“I like taking pictures of other people and I like taking pictures of myself… because I’m photogenic.”
Tanika Faircloth is a 34-year-old Seattle native and a Real Change vendor. She’s also ruthlessly honest.
Wearing her blue summer dress, Faircloth expressed her love for doing makeup and nails and hair — fitting, because she works at a salon focusing on hair styles such as braids. She described it as “just girls’ stuff,” smiling.
Faircloth, who started with Real Change back in 2016 through a friend’s recommendation, is no stranger to a difficult life. She remembers losing her family’s place of living when she was a teenager.
“I can’t really say I’ve been homeless, but I know I’ve been displaced before,” Faircloth said. “We stayed with relatives…we weren’t in our apartment. We then stayed at motels.”
Now, she says, things look different.
“I currently have my own place,” she explains. “I’ve been living in my own home for over a year now. A year and a couple of months.”
Her journey has been a tumultuous one. Faircloth has had legal troubles and, she says, she works hard now to not repeat the life she lived.
“I’ve been incarcerated before. I’ve been in and out of jail, but I don’t live that lifestyle anymore. I’m trying to be on a straight and narrow, and Real Change really helped me,” she explains. “I don’t have to do illegal activities to get money. If I have Real Change paper, I can go to a location and I know I’ll make some money.”
Despite her journey to many other states, Seattle has remained home for her. It’s allowed her a place to become more grounded and focus on what matters to her.
“I ignore negative situations because I am not going to get into physical altercations. I let them be. I have to. I have to think about me. I don’t want to be incarcerated again and I need to stay away from the police,” she said.
Faircloth loves Real Change – so much so that she struggles with her customers always donating without purchasing the paper.
“I would rather people buy the paper. I mean I appreciate the donation, but I’m not here for donations alone. I’m actually here to sell the paper,” she said. “If I’m buying a certain amount of papers, I want to sell that number of papers.”
“I would rather people buy the paper. I mean I appreciate the donation, but I’m not here for donations alone. I’m actually here to sell the paper,” she said. “If I’m buying a certain amount of papers, I want to sell that number of papers.”
She’s also puzzled by the assumptions that people make about her when she’s selling papers.
“People come and give me food, because they think I’m homeless. I tell them this paper cost 60 cents and we sell ‘em for $2. But some people would rather go in the store and spend $30 to give me food than actually giving me the $2,” she says.
When asked how she takes care of her mental health and herself in general, she cited religion as her touchstone.
“I have to take a couple of deep breaths. I’m Christian and I believe in a power higher than myself so I pray…the past couple of months and years, I had friends that committed suicide. I’ve been dealing with a lot of grief and loss of family. I just continue to pray and keep my faith in God.”
Faircloth is a prolific writer, as well.
“I also like to journal. I like to write when I get stressed. I’ve been journaling since middle school and throughout high school. I still keep those journals,” she continued.
"I like to write when I get stressed. I’ve been journaling since middle school and throughout high school."
Another inspiration, says Faircloth, is her godchildren.
“My god kids are an inspiration to me,” she explains, smiling. “The oldest just graduated high school — something I didn’t do. They get on my nerves sometimes, but I love them.”
Tanika is one of 300 active vendors selling Real Change. Each week a different vendor is featured. View previous vendor profiles.
Check out the full Aug. 15 - Aug. 21 issue.
Real Change is a non-profit organization advocating for economic, social and racial justice. Since 1994 our award-winning weekly newspaper has provided an immediate employment opportunity for people who are homeless and low income. Learn more about Real Change.