Speak Before You Think

No, you did not read the above title wrong, it does in fact say “Speak before you think” instead of “think before you speak”. The second phrase is one that perhaps you grew up hearing and was a rule your parents, teachers, or guardians taught you. However forming perceptions about individuals experiencing homelessness, before speaking to them can have detrimental effects in the effort to end homelessness. Here you can read the stories of individuals experiencing homelessness, read about what professionals in the field have to say about perceptions surrounding homelessness, and see how sharing stories of homelessness can effect the perception that high school students have about individuals experiencing homelessness. My hope is that after visiting this site you are more aware of the individuals experiencing homelessness in your community, and understand how your perception of them is crucial in the effort to end homelessness.

Mr. Santos and I at Common Art as he is teaching me how to make the fruit basket pictured on the left. All of his art is made out of coffee stirrers.