Join childhood friends Nicole Igarashi and Christine Veasey as the press back on the pressing issues of our times.

S1, E3: Homeless at Disneyland Part 1 confronts the stark realities of homelessness with a gripping personal account of living in a South Philly encampment behind a Walmart during the COVID-19 pandemic (June 2020 - October 2021). Hear about the day-to-day survival, from makeshift 'glamping' and sourcing food to the mental health crisis that led to life on a pier by the Delaware River.

We explore the "Disneyland model" – a concept of hyperreality where simulated experiences can detach us from truth and profoundly impact our lives and society.

The discussion also meanders around the broader housing crisis, the influence of private equity on housing availability, the insidious nature of coercive control, and the challenging journey toward healing, stability, and finding agency.

Keywords: Simulation Theory, Homelessness, Podcast, Mutual Aid, Philadelphia, South Philly, Encampment, Hyperreality, Mental Health, Housing Crisis, Survival, Social Commentary, Activism, Poor People's Army, Pandemic, Coercive Control, Strange Attractors Podcast, Ask The Oracle

Links:https://homelessness.ucsf.edu/our-impact/studies/california-statewide-study-people-experiencing-homelessness