I am a staff member at the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance, an organization seeking to end homelessness in Massachusetts. We support service providers across the state, advocate for policy change related to homelessness, and create innovative solutions to homelessness focused around providing more permanent housing opportunities. We are the foremost organization in the state advocating for individuals experiencing homelessness, and a key part of our work is uplifting the voices of those who have experienced homelessness. As the Speakers’ Bureau Coordinator, I identify, recruit and train people who have experienced homelessness and empower them to self-advocate and share their story, in front of high school and college students and community faith groups varying in age and knowledge of the issue of homelessness, so we can break down the stigma associated with it.
We will use the space to film short introductions of each member of our Speakers’ Bureau, a group of people who have experienced homelessness and now speak about their experiences to audiences across Massachusetts. These clips will be turned into a trailer that we can use to showcase the diverse experiences of our Speakers and demonstrate to new Speakers the skills you can gain as part of the Bureau. This will be a paid opportunity for current and former members of the Speakers’ Bureau. We will also be able to use this trailer to advertise for and preview our presentations, meaning that we can reach new venues and audiences to educate about stigma around homelessness and affordable housing solutions.
Peerspace is on a mission to bring people together. We believe it is impossible to achieve that goal unless we also fight for equality and access to resources in the communities we serve.
Having a space to gather, create, and exchange ideas is an important part of any movement. In order to magnify voices that are often quieted, Peerspace will sponsor venues for people who challenge prejudice and fight for social justice and equality.
Each quarter, we will sponsor space for three projects that are relevant to our community. These projects can range from fundraisers and educational initiatives to art exhibits and photo series.
