Abstract

Twenty-five-year-old former German Action Reconciliation Service for Peace volunteer Line-Marie Eichhorst shares what it was like coming to Cleveland for a year in 2018 for ASRP while living at the Catholic Worker House. Eichhorst recollects her involvement with the Inter-Religious Task Force on Central America and the Witness Against Torture to protest the US military detention camp at Guantanamo Bay. She returned from Germany to Cleveland and the Catholic Worker House in 2024 to undertake a summer internship at the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH). Eichhorst highlights the sense of community she experienced on the Near West Side and hopes to find something similar in her later life.

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Interviewee

Eichhorst, Line-Marie (interviewee)

Interviewer

White, Bali (interviewer)

Project

Near West Side Housing Activism

Date

7-15-2024

Document Type

Oral History

Duration

50 minutes

Transcript

Bali White [00:00:00] We’re gonna record. Hi, everybody. I’m Bali White with the Cleveland Regional Oral History Project. I’m here with Line Eichhorst at Carnegie West Library. Today is July 15, 2024. How are you?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:00:17] Hi. I’m good.

Bali White [00:00:19] Awesome. Okay, so could you introduce yourself, kind of when and where you were born? You could share as little or as much as you’d like?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:00:26] Yeah, sure. Hi, my name is Line-Marie Eichhorst, and I’m from Germany. I was born in 1999 in Berlin, in Germany, and then my family moved to the north of Germany. It’s, like, a very small town called Husum. Yeah, and that’s where I grew up.

Bali White [00:00:42] Awesome. So could you kind of touch base a little bit on your religious background?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:00:48] Yeah, so I think I- Yeah, I grew up kind of, like, without religion in my life. Like, it was not a big part of my life. My family or my mom is, like, both of my parents are registered in church, but that’s kind of- Like in Germany most people are, but you’re not really, like, yeah, like, you don’t have to believe in God to be in the church because it’s like a tax thingy. But I grew up, like Protestant in a way, but it was mostly like, we’re gonna go to church on Christmas, and that’s it. Like, once a year really. And when we talked about God or anything at home, it was like, yeah, not- Like my dad is an Atheist, for example, so it was not like a big part or anything. Yeah.

Bali White [00:01:34] Awesome. So can you talk a little bit about your hometown, like, in terms of what it was like growing up there?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:01:41] Yeah. So we had to move from Berlin, actually, because my neighborhood changed a lot when my family was there. And our landlord, like, we were renting, and the landlord wanted to renovate the house and then, yeah, raise the rent and everything. And in Germany, it’s illegal to do that if someone is still living in there. So as long as you have the contract, that kind of the rent price can fix in a way. I think you can raise it, but only by a certain percentage. So it’s not like in the US that someone could say, okay, the taxes are 70% higher this year. So he really wanted to get us out. And my mom was, like, in the house on her own with us, like, my little brother and me. So she was a bit uncomfortable with the landlord signaling very clearly that he wanted us out. And then we actually, that was one of the reasons why we moved to the north of Germany into, like, a pretty small town. It’s like a fisherman’s town, like a Dutch, like, it’s called, like, not Friesland, I don’t know. But it’s like formerly Dutch region. But, yeah, it was like a small fisherman town with not a lot of people. And in the north of Germany, which is pretty quiet, I would say. So, yeah, that’s kind of how that- It’s hard to describe the town, but, yeah, just small.

Bali White [00:03:07] So what was it like primary and secondary school in Germany? Could you describe that?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:03:14] Yeah. So the primary school, we only had, I think, like two or three in the whole town. So there was not like a lot of options. And I went to the biggest one, I don’t know where every child kind of went to. And they’re not like, they’re all public, I think. And it was just because it was closest to where I live. So, like, it took like a ten minute bike ride every day. And then it’s like, after primary school, there’s like a tracking system in Germany. So depending on how the teachers think you’re doing, you get into, like the lowest school kind of middle school or like the school that kind of prepares you to go to college. And the thing is, like, no matter in what school you are, you have opportunities later to kind of move up. They think you’re still going to make it to college, but it’s a big thing. And then if you’re not meant for college, in a way, there’s like, you can become, like, you only have to go to school for ten years and then I don’t even know how it’s called in English, but you can even become a therapist or something. But you wouldn’t- It’s not college. It’s more like hands-on approach to stuff. And I was sent back then to the lowest school and then. And then I, like, I still made it to college and everything. I got my high school degree in, yeah, in twelve or 13 years. So, like, the regular way. But it’s- Yeah, there’s a tracking system at a pretty young age in Germany. Yeah. So that was kind of-

Bali White [00:04:51] So after that you went to college, I’m assuming yes?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:04:55] Yes, well, when I graduated, and I think I graduated in the 2018, then I did, like, the ARSP gap year after. Yeah, right after high school. And then after that I went back to go to college. Yeah.

