Las Vegas, Nevada – Dawn Robinson, a founding member of the iconic R&B girl group En Vogue, recently shared in a social media video that she has been living in her car for three years. Robinson explained that due to personal struggles during the pandemic, she made the choice to move into her vehicle, a decision that she has since embraced wholeheartedly.
“I’m not looking for sympathy. I am using this time to discover myself, to grow as a person,” Robinson expressed in the video. The singer revealed that after a difficult living situation with her parents in Las Vegas, she found solace in her car, initially spending nights parked in it before seeking temporary shelter with a manager in Los Angeles.
Despite the challenges she faced, Robinson found a sense of freedom and tranquility while living in her car. She recalled her first night watching the sunset from her vehicle as a beautiful and liberating experience. Adjusting to this unconventional living situation, she learned to feel safe and even compared it to a camping trip.
The ex-En Vogue member’s decision sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of homelessness, with data showing that over 40% of the unsheltered homeless population in Los Angeles County resort to living in vehicles for shelter. Yet, there remains a significant lack of research and support for this growing population, as noted by the University of Los Angeles Institute of Transportation Studies.
Robinson’s journey traces back to her rise to stardom in the early 1990s as part of En Vogue, alongside Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. The group achieved massive success, selling millions of records and earning multiple Grammy nominations for hits like “Free Your Mind” and “Don’t Let Go (Love).” Despite facing personal hardships, Robinson’s resilience and self-discovery through car living exemplify a different perspective on homelessness and overcoming adversity.