On Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, the LBJ Future Forum convened a discussion about the families and children in Austin who are experiencing homelessness. Our panelists included: - Susan McDowell, Chief Executive Officer, LifeWorks - Matthew Mollica, Executive Director, Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) - Lyric Wardlow, Homelessness advisor, member of the Homelessness Advisory Committee of Austin (HACA) and ECHO's Membership Council - Kelly Soucy, Director of Student Emergency Services, The University of Texas at Austin - Moderator: Jo Kathryn Quinn, President and CEO, Caritas of Austin The Future Forum is the LBJ Presidential Library's public policy group. Learn more: http://www.lbjfutureforum.org

Lunch for LifeWorks 2018

Lived expertise of homelessness is key to the Austin Youth Collective's identity and mission. Formed in 2018, the ever-changing group of young adults provides input, feedback, and perspective to groups like ECHO and LifeWorks to inform and guide programs that serve people experiencing homelessness. As current member Mesha Fox puts it: "No one knows what somebody needs on the streets better than somebody who's been on the streets." For Homeless Youth Awareness Month in November, AYC's current members partnered with ECHO to produce, shoot, write, and edit this video, showcasing why they're Fiercely Focused on ending homelessness. Visit austinyouthcollective.org to learn more about authentically engaging people with lived expertise.

Lyric Wardlow, now 21, talks about her experience staying at the Salvation Army downtown shelter as a teen and shares her thoughts about the new Rathgeber Center.