Bali White [00:05:10] So could you talk a little bit about the ARSP, kind of how you got involved with that and a little bit about what you were doing when you were involved with that?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:05:21] Yeah. So should I introduce ARSP as well or? So ARSP is like an organization that was founded after World War Two by Protestant Christians, and it was kind of meant as an effort of reconciliation. And the philosophy behind it was kind of to offer the countries that were occupied by the Nazis and then Israel in the US, because they had a lot of Jewish refugees and took in a lot of people, to offer them, like, young Germans to go there and to do voluntary work as a form of connecting again and building up, like, ties and connections. And my grandparents actually did one of the first projects. I think they went to a concentration camp, like a former concentration camp in Poland, and that helped to not restore it, but to preserve it as a museum, because, like, back then, it was, a lot of Germans were like, we’re just gonna tear down everything and forget about it. And the organization was kind of like, we have to preserve stuff to show future generations. And yeah, my grandparents are very, like, active in general, like, activists, and they did one of the first projects, I think, and they actually got a lot of, like, backlash for that from their neighbors and stuff because they thought it was a bad thing to do. And they told me about it. It was not a big part or anything. It was just like, when they were, I don’t know how old they were, but it was just, like, a few months that they worked with that. But we were aware of the organization, I think then my mom googled the organization [laughs] or something. So when I was looking for what can I do after high school? That kind of came up, and then I saw the project that they were, like, promoting online, and they all seemed really different to the usual gap year. Like, I’m gonna go to teach English at a school or something. I didn’t want to do something like that and something that’s actually, like, impactful. And I also didn’t want to do, like, work and travel, and then, yeah, I just came across ARSP and signed up and went to- Like, they have a lot of, like, you have to go through a lot of workshops and seminars and everything, but, yeah, so that was good.

Bali White [00:07:43] So is it common for a lot of students to take a gap year after high school?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:07:48] Yeah, I think, yeah, a lot of people do it. Like, my best friends went to Australia to do, like, just work and travel or to, yeah, to teach English or German to kids in Africa or, yeah, there are a lot of projects, and I think it’s definitely more common than in the US. Yeah, yeah.

Bali White [00:08:10] So when you came to Cleveland, exactly what year did you come to Cleveland for the first time?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:08:17] I came into Cleveland in September 2018. Yeah.

Bali White [00:08:22] And that’s when you were a volunteer for the ARSP?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:08:26] Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I was with ARSP, and they organized everything. So first we went to Philadelphia with, because there are multiple, like, volunteers in different cities in the US, and then we spent a week in Philadelphia for preparation, and then I was the only one back then who went to Cleveland. And then I worked for the Inter-Religious Task Force on Central America for a year. And that was kind of my project. And I think IRTF is, like, very different to all the other projects because most projects are in Jewish communities, like Jewish elderly homes or NGOs or something. And IRTF is kind of like a special relationship to ARSP and that it’s very different from the rest of the project. Yeah.

Bali White [00:09:11] So could you talk a little bit about the IRTF, like, what exactly you were doing there?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:09:16] Yeah, so I was one of the, like, full time staff people there, then there. I think currently, yeah, they have four, including the German volunteer that they have every year. And I did a lot of different tasks, I would say. But I think the main purpose of the organization is kind of to educate, especially Americans, about the impact that US foreign policy has on Central America and other countries. And so I did so many things. I went to high schools, we offered workshops for high school students. We took a trip to the border in Arizona. I went to Washington, DC, for the Witness Against Torture thing. And then I organized some protests, fundraisers, just meetings and outreach. And I did a lot on the- We have a newsletter that’s kind of reporting on human rights abuses, and I did a lot of that. So, like, reading through news and then summarizing it and sending it out to people. It was a lot of, like, organization work, just sending emails, asking for money and talking to people and giving workshops and asking speakers if they want to join. And, yeah, it was really a lot of work and a lot of different kinds of work, but it was really nice. Yeah.

