Imagine having your home shift from place to place—and sometimes not even having a place to call home at all. Imagine not knowing where you will get your next meal or being evicted without notice. Sadly, this is the reality for many families and children in the United States. Experiencing homelessness has numerous implications. Just ask Caroline Skinner, an administrative specialist in Stetson’s Lynn Business Center, who experienced homelessness as a child and through high school. Skinner will be one of the speakers at the 2015 Poverty and Homelessness Conference (PHC), a collaborative effort between Stetson University and Volusia County Schools.

Rajni Shankar-Brown, Ph.D., associate professor, Director of Education Graduate Programs, and the Jessie Ball duPont Chair of Social Justice Education, is the founder and executive director of the PHC. She explains that this year’s theme “Collective Action: Together We Rise” speaks to the hope reflected in the second annual Poverty & Homelessness Conference. The PHC will focus on illuminating the complexities of poverty and finding solutions to this persistent and growing dilemma. The conference seeks to provide educators with knowledge, resources, and ideas for creating equitable learning environments by addressing a number of topics, including:

• Poverty Awareness
• Systems of Inequity
• Working with Families
• Nutrition & Health Implications
• Art Integration & Resiliency
• Responsive Strategies
• Housing Instability Implications
• English Language Learners.

The PHC is sponsored by the Hosseini Family Foundation, C.H.A.R.M., Volusia County Schools, Stetson’s Nina B. Hollis Institute for Educational Reform, Stetson’s Center for Community Engagement, and Stetson’s Cross Cultural Center. In order to increase awareness of poverty and homelessness in the United States, the PHC aims to collectively mobilize communities and address structures perpetuating poverty to develop empathy, knowledge, resources, and activism dedicated to improving the academic and social-emotional wellbeing of children and youth living in poverty and homelessness.

“When my parents came to the United States, they experienced homelessness and have since dedicated much of their lives giving back to those in need. My father is an active member of Optimist International and my mother exhales compassion in all her walks of life. My brother, sister, and I were raised with a deep awareness of how poverty impacts lives and how community engagement can be a powerful means to advance social justice. Growing up, my mother often reminded me of Mahatma Gandhi’s words, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world,’ and she encouraged me to use my voice and resources to uplift others,” says Shankar-Brown. “For me, the PHC, specifically bringing together a diverse group of committed educators and passionate members of the community to positively impact the lives of children and tackle daunting inequities, is exactly that change I wish to see in the world.”

This year’s keynote speaker will be Donald Whitehead, national expert on homelessness and former director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. In addition to being one of the country’s leading voices on homelessness, Whitehead has experienced living in poverty and homelessness and will be sharing his personal journey at the conference. In addition to Whitehead, speakers such as Caroline Skinner, Pam Woods (Volusia County School’s Homeless Liaison), and high school and college students who have experienced homelessness will share their experiences and insights with the hope of building empathy and developing more inclusive and responsive educational practices. Many public schools and community organizations are sending teams to this year’s conference and teams will be encouraged to develop action plans.

In describing her vision and hopes for the conference Shankar-Brown explains, “I want the PHC to provide educators, activists, and community members with space to learn, reflect, and gain a deeper understanding of the significant implications of poverty and homelessness…and to inspire action. My heart aches daily knowing that we live in one of the wealthiest nations on earth and yet so many of our children do not have a safe and/or stable place to sleep or food to eat. The National Center on Family Homelessness most recently estimated that 2.5 million children and youth experience homelessness every year in the United States. We have a civic responsibility to address poverty and homelessness. I believe that collectively, we can change this appalling and distressing reality,” says Shankar-Brown.

The event will take place on Friday, Oct. 23, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Stetson University. For more information, read senior Philip Yang’s blog post, listen to Professor Shankar-Brown’s radio interview on WSBB Radio and posted on StetsonU Talk Radio, or visit stetson.edu/phc.

By Anna Chun