got out with this idea that there were certain liberties that were preserved from the sacrifice that I'd made. And it broke my heart to see that that wasn't true. It's not like I didn't come home with my own set of issues. I'd watched them die, done my part, and you know, and you carry that with you. And so when I got out in the military, a 26-year-old man, I didn't know how to file my taxes. Military done that for me. I didn't know how to rent a house. Military done that for me, and there are certain expectations this world has of a grown man, and I just didn't meet them.

Stories were exchanged of traumatic childhoods that led to struggles with mental health and substance abuse. Each panelists were called a specific tragedy that uprooted their lives.

I recently lost my partner to suicide, and it became really apparent to me that I needed to be able to take care of myself by myself. So that's what I did, and I just picked myself up and I did the best that I could.

The panelists described challenges in their job searches. Even those with college degrees faced obstacles that made their situation difficult to overcome.

I promise most list would love to get a job, get back to paying rent and owning a car, seeing a doctor or a dentist. But before taking into consideration how unlikely an employer is to consider the resume of anyone whose address is the local shelter.

Organizers and panelists concluded the evening by urging support for accessible laundry and shower facilities and more chances to share their stories. Efforts they say can reduce stigma and build understanding across the community. For more information about this and other stories, visit Durango Local News. Thank you for watching this edition of The Local News Network. I'm Sadie Smith.