Bali White [00:10:58] So could you kind of describe your general thoughts about Cleveland when you first came here?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:11:05] Yeah, it was really funny because I did not apply for Cleveland. I didn’t even know Cleveland as a city. I didn’t know the name or anything. And I think I applied for the- Because there are multiple countries you can apply for. I think I applied for, like, the US as my first option, then Russia or something as the second one. So I really didn’t know- I think I had Chicago in mind when I wanted to come here because they have, like, a project for homeless people. And I wanted to do something like that, like policy work and, like, NGO work. But, yeah, I didn’t- I wasn’t aware of, like, Cleveland as a project and IRTF at all. And then they kind of put you in projects that they think will fit. So when I came, I really didn’t have any idea about Cleveland. And then I kind of picked up on, like, some things about Cleveland in the media, and I googled it and just the reputation, I think it has a really not a bad, but not a good reputation in the US. Like, it has a certain, like, image. And so I was first, I was a bit, like, scared to come to Cleveland and everything. And then when I arrived, I think first of all, like, I think that just in general, the US, but I was really amazed by how big and spread out everything is and just, yeah, you feel like there’s a lot of, like, empty space, but it’s not like, unclaimed. It’s like, just everything seems way too big and it’s like, wow. So I felt very much like in a movie set in the first few months. [laughs] And then I don’t know, I really, through the year, I really got to, like, I really love Cleveland. And I think it has, I think the people here, like, because I was in the community and in Ohio City, I think that really helped to get to see, like, a specific side of Cleveland. And I would think as a tourist, it would be very different to be here. But I think it’s really- You can really see the history of the country in Cleveland. I think it’s really representative, kind of in a way, for a big part of the US that is not shown in the media, for example. And just like, because I went to Detroit as well with a friend when I was here, and that reminded me of Cleveland as well. And it just, yeah, you can see that was meant for way more people and for, like, this whole, this certain time period where there was just a lot of industry and a lot of growth. And now I feel like it’s so, yeah, you can see so much of the US history in the city and the structure of it. And, yeah, it’s really special. I really like it. But yeah.

Bali White [00:13:58] How would you say Cleveland differs from, like, a large, like, urban city in Germany?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:14:05] I think the structure, how the city is built and especially the highways because, yeah. Cause it’s so spread out and it’s like, I read a few things while I was in Cleveland 2018 about- I think my roommate told me he was really into that. I think he wrote his Bachelor thesis or something about it, but how the highways were, like, highways were built specifically sometimes through Black communities and all that. And it just, it made so much sense for me then when I was, like, looking at the structure of the city, because it’s really so inconvenient for public transport to get anywhere with your bike or just walk anywhere. And it’s so hard to connect to people as well because everything’s so spread out and you can really live in your own little bubble. And I think that’s- Because in Europe, like, the big cities are way more, like, crowded. It’s way more like New York or something, like, where you really can’t avoid people in that way. And space is just used very differently and, yeah, and here it’s so big and so far away, everything.

Bali White [00:15:18] It’s not as easily, like, walkable.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:15:22] Accessible, yeah, that’s definitely-

Bali White [00:15:23] That’s one big thing about American cities is, like, you need, like, a car or something.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:15:28] Exactly. Yeah. And, like, in Europe, a lot of cities, like the downtown, like, it’s not called downtown, but, like, the inner city, you couldn’t even get there with a car. You can’t even drive in there because it’s meant for people to walk and shop. And, like, especially in Italy, a lot of cities are built like that. And I think, yeah, that’s something that here you really, even if you go to the grocery store or something, which is like five-minute walk, it’s more convenient to just take your car. And some things are not even accessible with public transport. And then everything, like, if I go to, like, Edgewater Beach or something, like, I have to walk 40 minutes or take my bike and the streets are so bad. And then with a car, it’s like five minutes. And it’s like, obviously, if I would have a driver’s license and a car here, I would take the car as well. Like, it really makes it so much- Yeah, I understand every American that picks a car over a bike. [laughs]

Bali White [00:16:26] And it’s even worse when you get into, like, the suburbs because you’re out of the city. So, I mean, it’s, it’s not fun to walk 40 minutes wherever you have to be.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:16:37] Yeah.

Bali White [00:16:38] A car is almost a necessity.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:16:41] Exactly. Yeah.

Bali White [00:16:41] It’s not public transportation, which is almost a bit unreliable.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:16:46] So unreliable. Yeah. And they’re just so someplace you really- There’s no way I put something in Google Maps. And then just for public transportation, there was just this line. It doesn’t exist. You can’t get there.

