From the outside, the tiny house movement seems like it represents the best of what people can do when they think creatively outside of the box so they can live more freely and simply, and with less “stuff.” There are now hundreds, if not thousands, of websites, podcasts, and social media accounts dedicated to the tiny house ethos of how small can indeed be beautiful.
But in looking a bit deeper past its aspirational veneer, one might start to notice that the tiny house movement is overwhelmingly represented by White faces and that there is a notable lack of diversity when it comes to big-name tiny house festivals and media landscape, which in turn fuels the misguided stereotype that tiny houses are mainly something for “white hipsters,” rather than something that everyone (and anyone) should be able to feel free to consider.
Why representation matters
Though one might not see them often, there are indeed plenty of BIPOC tiny homeowners and enthusiasts out there. Some contend that in the early days of the movement, there were actually quite a few BIPOC people joining in. Nevertheless, it’s these preconceived—and often unconscious— notions about who truly belongs in the tiny house movement which many BIPOC folks are often made acutely aware of.
“Many people think of tiny house living as a ‘white person thing’ which Is frustrating to say the least,” says Ashley Okegbenro Monkhouse, a recent psychology graduate who has been living in her own tiny house in Florida since 2018. Ashley, who also has a YouTube channel documenting her tiny house journey, caught the tiny house bug from her sister, Alexis, who also lives in a tiny house right next door. Ashley says that she even gets comments sometimes from other Black folks who believe that tiny houses aren’t for them. “We’re just trying to live out our lives in ways that seem interesting for us, but some people don’t think it is the right ‘way’ we should be living.”
Such stereotypes are reinforced by the ongoing lack of non-White representation in the tiny house movement, as well as in the broader sustainability movement, all of which more people are beginning to reckon with as the inextricable links between social inequality, environmental and racial justice becomes increasingly clear. For Ashley, this lack of representation creates a kind of vicious cycle, where people don’t join in because they feel they don’t belong. “I think representation matters because then it makes it not seem like an anomaly,” she says. “It makes it easy to picture yourself doing something, when you see someone that looks like you is already doing it.”
A similar sentiment is echoed by Charlotte, North Carolina-based designer, consultant, and tiny house advocate Jewel Pearson, who designed and built her gem of a tiny house in 2015, in addition to founding Tiny House Trailblazers, a group that advocates for more BIPOC representation in the tiny house community:
Grappling with history
In addition, many potential Black tiny homeowners often face challenges that their White counterparts do not, thanks to the historical impacts of slavery, race-based violence, and housing discrimination that has destroyed generational wealth. As Pearson explained to us, these historical factors can have serious implications in the present:
What can allies do?
Such stories point to the need for potential allies within the tiny house movement to step up and to put good intentions into action, whether that means speaking out in order to push for more BIPOC representation, diversity, and inclusion at events, or being more mindful in their day-to-day interactions. Ashley recommends that:
Pearson, who is now in the process of developing ReCommune, a venture that focuses on the creation of inclusive communities with movable housing and business infrastructure, advises well-meaning supporters to see the bigger picture, and not just the superficial aspects of tiny living:
Pearson also has equally inspiring words for potential BIPOC tiny homeowners to not give up, as tiny living is not for the faint of heart, especially as this effect is amplified for BIPOC folks in the movement:
Indeed, there is a lot of work to be done to ensure that the tiny house tent is large and inclusive enough for everyone, regardless of their background. Tiny homes might not be the cure-all for the dire complexities of an increasingly unaffordable housing market, homelessness, and a growing chasm between the ultra-rich and the rest of us, but they can potentially be part of a multi-pronged solution. Whatever it may be, it’s imperative that the tiny house movement widens its reach and scope, so that it can actually live up to its promise and make a real difference.
