There are signs of stability all over Restee Johnson’s two-bedroom apartment.
An elegant sofa. Well-kept plants everywhere. An in-unit washer and dryer.
And the newest addition: a framed graduation certificate from the Corporation for Supportive Housing.
Johnson was one of 12 people to graduate in December from a program called Speak Up! They met twice a month with storytelling coaches, learning how to become advocates for permanent supportive housing. The model, which Indianapolis is trying to promote, combines affordable housing with support services to help people maintain stability.
For Johnson, 64, the certificate that sits on the end table next to his couch is further proof of how far he’s come the past six years after two decades of homelessness.
“Sometimes my bed was nothing more than a piece of cardboard to separate my body from the cold, hard concrete,” he said.
Johnson came to Indianapolis in 2008 to reconnect with his son. Now, he has three grandchildren. And he wants to use his story to help others.
Johnson talked to Mirror Indy about his journey from homelessness to advocate. The interview has been edited lightly for clarity and brevity.
I’d like to start by talking about your story. Can you take me through your journey?
I’ve been homeless for 20 years. I’ve suffered with borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety. I’ve done a 12-year prison sentence. Suffered with alcoholism, drug addiction and chronic homelessness.
Before permanent supportive housing, I resided at Wheeler Mission.
But if you want to go back to when I first became homeless, I was in Wisconsin. I was getting an associate degree. I was a full-time machine operator at a packaging company, and I experienced a severe back injury.
From that point forward, my life was like a relentless cycle of trauma, survival and chronic homelessness.
It’s kind of hard to find that hope shot while living in a tent under a bridge or sleeping on a park bench. Sometimes my bed was nothing more than a piece of cardboard to separate my body from the cold, hard concrete. I was that person in the park at 5 a.m. rummaging through garbage cans for food.
What brought you to Indianapolis in 2008?
I came here to catch my son before he got too old. I wanted to be a part of his life. I was at my worst condition at that time. Herniated disk, alcohol, drugs.
There’s an alley that goes by a liquor store, and there’s an abandoned house at the end of that alley. That’s where I lived for maybe a month or so. Most of the time, I wasn’t on the street. When it got cold, that was it for me.
So you would find abandoned houses and stuff like that?
Abandoned houses. Sometimes I would get money and try to get with people, and when the money was gone I had to move on.
When I got here and I began to learn the streets, I’d be hanging out with homeless people. Then I’d see people walking around with cardboard in their hands. I’m not talking about the signs they write on. I’m talking about big pieces of cardboard. Come to find out, that’s to keep your body from laying on the ground.
How did you get out of that?
I always wanted to get out of it. I would go to detox, and I’d detox and come out and go right back to doing the same thing over again.
I was in jail for 45 days, and I was thinking, “This is it. I’m gonna change my life from this point on.” I had it in my heart that I was going to do something different.
So I went to Adult & Child. And they put me on the housing list and introduced me to Englewood Community Development Corporation. They gave me that hope that maybe I can do this. They told me about senior apartments being built.
So May 9, 2019, a day I’ll always remember. I moved into my apartment.
What were the Speak Up! sessions like?
It was awesome. My coach was an author, storyteller, actor. She was a big encouragement to me. She just showed me how to shape my story of pain into purpose.
I always wanted to reach people. I always wanted my story to have an impact on people that are going to be making laws. And then developers, property managers.
Speak Up! was right up my alley. I wanted to be able to share my story without reading it word for word. And bring up those necessary points that really need to be heard.
I know you’ve done some public speaking. Is that something you want to keep doing? Or are there other things you’re looking at?
I’ve also done some volunteer work with recovery and street outreach.
I want to be that voice. I want to be able to be that powerful voice to let people know there’s hope out here. Maybe my voice can be heard.
I want to be that voice for those that are dealing with mental health issues and those that are being criminalized simply for being unhoused. I want to advocate for housing first policies that house people before they have to meet preconditions.
I see your graduation certificate sitting over there. What does that mean to you?
That’s another credential where I can really speak up and let people know that there’s hope. And speak up for those that don’t have a voice right now, those that are overlooked.
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Mirror Indy reporter Tyler Fenwick covers housing and labor. Contact him at 317-766-1406 or tyler.fenwick@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @ty_fenwick and Bluesky @tyfenwick.bsky.social.
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