Bali White [00:16:59] Or you need to take four different buses to do that.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:17:01] 5 hours. [crosstalk]

Bali White [00:17:07] So you had mentioned you were going for a protest in DC for Witness Against Torture. Can you talk a little bit about that? What year and kind of what you were doing?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:17:19] Yeah, I forgot the- I think it was already in 2019 in the beginning of the year, but I’m not sure, because they have this like one week gathering every year and I forgot the date, but it was like a fasting. Like we did a water fast for, I think, five days or a week in solidarity with the prisoners in Guantanamo. And, yeah, I went down there with IRTF and it was organized together with Amnesty International, I think. And it was really interesting because there was just a lot of different protests and vigils organized throughout Washington, DC. And we had a protest in front of the White House and we wore the orange prisoner suits that are known for Guantanamo. And then we stood in front of the White House and I forgot if it was like some other court, an important court or something where you weren’t allowed to go on the steps. And then some people did that in order, like, to get arrested. And, yeah, it was really interesting to see all the different activists from, like, all over America or from all over the US and just to see this, like, specific community. And then we also had, like, one of the former prisoners in Guantanamo, I believe, he called in, like, via Zoom or something. So we, like, he gave a statement. And I think it was, there was this, maybe I’m imagining this, but I think there was one prisoner who actually built up, like, a friendship with one of the prisoner guards in Guantanamo. Now together they do, like, advocacy work against Guantanamo. And I think it was- I forgot his name. I should have googled that. But, yeah, it was really interesting to hear just the- Yeah, I was aware of Guantanamo before, even as a child because my parents were like, that was one of, like, the things I remember when Obama was elected that my parents were like, oh, yeah, he wants to close this prison. But I never knew, like, just the whole tech, like, the technical, legal things about it being outside of the US and then people being in there without even the possibility of a trial. I was really unaware of that and was really interesting and eye-opening to hear all of that and, yeah, and just to see the people, because the people who got arrested, they were like sisters, I think, not sisters, like, how do you call it? Nuns? Nuns, yeah. They were in their seventies and they willingly got arrested and they had to spend a night in a detention and we had to go to different courts to get them out, and they took, like, their shoelaces and belts from them and didn’t even offer them any food. And it was so- Yeah, just really- And then we went into a court where they were, like, supposed to have their hearing and just to see the different people who had to show up for, like, I forgot the name, but to get a decision from the judge, there was a guy who sold a single cigarette, and he was in front of the judge, like, a homeless guy, and then the two 80-year-old ladies that got arrested for protesting and then another guy who was on for murder or something. Like, it was really so interesting to see this part of the US justice system. Yeah.

Bali White [00:21:06] For sure, So when you were here in 2019, were you living in the Catholic Worker House at that point?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:21:11] Yeah, because it’s, like, so far, it’s been, like, the place for the ARSP volunteers to stay at, and they have a long relationship with the Catholic Worker.

Bali White [00:21:21] Can you kind of describe your experience with that? Like, what it was like working or living in that house?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:21:27] Yeah, it was really, really different just because I just moved out from my parents, and I had never lived on my own before. And at that point in the house, I lived together with Dan McCarthy, who I think was 25 back then. He was, like, a law student and a volunteer at the house. And then Patrick. I don’t know how old Patrick was, but a man in his fifties, I would say, [laughs] and Clarence, I also don’t know how old Clarence was. And then Wilbur Patrick and Clarence used to live or experienced homelessness before. And I think at that point, they already lived at the Catholic Worker for, like, six or eight years, so a long time. Yeah, I’m pretty sure. And Wilbur had worked for IRTF before as well. And then I think at that point, he worked for the Salvation Army. So, yeah, I lived together with four men, all older than me, [laughs] all from very different backgrounds. But, yeah, it was really- I really enjoyed living as a Catholic Worker. And then we had dinners with the community together four times a week, I would say, yeah, and then it’s like, you cook, or you can sign up to cook for everyone, and it’s kind of expected of you if you live at the house to cook, and then you have different chores in the house that you kind of have to do. And, yeah, I really, really enjoyed the dinners because I got to talk to or just listen to so many people that I would never have picked up a conversation with on the streets or anywhere else, and I was just like, yeah, you just know what’s going on in people’s lives in a way. And, yeah, before, like, when I lived with my parents, I didn’t even know my neighbors. Like, really, like, I would say hello to them. I knew their names, but I did not know if they- Yeah, I didn’t know anything about their lives or anything. And through the dinners, I just kind of knew what was going on in Cleveland, the policy decisions that were, like, brought up and discussed at dinner or just- Yeah, how everyone’s day was. Cause we started with, like, we had, like, house meetings and everyone would just reflect how their week was and everything. And I think, yeah, it took me a while to adjust, and I was really overwhelmed and exhausted at the beginning, but then later on, and especially looking back, I was, like, really, really grateful for that. And I think it’s- Yeah, it’s just very unique, especially in, like, the western society, to live in a community and to have that in that sense. Yeah.

