queer houselessness

Last month, Mutual Aid and Poverty hosted Queer Houselessness: Everybody Deserves a Place to Call Home. This event featured the executive director, Glenn Martin, of Sweet Evening Breeze - a local LGBTQ+ youth houselessness nonprofit. During this event, Glenn Martin spoke about queer houselessness in Louisville as well as the history and mission of Sweet Evening Breeze. We also had a service component of our event where we had our attendees form an assembly line and create toiletry packages for youth in need. Throughout this event, attendees enjoyed donuts from Nord's Bakery and tea from SisGotTea - a local LGBTQ+ owned, woman owned, and black owned small business.
Glenn provided some shocking statistics during his talk. Did you know that up to 40%, that's almost half, of the houseless youth population identifies within the LGBTQ+ community? And that LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience houselessness compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts? There is a need for LGBTQ+ specific houselessness services and Sweet Evening Breeze is committed to providing these services and raising awareness of the issue. 
This event was incredibly educational and brought together the UofL community - both LGBTQ+ and allies. We were also able to actively serve those in need by creating toiletry packages. This event highlighted the urgent needs of the Louisville community and beyond that many were not previously aware of.
How you can help the cause:

1. Educate yourself and others.
2. Talk about it! Break the stigma!
3. Donate to organizations like Sweet Evening Breeze.
4. Volunteer your time. Serve your community. 
5. Attend similar events and service opportunities! Join the MAP Committe! 

To learn more about Sweet Evening Breeze or to volunteer/donate, please visit https://sweeteveningbreeze.org/ or follow on Instagram @sweeteveningbreeze 
To join the Mutual Aid and Poverty Committee groupme, click on this link: https://groupme.com/join_group/70047700/9xpOAbM4

Savannah Quach
ELSB MAP Co-Director 21'-22'