Informed by a survey of SCU students about their understanding and beliefs about the homelessness crisis, the Unhoused Initiative embarked on a Stigma Reduction campaign aimed at addressing misinformation and highlighting the voices of people experiencing homelessness in Silicon Valley through informational posts, tabling on campus, and interviews of our unhoused neighbors.
The campaign was created in partnership with SCU Senior Public Health Capstone students and with the support of a grant from the Ignatian Center. It is also community-informed by our collaborators at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, Catholic Charities’ Mobile Showers Program and the Gilroy Union of the Homeless.
Below you will find the final installment of the campaign, interviews with unhoused residents of Silicon Valley reflecting on their experiences, hardships, resilience, and what others can do to help resolve this ongoing crisis of social justice. We hope to highlight our interviewees’ dignity and humanity and that as you listen you reflect on your beliefs, observations, or assumptions about the homelessness crisis and those most impacted by it.
You can also find these videos on our YouTube and Instagram accounts. Be sure to share them with your networks!
The Realities of Being Unhoused
Our Unhoused Neighbors’ Consistent Lack of Access to Water and Sanitation
Women’s Experiences Being Unhoused
The Impact of Encampment Sweeps on Our Unhoused Neighbors
The Stigma Weighing on People Experiencing Homelessness
The Impact of High Living Costs on Homelessness
How SCU Students Can Support their Unhoused Neighbors
The Unhoused Initiative at SCU 