Bali White [00:24:27] So after your internship in 2019, you left Cleveland. What exactly were you doing after that?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:24:36] Yeah, so the ARSP internship or peace service, it’s called peace service, but it’s, like, scheduled for a year. So then after, like, most people leave. So, yeah, I think, yeah, I went back, and then in September, I went back in August? Yeah, but just a month later, I started studying in Germany and I studied in Hamburg for a year. I studied sociology and history, and then COVID started and everything was moved online, and I really did not manage to do my homework and show up to class. [laughs] And the classes were really weird because in Germany, there’s just the whole internet thing. They haven’t worked that out so well or technology in general. [laughs] So, yeah, we had actually landline phone calls with my professor, and I was like, I can’t do this. So then I dropped out, and then I started studying in the Netherlands, and I started studying European law. And now I’m, like, my last semester of that. When I come back, I’m going to finish my last semester, and then I have my bachelor in European law. But yeah. That was what I did. Yeah.

Bali White [00:25:53] So you came back to Cleveland and that is because you have an internship at NEOCH, correct?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:26:02] Yeah, I came, like, I came back to the US because my college in the Netherlands has a partner university in Vermont. And, like, when I was applying, I thought, oh, like, I always wanted to see Vermont and, like, Bernie Sanders and Ben and Jerry’s and everything. [laughs] I was really excited. And I then I thought, well, if I’m in the US, obviously I have to go back to Cleveland. And then I came back for spring break, just for a week. And I didn’t plan to stay longer than my semester, but I, like, because I was a bit hesitant, first to come back just because I’m really bad at keeping in touch. And it’s been four years, and everything changed. I was just a bit scared. But then I came back for spring break, and it was really, really nice, and I just, like, realized how much I miss everyone and, yeah, and then I thought, because I know Chris Knestrick. He’s, like, the executive director of NEOCH, and he also went with me to DC with Witness Against Torture. He was actually there, and he’s, like, a part of the Catholic Worker as well. And, yeah, I took journalism classes in Vermont, and my internship had to be related to journalism, if I, like, for the visa purposes. So then I thought I knew about the street paper that NEOCH, the organization I worked with, had, like, it’s written by and for homeless people. So then I- That’s such a long story. But then I contacted Chris and was like, could I work for the newspaper? And, yeah, and that’s why I’m here for two more months, because I got the internship and, yeah, it’s really fun.

Bali White [00:27:48] So you’re currently living at the Catholic Worker House again?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:27:53] Again, yeah.

Bali White [00:27:54] Would you say the dynamic is similar to what it was like back in 2019?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:28:00] No, I think it really, really changed. I think because right now it’s only, like the two other ARSP volunteers. Now, NEOCH also has a regular ARSP volunteer, like, the first time ever, but now it’s only the two of them living in that big house. And it’s very different. Yeah, it’s way- There’s just not as much going on in the house, and it’s a bit more, like, lonely and yeah, just the community aspect. I mean, we still have dinners four times a week, but I think it’s still very more quiet and everything than when I used to live there. And, yeah, it’s not housing currently, it’s not housing homeless people anymore. And I think that’s a big part of the Catholic Worker and what they want to do just, that I think that, like, there’s so much empty space in a time where a lot of people need housing or support is a problem. And that’s a big discussion in the community right now. Yeah.

Bali White [00:29:10] So are you- Do you currently volunteer at the Catholic Worker Storefront?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:29:16] Yeah, just on Fridays and just for the past two months. That was also, like, one of the chores kind of, that you could sign up for at the house meetings. It’s also part of the Catholic Worker. And when I was here in 2018, I think I helped there like once or twice, but not on a regular basis. And this time, yeah, I’ve been there for the past two months every Friday. And yeah.

