After being featured in USA Today, the Charlotte community has shown support for local resident Johnika “Nika” Harris, who shared her family’s experience with homelessness to help reduce stigma and increase understanding. Harris, a former school counselor for more than a decade, said she agreed to tell her story to highlight how quickly housing instability can occur.
Harris and her family of five have been homeless for 14 months, following a series of medical and financial challenges, including a multiple sclerosis flare-up, a difficult pregnancy, a jobless summer, and an eviction in September 2024. Since the article’s publication, a GoFundMe created by Harris has raised $38,137 to help support her family.
