Day 2 Highlights from the Florida Coalition Homelessness Conference
Day 2 Highlights from the Florida Coalition Homelessness Conference
We started the day with a powerful plenary session, I’m Not Broken: Offering Hope to Solve Homelessness. Jesse Leon shared his inspirational journey of overcoming human trafficking and homelessness. His story reminds us: those experiencing homelessness are not broken—they are resilient.
From 10:15 – 12:30, I joined From Young Person to Young Leader: Moving From Transactional to Transformational, an eye-opening session about how slowing down and intentionally engaging youth as leaders sparks transformational growth.
Later, the National Alliance to End Homelessness plenary celebrated progress and addressed challenges in advancing solutions.
In the afternoon, I attended Panel Unscripted: Central Florida’s Journey Towards Authentic Youth Collaboration, where Youth Action Board members and providers shared the power of centering youth voice in leadership.
The day ended with Nothing About You, Without You, unveiling Florida’s Statewide Youth Action Board initiative, which empowers youth voices, builds community, and trains service providers on collaboration.
At night, we lit the hotel green for End Youth Homelessness Day. The awards, a heartfelt poem, and a moving dance performance made this event unforgettable.
Today’s lessons:
• Break down barriers
• Adopt a growth mindset
• Focus on strengths
• Establish genuine relationships
• Your work matters—you’re planting seeds.
You matter. You’re not alone. I believe in you.
Day 1 Reflections from the Florida Coalition to End Homelessness Conference
Reflections from the Florida Coalition to End Homelessness Conference
Day 1 was an inspiring journey of learning and advocacy!
Plenary with Dr. Rajni Shankar-Brown: Amidst the challenges of poverty, homelessness, and rising injustices, we were reminded that healing and joy are essential to sustaining progress in housing justice.
Sessions that stood out:
➡ Adultism Disrupted: Empowering youth as true collaborators to challenge biases and build equity.
➡ From Integration to Inclusion: Moving beyond the table to truly support youth with lived homelessness experiences.
➡ Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program: Lessons from Central Florida’s transformative 6-year journey.
➡ Vulnerability and Exploitation: Insights into the intersections of homelessness, violence, and trafficking among youth.
Key Takeaways:
Self-care is vital. Share your story. Advocate. Respect every voice. Change the energy in the room. Keep going. Together, we can create housing solutions that are inclusive, equitable, and transformative.
39th Annual Main Street Festival of Lights
Join us for a night of lights and community at the 39th Annual Main Street Festival of Lights on November 23rd! Stop by our tent to learn more about the HDS Foundation and our work supporting teens and young adults with Autism. We can’t wait to share our mission with you and celebrate together! See you there!
Join us as we celebrate our 16th anniversary!
Join us as we celebrate our 16th anniversary!
HDS Foundation has been a source of empowerment, creating opportunities and fostering growth within the Autism Community. It’s been an incredible journey filled with memories, growth, and all of YOU who make this community so special. We’re beyond grateful for your support every step of the way. Here’s to many more amazing years together!
Community Champion Award recipient
Thank you, @thefriendshipjourneyfl for this incredible honor! We are deeply grateful to be recognized as your Community Champion Award recipient. This recognition strengthens our commitment to empowering teens and young adults on the Autism Spectrum and fostering a supportive, inclusive community.
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