Bali White [00:29:41] What are some of your duties there?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:29:43] It’s just setting up things, opening up and then serving food is really, like someone, like, I’m not doing the cooking, so someone else brings in lunch, and then we just give it out. Talk to people. I do a lot of, like, washing dishes, [laughs] just talking to people. But, yeah, it’s really nice because I know a lot of, I recognize a lot of people that I’ve known from, like, 2018 that come in and just to see, yeah, just to see the Ohio City community in a way, like, who lives in Ohio City and how everyone changed and yeah, it’s, yeah.

Bali White [00:30:27] Would you say a lot of people are using the services there? There are a lot of, like, homeless people that come in?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:30:34] Yeah. At least the food is always gone. And I think for, like, because the Storefront is really small and, like, it’s not, I would say it’s not like a space that’s, like, promoted or anything in a fashion that, like, other homeless facilities are. So I think considering that it’s very, like, there are a lot of people, I’m so bad with numbers, but we have, like, I think, like, 60 meals or something or more that we could give out, and they’re always gone and it’s always full. So, yeah, I would say there are a lot of people.

Bali White [00:31:11] So I guess I’m curious, as someone who doesn’t come from, like, a very, like, strict Christian background, what is it like living at the Catholic Worker House? Do you feel like religion is, like, a really key part of that or?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:31:28] Mmm, I think so, but I think not in the way that I expected it to be, because I was really, like, really Atheist and very against the church as an institution, everything when I came, and that was actually something that I was really concerned about because I think I don’t want to support something like that. Like, not something that’s, like, preachy and trying to get people to join the Catholic Church, but I think it’s, like, very religious in the sense that it takes a lot of strength and, like, the foundation for the community from religion, but in a way that is, like, open to everyone and that it’s not like you have to be Catholic or define yourself as Catholic. I think it’s more like that it’s- Yeah, it’s like a religious in a sense that they define their efforts and what they’re doing as religious, but they welcome everyone who’s doing the same. And you don’t have to call it, like, Catholic or whatever. And I think when I came, like, for example, the whole story or the whole history of Dorothy Day and the founders and everything that was not communicated really to me. It was not like, oh, this is our history. But I picked it up mostly through, like, there are books about Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker and everything, but it’s not like they are like, we are the Catholic Worker, and these are the rules, and you have to follow them if you want to be here. But it’s where you get to experience the community and this form of religion, believing in God and serving God, and then you’re part of it, no matter how you would define that or name it or something. And it really changed my view on religion and, yeah, and the Catholic Worker and, yeah, I think it’s a really great way of serving God.

Bali White [00:33:27] So back to, like, your internship at NEOCH. So could you share what you’re, like, currently involved in with that?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:33:34] Yeah, so I’m working for the Street Chronicle, it’s called, and it’s like the newspaper that is written mostly from homeless people, for homeless people. And it’s, it was called the Grapevine or something before that. And I think it’s, like, the oldest street paper in Cleveland, and it’s been around for a long time. And my, so I’m working together with Tony, who’s, like, doing most of the work for the Street Chronicle. And we’re kind of just like, for the past two months, we were looking into ways how to get more people involved in selling, because, yeah, people can sell the paper like, they buy it from NEOCH for twenty five cents, and then they sell it for $1.25. So they make a dollar profit. And it’s like this model that I think exists in a lot of cities and also in Europe. And then they can also write articles and poems and paintings and submit that. And it’s- Currently, we have, we don’t have a lot of vendors who want to sell the paper, and it’s really hard to get people to stay. And just because NEOCH is also pretty far away, not really accessible, it’s in Midtown, and just to keep in touch with people who are on the streets is really a lot of work. So we were just looking in how to promote the paper more or how to just get the public to be aware of the paper and where people sell and just to make a bit more like an effort as an organization, how to make it more accessible for people. And that’s mostly what I’ve been working on for the past two months.

Bali White [00:35:29] So I guess what do you believe to be some of the root causes of homelessness in places like Cleveland and other urban environments?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:35:40] That’s such a big question. I feel like there are so many people who did research on this and who can really give you a very compact answer. But I think it’s- I think what’s really important to understand is that it’s not individuals life decisions, that it’s not the failure of a person that got them to be homeless, but that it’s a system that is set up like that is not promoting, but that it’s profiting from homelessness and that there are institutions that profit from people that don’t have a home and that it’s a structural and intersectional issue and racism issue and, yeah, not someone being lazy or having a bad mental health day or anything like that. And I think that’s a really big misconception. And I think it’s also the case in Europe. Not only in the US, but I think in Europe at least, there is some sort of a welfare state that recognizes that we as a society have, like, responsibility for each other and need to help each other and that it’s not something that is like, I mean, in some place like it is to a certain extent, but I think it’s more acceptable that the state is like, obviously we, we have to help people. But I think in Europe it’s also the same that certain institutions are profiting from homelessness. But, yeah, in the US it’s really obvious, I think. Yeah.

