Pioneering hip-hop journalist Dee Barnes is “officially homeless.” Barnes recently launched a GoFundMe account and the public has already exceeded her $5,000 goal by donating more than $9,000 and counting.
“Standing in our own truth not the definitions or the expectations is powerful, and this is my TRUTH,” Barnes wrote on her GoFundMe page. “This page was created as an emergency fund to stop the process and the subsequent legal fees. Even though I am facing extreme financial hardship, I keep my head up.
“I know who I am, I know my worth and I know I’m not alone,” she added. “Everyone is dealing with their own different struggles. Some of us less fortunate than others. It may sound cliche but things will turn around in your favor, this is the balance of life ups and downs, so stay strong, and count your blessings, not your problems.” The former Pump It Up! host ended the post with a show of gratitude for everyone’s “love and support.”
Barnes, who became the first female hip-hop journalist with her own television show, also opened up about her predicament in an interview with HipHopDX. “What made me finally say enough I’m going to ask for help is that quote, ‘You can overcome anything in life, but you must first be willing to live in your truth,’” she said before recounting how being assaulted by Dr. Dre in 1990 led to a strong show of public support that inspired her current crowdfunding effort.
“I had never asked for public help before, but I then remembered a long time ago while I was going through the assault trial in 1991 people were sending me checks for my legal fees. I never cashed any of them — not one — but knowing I had that support kept me strong enough to continue to face each court date, she revealed. “Right now, I am officially homeless. My goal with the campaign is to regain stability, which is imperative for survivors of any trauma.”
According to the U.S. Department of Housing, more than half a million people in the U.S. are battling homelessness. As of 2018, California has the nation’s highest homeless population with more than 129,000 people in need of permanent shelter. New York is in second place with a homeless population of more than 90,000 people, followed by Florida, Texas, and Washington.