StoryCorps Podcast

I listened to StoryCorps: 290 Homeless, Not Hopeless. This podcast consisted of the brief story of  Tierra Jackson discussing her prior struggles in high school. She is telling her story at age 23 to her prior high school principal John Horan. As she discusses the strife of her daily life in high school her principal comments on how frustrating her tardiness and lack of success in school was to him as it was clear she was a bright student. She finally explains and reveals the fact that her struggles stemmed from problems at home. The absence of her mother forced an unnecessary amount of responsibility on Tierra at a very young age which resulted in her struggles with school. She discusses how her run in with poverty and economic issues greatly effected her ability to focus on her own education. She was constantly worrying about taking care of her brother and her mother at home so the last thing she wanted as pity from her teachers or peers. Eventually she realized that she was not receiving pity but support from these people. This acceptance of help allowed her to move onto college and begin to blaze a positive path for herself and her family despite the long hours she still puts in studying. 

The conflict present in Tierras story both past and present was a person vs. society conflict. She was not able to balance the hardships of poverty in an economically unstable society with her personal life. Also the overwhelming response she tended to receive from the people in her community was initially overbearing which created a wall between her and others. While her struggles were mainly based in society they could also be categorized by person vs. person as well as person vs. herself. She felt her mothers absence became her biggest hurdle which created a conflict between her and her mother. Her mothers mistakes seemed to cause issue in her own life which is the exact opposite of what a mother should do. But more indirectly this story focuses on Tierra story on overcoming her own self and gaining self worth. Her overly independent attitude was becoming her own worst enemy and once she was finally able to allow herself to receive help and use others as support for her own well being she was able to succeed.