Bali White [00:37:24] So I guess, would you say, like, in the US it seems that there are like, more cases of homelessness than compared to Europe?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:37:33] Yeah, I think so. I think the reasons are, there are more reasons why you could be homeless. And I think- Yeah, it’s just that I don’t know that you, that you’re homeless for, especially the criminal justice system, I think, is very different in the US and that you, like, have- That you can go into prison or something for like, minor things, like, yeah, and the- I think the structure of racism is also pretty. Or is more obvious in the US and the criminal justice system and, yeah, and just for, like, things or, I don’t know, like being charged or going into debt for calling in an ambulance like something like that. I think that’s a just so, so obvious that that’s, that should be wrong and that that’s- Yeah, and I think that’s, in the US, that’s a bit broader scale. Yeah.

Bali White [00:38:36] So kind of back to the Catholic Worker House. Are there any people that you met along the way that kind of had, like, an effect on you? Like, a positive effect?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:38:48] Yeah, definitely. I feel like everyone in the community in one way or another. I think in general, like, the spirit is such a bad word, but just the Catholic Worker. Yeah, the spirit of the Catholic Worker, in a way of, like, just seeing your, yeah, your purpose as to, like, as seeing yourself as, like, a servant in a way. And on that scale, because I feel like the activism that I witnessed before was very, like, a comfortable one. Like, I’m gonna go to a protest on Saturday, and then I’m gonna get my, like, coffee, iced coffee on the way back. There was very much this and a lot of also, like, yeah, like, taking pictures and just in a very comfortable way that is very much, like, not part of your life as soon as you leave the physical space. And I feel like the Catholic Worker really has this approach of, like, this is my life. I’m a servant for God or for the poor or whatever. But I think that the kind of work and the dedication to it, that was just something that was very inspiring for me. And just seeing people. It sounds really, like, corny, but just who are working and not- Yeah, it’s really hard to say, but I think just the dedication to the work they’re doing, the openness, that was really inspiring for me. And I think there’s so many- Like, I’ve never seen so many, like, great people in one space, like, so many people that I really, really admire, and that really shaped me.

Bali White [00:40:50] And that’s something that I’ve noticed just by doing these interviews is just, like, this sense of community.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:40:55] Yeah.

Bali White [00:40:55] Everybody, you know, is, in a sense, there for one another, which is just amazing to see. You wouldn’t think of something like that in, like, an urban environment like Cleveland at all.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:41:06] Yeah, exactly.

Bali White [00:41:06] And it’s what’s really- It’s honestly amazing. Especially because, like, I’m from the suburbs, and, like you said, you said hello to your neighbors, but you didn’t know them.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:41:15] Yeah.

Bali White [00:41:16] You know, just by doing these interviews and talking to everybody, you kind of see that, like, everybody knows somebody on one of these streets.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:41:25] Yeah, exactly.

Bali White [00:41:31] It’s just really awesome to see. So you’re set to leave Cleveland on the 19th. Are you returning home, or what is the next step?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:41:38] Yes, I’m gonna go home back to my parents for a month and work. I have, like, a summer job. And then in September, my last semester in the Netherlands starts. So, yeah, I’m gonna be one month I’m gonna be in Germany, and then in September, I’m gonna be back in the Netherlands.

