Episode•May 21, 2020•23 min

Overcoming Homelessness and Mental Health with Adrian Quarles | Ep. 39

Join Tiffany as she sits down with Adrian Quarles, one of her Lyft passengers, who overcame homelessness and mental health issues to pursue the arts. He has directed, produced, wrote, and acted in many artistic endeavors. He drops so many gems and words of encouragement for those that may be in a place he once was. About Our Guest Adrian Dion Quarles is an Artist of multiple platforms from Shelby, NC. He has acted in 38 plays, including TIME which he wrote, produced, directed, and acted in September, 2019. He has also released three hip hop mixtapes and is an educator for Guilford County Schools. He's currently the host and creator of ADQ'S RENAISSANCE podcast in which he aims to connect all black artists of all platforms. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Overcast Amazon Music

Key Takeaways

1
Networking during side hustles can lead to unexpected opportunities
Tiffany met Adrian as a Lyft passenger and they exchanged information leading to podcast appearances on each other's shows
Adrian emphasizes that networking is the name of the game
2
Financial preparedness is critical - most Americans are one paycheck from homelessness
Adrian lost his apartment due to being ill-prepared for job transitions
COVID-19 economic impacts make saving even more urgent
Tiffany stresses building emergency funds to avoid similar situations
3
Mental health struggles require acknowledgment and time-limited processing
Adrian realized he may have bipolar depression after reviewing symptoms
Tiffany recommends giving yourself 24 hours to process emotions, then get back to action
Both emphasize that mental health issues affect financial stability and must be addressed holistically
4
Even at rock bottom, you can leverage your gifts to create income
While homeless, Adrian paid for rehearsal space incrementally and produced his play Time, receiving substantial donations
He chose donations over ticket sales to show appreciation for attendees' presence
The play was well-attended thanks to his networking efforts
5
Identify your purpose and don't let temporary circumstances derail your long-term vision
Adrian encourages asking: What do I want to be? What is my assignment on earth?
He views challenges as hills to climb rather than stopping points
Tiffany's journey from financial struggle to teaching others about money exemplifies this principle

Intro

Tiffany interviews Adrian Quarles, a multi-talented artist she met as a Lyft passenger, about overcoming homelessness and mental health challenges through creative pursuits.
Adrian Dion Quarles is an artist from Shelby, NC who has acted in 38 plays, written/produced/directed/acted in TIME (2019), released three hip-hop mixtapes, works as an educator for Guilford County Schools, and hosts ADQ's Renaissance podcast connecting Black artists across platforms.

Facebook Instagram Twitter

– How Tiffany Met Adrian Through Lyft

Tiffany shares how she met Adrian as a Lyft passenger, leading to a mutual podcast guest exchange. She emphasizes that side hustles like rideshare driving create networking opportunities in confined spaces.

Networking is the name of the game.
– Adrian Quarles

– Adrian's Journey Through Homelessness

Adrian explains how job transitions led to losing his apartment. He stayed with friends but the experience affected his psyche. Rather than shutting down, homelessness heightened his motivation to produce his play Time about a suicidal Black man.

Being homeless only empowered my drive to put this play on.
– Adrian Quarles

– Mental Health Struggles and Societal Stigma

Tiffany shares her own history with severe anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts starting at age 5. Adrian discusses recognizing bipolar symptoms in himself and the fear in Black communities of appearing weak by acknowledging mental health issues.

A lot of us are afraid to accept or embrace the problem that we have, which is mental health, because it shows weakness.
– Adrian Quarles

– The Connection Between Mental Health and Finances

Tiffany explains how mental health episodes can derail income generation for entrepreneurs. Adrian advises giving yourself 24 hours to process emotions, then returning to prayer, meditation, and affirmations focused on the end goal.

You cannot let temporary circumstances overwhelm your end goal.
– Adrian Quarles

– Creating Art While Homeless and Finding Purpose

Adrian paid for rehearsal space incrementally while homeless. The play was packed despite his uncertainty about attendance. He encourages listeners to identify their God-given assignment rather than merely existing to pay bills.

You only get one shot. Do you want your life to just be you slaving and working all day, every day, just to stay ahead of the bills? That's not living. That's merely existing.
– Adrian Quarles

Resources

ADQ's Renaissance Podcast
TIME Play by Adrian Quarlesvideo

Topics

homelessnessmental healthside hustlesnetworkingfinancial preparednessBlack artiststheatersuicide preventionentrepreneurshippurpose and calling