GRIOTS REPUBLIC - AN URBAN BLACK TRAVEL MAG - OCTOBER 2016

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TINY & THE <strong>BLACK</strong> <strong>TRAVEL</strong>ER By LeToya Garland The dream of lighter living and career freedom started for Jewel Pearson when her daughter was in kindergarten. They made a pact that once she was living her successful adult life, Jewel’s daughter would buy her mother an RV. Jewel’s dream of downsized living did not change and turned into a reality after reading an article about tiny house living. She was inspired to forgo the more expensive RV in exchange for a tiny home. Jewel spent 1.5 years researching design and construction options before building her home. She found online groups of tiny home owners and quickly realized that people of color were grossly underrepresented within the tiny house movement. This could be in part due to misconceptions about the lifestyle and societal ideals of success. When sharing her dream with family and friends, Jewel was sometimes asked if she was having hard times or needed a place to stay. Popular ideas about success today include a high paying job, expensive car and a big house. Living in a small one room home, off the grid or without typical utility sources could remind some people of involuntary impoverished living. Jewel made a conscious choice to start simplifying and downsizing her life over the course of 10 years. One year prior to the construction of her tiny home, she was living in a one bedroom, one bath apartment in preparation for her transition. First home ownership goals can be a po-
for tiny home costs because many of them are built without mortgage loans. It is also difficult to find a legal definition of a tiny home and most cities and states have few if any regulations regarding their construction. Many home owners within the community have built their homes with costs ranging from $30,000 to over $80,000. Construction expenses can vary depending on the types of materials used and the amount of labor needed. Some tiny home owners are compelled to contribute their own labor, design skills or collect free/ recycled materials for construction to help reduce costs. sition of status. “You don’t have to give up luxury to go tiny. ”comments Jewel. She wants to share her experience as a “normal” home owner whose house just happens to be tiny.The only sacrifice she has made was moving away from the big city. Tiny house living can help families achieve home and land ownership much faster than typical mortgage loans for homes with higher living expenses. This allows families to build generational wealth. Then begin to make choices about careers that will avoid the trap of working to pay bills instead of fully enjoying the freedom and experiences of life. According to Zillow, the median home price in the United States is $188,100 and the median rent price is $1,575. There are no official statistical reports The challenges of tiny home ownership start with the decision of the type of home you want to build. Does a moveable or stationary tiny home interest you? Do you want to buy land or rent space in a backyard or an RV/mobile home park? Do you want to have off grid or on grid utility design? Like choosing any neighborhood, your choice of location can impact the type of home you build and your quality of living. Many RV/mobile home parks are in rural areas. Some of those communities may be more diverse and welcoming than others. You can build a tiny home without relying on any city infrastructure. Heat and electricity can be provided using propane and solar power. Water can be collected and stored in tanks. Black water tanks can be installed and serviced for sewage and waste water collection. Depending on the city, you can simply get connected to their infrastructure for
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DJ SUPER NOVA & OTHELLO THE REMIX L
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Ouigi Theodore, creative director,
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GALOW By Davita McKelvey
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how i stay inspired and when times
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WE MAKE TRAVEL BETTER BRAZIL FEB 20
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Page 59 and 60: 03 JASON ANDREW TRAVELER PROFILE Ja
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Page 85: LeToya Garland got her first taste
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GRIOTS REPUBLIC - AN URBAN BLACK TRAVEL MAG - OCTOBER 2016

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