She is a visitor to AMOC-West, one of our two walk-in centres for homeless EU citizens. Inspired by her own life, she wrote a manifesto. Apt and palpable. Here you will find it, original in English, and translated into Dutch. Meet Lya.
THE MANIFESTO OF THE UNSEEN: LYA'S TRUTH
I am Lya.
I have no mask to hide behind.
No gate to guard me.
No walls of comfort built by someone else's hands.
I work.
I move through this world's structures,
volunteer in its shadows,
and give my energy where it is needed.
They see me work, and they say, "Well done".
They praise me, as if praise were currency,
as if kind words could build me a home,
as if recognition could fill an empty stomach
or warm a cold night.
But I see the truth beneath their applause:
-It was never about working hard or working well.
-It was never about earning dignity.
-Homelessness is not a failure of effort.
It is the design of a world that fails us all.
You want to know what homelessness is?
It is walking the same streets as the housed,
and being invisible.
It is working the same hours, and being no closer to safety.
It is hearing: "If you worked harder, you wouldn't be here",
while knowing that even at your laziest,
you exceed what many call their best.
This world made rules,
and then made exceptions for those it favored.
It taught that success is earned,
but built ladders with broken rungs for the rest.
And still - I climb.
Still - I rise each day.
Not because I believe their myth,
but because I refuse to be erased by their lie.
I am Lya.
I work. I struggle. I endure.
And if you think that homelessness defines me,
you have not looked close enough.
What defines me is that I have seen the truth,
and I still stand.
What defines me is that I walk through the storm,
and I still breathe.
What defines me is that I will not kneel,
not to poverty, not to comfort,
not to the gods who built this broken game.
The MANIFEST OF THE INVISIBLE: LYA'S TRUTH
I am Lya.
I have no mask to hide behind.
No gate to protect me.
No walls of comfort,
Built by other people's hands.
I work.
I move through the structures of this world,
Move in its shadows,
and give my energy where it is needed.
They see me working and say, "Well done".
.
They praise me as if praise were currency,
as if kind words can build me a home,
As if recognition can fill an empty stomach,
Or warm a cold night.
But I see the truth behind their applause:
-It was never about working hard, or working well.
-It was never about earning dignity.
-Disability is not a lack of commitment.
It is a flaw in the design of a world
that lets us all down.
Do you want to know what homelessness is?
It is walking the same streets as those with a home
And being invisible.
It's working the same hours
and not getting one step closer to safety.
It is hearing, "If you had worked harder, you wouldn't be here",
while knowing that even at your very best,
exceed what many would call their very best.
This world made rules,
and then exceptions for those it favored.
It taught that success had to be earned,
but lumbered ladders with broken rungs for the rest.
And yet - I climb.
Yet - get up every day.
Not because I believe their myth,
But because I refuse to be obliterated
By their lie.
I am Lya.
I work. I fight. I stand my ground.
And if you think homelessness defines me,
you haven't looked hard enough.
What defines me is that I have seen the truth
And still stand.
What defines me is that I am walking through the storm
And still breathing.
What defines me is that I will not bow,
not to poverty, not to comfort,
not to the gods who made this broken game.