Sylvanus, originally from Los Angeles, moved to Portland about thirty years ago at the urging of his oldest sister, who bought him a ticket to help him get away from trouble in LA. Initially, he found the city beautiful and full of opportunities. He worked various jobs, including as a produce man at Safeway, a worker at Service Steel, and in pavement maintenance.

However, Sylvanus struggled with drug addiction, which led to a period of homelessness. His physical health also suffered when he developed sciatica, making it difficult for him to continue with physical labor. Despite these challenges, he eventually decided to get off the streets and joined a program, which helped him regain stability.

Sylvanus now works as a street vendor, selling newspapers, and he joined a writing class and journal group, which he enjoys and finds educational. He has noticed significant changes in Portland over the years, particularly the increase in the homeless population, which he feels has brought the city down. Despite these challenges, he remains hopeful and continues to seek ways to improve his life and contribute to the community.

During his time on the streets, Sylvanus joined a writing class and journal group, which he attended faithfully every Tuesday. This commitment helped him secure permanent housing through Cascadia Mental Health and Behavioral Services, an organization that supports individuals with PTSD and other mental health issues. He has been housed for about seven years and feels that his life has improved significantly, though he acknowledges there is still room for growth.

Sylvanus attributes his past drug addiction to numbing the pain from traumatic experiences, both from his childhood and throughout his life. He is currently receiving support for PTSD but admits to being somewhat closed-off about sharing his trauma. He hopes that continued involvement in the writing class will help him open up more.

Sylvanus dreams of becoming a writer and focuses on nonfiction, particularly self-help stories based on his life experiences. He writes about everyday life and the challenges people face, hoping that his stories can help others. While he has written about his traumatic experiences in the past, he finds it challenging to discuss them, especially with family, though he believes that talking about them helps release the fear and power they hold over him.

Despite his struggles, Sylvanus remains committed to improving his life and is currently navigating a case to secure disability benefits through SSI, which he needs due to his health issues. He continues to find support from his family and the writing community, using these resources to move forward and become the best version of himself.