Bali White [00:41:59] So what do you hope to do with your degree?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:42:02] That’s a good question. [laughs] It changes every day now. [crosstalk] Yeah. I think I really want to do something where I know that I’m actually, like, that sounds so corny again, but, like, that I’m changing something. But just that I feel like that’s so great about the Catholic Worker, for example. Like, that you feel like you can see the impact of your work, and it’s not even like, oh, I’m helping people, but it’s like, no, I’m just part of a community that creates community for people. Even, like, for me, like, the Catholic Worker, the community just gives, like, just being in there is so valuable, and so yeah, just, so valuable. So I feel like that’s something I really took with me. Like, just this, craving for being part of a community in that way. And, I would like my work that I do later kind of to be something like that, not detached and not something that I, like, that is so, that’s just like a job. And then I go home and I have my private life. I kind of just want to be surrounded by people, like, here that I know that I’m in good company and I’m doing something that is nothing hurting anyone. [laughs] Yeah, it’s really hard to find something like that, I think. Because I think a lot of the careers and jobs are right now are like, yeah, obviously that you earn enough to have a good life or whatever, or stay to have something to eat, and then it’s very individualistic. Like, you have your job and your career, and you focus on yourself, and then you get kids, and then you need a better job. Something like that. And I feel like, yeah, I- Recently, I’ve been taking, like, journalism class and everything, and I read a lot by, like, Amy Goodman or something, like Democracy Now and just, like, community journalism. Like, that is, like, nonprofit and serves the community, and that is, like, a form of journalism that I wasn’t aware of before. And in Vermont, I got the opportunity to, I don’t know, cover, like, town meetings, and it’s like you’re- Yeah, it’s so different than to, like, the New York Times big scale, like, national coverage, but, like, how important it is that you. Yeah, you cover, like, a little small-town meeting and stuff like that. So I don’t know. I’ve been thinking a lot about that. Maybe the law degree was not the best choice, [laughs] but I think it helps to understand the institutions and the scale and everything. So, yeah, it’s something I’ve been looking into for the past year, so I have to make a decision pretty soon, but we’ll see.

Bali White [00:45:11] So after you finished your degree, do you have plans to eventually come back to the United States?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:45:20] That’s really- Yeah, I’ve been thinking a lot about that. I feel like I could not live in the US, like, for a long time, for, like, a year is really what I could do in the future, especially because, like, my family, my friends are still in Europe. And I also feel like that’s a community for me as well. And I don’t want to leave my family, and it’s like a long distance, so it’s really hard and the time difference and yeah, just if something happens, I want to be close and everything, but I definitely plan to come back. And I feel like, yeah, as I said, I feel like this community really changed me in the way that before I was like, oh, I want to live in a big city and, I don’t know, be cool journalist or lawyer or whatever. And now it’s like, I think way more about the decision. Like, where do I move and do I know people? And I want to be part of, like, the neighborhood. I want to know the neighborhood and this, they just be part of my surroundings more and not so much, like, focused on, yeah, like, career or anything. And I think that’s like this- I think I got a lot of, like, knowledge about what community means and how you can even sustain it and how much work goes into that, because it’s a lot. And, like, there are days where, yeah, I always wanted to just not be part of the dinners, just when I wanted to hide in my room or something, but I think, yeah, that’s really, like, a lesson I took away, just like, yeah.

Bali White [00:47:01] For sure. So as you’re set to leave the 19th, I guess, what would you say that Cleveland has done for you as a person?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:47:15] Like, yeah, I think what I mentioned before, just that I think I’m way more aware of community. I don’t know, it’s such a big word, but of community of the people around me, how we are still, no matter if you want it or not, we are connected. And it’s so much more comfortable too. And it’s also, like, promoted by everything, how we’re raised and everything. But just to look at your own life and kind of feel like I have to look out for myself, and I have to achieve some sense of security through money or whatever. And I think just that- I think I took away from the year, my year in Cleveland, just this belief that I think a lot of the issues we have right now, especially the structural and fundamental issues that seem so overwhelming and so depressing that I think even it sounds really vague and corny in a way, as well but I really, truly believe that coming together as neighbors in communities and not friends, but just as people who acknowledge that we live, no matter if we want it or not, together in one city or in one place, that coming together and talking and knowing what’s going on in people’s life and trying to understand and just existing together, I think that’s really, like, a very powerful and necessary step. And I admire everyone who, like, creates community, and I think that’s like a goal of mine for the future, to just be part and create community.

Bali White [00:49:06] Very well said. So we’re gonna actually wrap up this interview. Do you have any last thoughts?

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:49:13] No, I think I’m more or less said everything. [laughs]

Bali White [00:49:16] Yeah, perfect. Okay. Well, I am Bali White. Today is July 15, 2024. I’m here with Line Eichhorst.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:49:26] Yeah!

Bali White [00:49:28] I said that right? awesome. Alright.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:49:30] Thank you.

Bali White [00:49:30] Thank you so much for your time.

Line-Marie Eichhorst [00:49:32] Thank you very- [audio stops]

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