How 40 Shipping Containers Changed My Life | Housing, Migration & Cultural Capital

Описание: I’m Chandra Brooks—artist, researcher, and storyteller.

In this video, I talk through the first stage of a project that began with an unexpected offer: 40 reclaimed shipping containers. What followed became the foundation for my PhD research into housing, cultural capital, migration, language, and space.

This story moves through:

Housing insecurity and single motherhood

Disability and recovery

Refugee-led cultural spaces

Shipping containers as architecture and political material

Why space = stability

How unpaid labor, internships, and access shape who gets to build a legacy

This project connects to The Universal Fairytale, a long-term storytelling and educational initiative working with migrants, refugees, and under-resourced communities.

This is part of a daily video series where I document the process, the mistakes, and the lessons—honestly and reflectively.

Thanks for listening and see you soon!
Chandra

00:00 Introduction
00:45 Housing, relationships & beginnings
02:00 The Universal Fairytale origin
03:20 Disability, war, and housing insecurity
06:00 Why housing equals stability
08:10 The offer: 40 shipping containers
10:00 Project management & planning
11:20 The former container school
13:00 Negotiations & logistics
15:00 Vision, legacy & global partnerships
17:00 Touring the container building
19:00 Space, power & what I didn’t yet know
20:50 What comes next