PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Will Woods, Organizing Intern at Open Hearts Initiative
2:18:35
·
147 sec
Will Woods, an organizing intern for Open Hearts Initiative, shares his personal experiences with homelessness and Crohn's disease to advocate for increased public bathroom access in New York City. He highlights the challenges and indignities faced by those without reliable access to bathrooms, emphasizing the urgent need for the proposed legislation.
- Woods describes the anxiety and embarrassment of not having access to bathrooms while homeless and dealing with Crohn's disease
- He details specific incidents of having to relieve himself on the street, receiving summons, and having to purchase new clothing due to accidents
- Woods stresses the importance of passing the package of bills to address the lack of public bathrooms, calling it a matter of dignity
Will Woods
2:18:35
Thank you, chair wrestler for convening this hearing, and thank you for still being here to hear from us.
2:18:42
My name is Willie Woods, and I'm organizing intern for Open Hearts Initiative.
2:18:46
I was homeless for over 3 years.
2:18:48
I've been diagnosed with severe Crohn's disease over the last 10.
2:18:52
I've been a member of the free to keep campaign since 2018 on one level or another.
2:18:56
It's look, the cause, it's near and dear to my heart.
2:18:59
When I lived in congregate shelter at the time, we still let them meet your requirements.
2:19:04
You had to leave your dorm during the day, which meant that you had to find a place to be, which meant that I didn't have access to a bathroom unless I stayed nearby the facility.
2:19:12
I was always working at the time, so I didn't have cash, and an EBT card wasn't necessarily the right item for a transaction that would get me into some place to use a bathroom.
2:19:22
It was it's just, you know, very anxiety inducing.
2:19:25
You know?
2:19:26
What am I gonna do?
2:19:27
How am I gonna do it?
2:19:28
And and and what are people thinking about me while it's happening?
2:19:31
I think we've all also seen at least if we have access to a TV commercials for folks with currencies.
2:19:36
And the the through line is that all sufferers usually have urgent need for a bathroom.
2:19:41
I'm here to state that that urgency can be overwhelming.
2:19:44
It to the point where your body takes over and you don't have a choice.
2:19:47
You have to go to a bathroom.
2:19:49
You have to have access to a bathroom.
2:19:53
In fact, when I have a crones flare, I I really can't plan my travel from destination to destination, I have to plan my travel from bathroom to bathroom.
2:20:02
You know?
2:20:03
And, unfortunately, when we're not able to find public bathrooms, our choices are limited.
2:20:09
You know, I've had my body betray me more than once.
2:20:12
I've had to relieve myself on the street and rescue summons.
2:20:15
I've had to make my way through a discount store trying to discreetly purchase new clothing while smelling of human waste.
2:20:21
I've been stuck on a train, bargaining with God to let me get one more stop.
2:20:25
You know, not to mention, you know, the heartbreak of actually finding a bathroom, but then it's inadequate supply, or it's closed, or, you know, I'm in by Bryant Park, and the line is going around the block.
2:20:37
You know?
2:20:37
It's It's just one of those things.
2:20:39
It's it's an incredible level of embarrassment trying to explain to your supervisor via text while you're going to be late or you need to miss a shift because you're having another road trip malfunction.
2:20:50
It's just frankly, in 2024, no one should have to experience that kind of indignity.
2:20:56
And it's time to hopefully be able to pack, you know, pass these bills as a package.
2:21:01
Thank you.
