Young People to the Front

• Direct Cash Transfer Programs for Youth Experiencing Homelessness Ft. Sofie, Dwight, & Parker

  On this weeks episode guest host Robin sits down for a conversation with Sofie, parker, and dwight to talk about the direct cash transfer pilot program in Oregon. For Context Oregon ranks third nationally in youth homelessness (1,315 youth) despite small population Nationwide youth homelessness increased 10% in 2024Program StructureOregon provided $1,000/month for 24 months plus a one-time $3,000 enrichment fund to 120 young people (ages 18-24) experiencing homelessnessOptional supportive services ("plus" component) included case management, job counseling, and financial planningKey OutcomesHousing: 91% stably housed by program exit; homelessness dropped from 30% to 9%Income: Average monthly income increased 235% (from $614 to $2,059)Employment: Full-time employment rose from 16% to 24%Parents: 25 participants living with their children by program end (up from 19)Participant Profile60% female, 32% queer, 43% Native American or Native Multiracial61% had been homeless for 1-4 years42% had high school diplomas, 40% did not complete high schoolChallenges$1,000/month insufficient to cover rent alone (Portland median: $1,380 for 1-bedroom)54% felt uncertain about maintaining housing after program endsLow participation in optional group servicesTransportation and childcare cited as major employment barriersEvery $1 invested in supportive housing saves $3.30 in shelter, healthcare, and criminal justice costs

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• Dr. Eric Rice on Music, Building Community, and Youth Homelessness Research

  The team kicks off with classic YP2F banter—Tonny, Robin, and Fatine swap summer stories, argue about when “summer actually ends,” and debate the best concerts of their lives. From Beyoncé at SoFi to Oasis at Wembley and a Big Sur camping trip gone slightly wrong (watch out for wasps), the crew ends up reflecting on what makes live experiences so transformative: connection, community, and the memories that outlast the season.Then, Tonny sits down for a deeply personal, expansive conversation with Dr. Eric Rice, a leading researcher in youth homelessness and social networks, formerly of USC and now at UNC Chapel Hill.Eric traces his journey from DJ and record collector to social-work scholar—sharing how music, belonging, and compassion shaped his career. The conversation unpacks how youth experiencing homelessness build resilience, navigate relationships, and find community—even in the most unstable conditions.Tonny also opens up about his own story—how survival, stigma, and self-compassion intersect—and the two reflect on the ways belonging can literally change a life. The episode moves from vinyl records to HIV prevention, from MySpace to AI, and always circles back to the human need to connect.It’s an hour that feels like both a case study and a heart-to-heart—rooted in sound, story, and solidarity.Topics Discussed in This EpisodeWhen does summer actually end?The best concerts of everyone’s lives (Oasis, Beyoncé, Wembley vs. SoFi)Tonny’s obsession with drum corps and the Gay Men’s ChorusRobin’s London concert adventure and the magic of public transitDr. Eric Rice on his journey from funk DJ to youth homelessness researcherHow volunteering at My Friend’s Place changed everythingMusic, community, and belonging as forms of healingThe reality of youth homelessness—beyond stereotypesSurvival, resilience, and self-compassion in hard timesEarly HIV prevention work and the evolution of PrePThe rise of social media (from MySpace to TikTok) and connection onlineBelonging as the cornerstone of solving homelessnessTonny and Eric’s shared reflections on recovery, purpose, and finding your peopleConnect with Dr. Eric RiceCurrent: Professor, Associate Dean for Research and Director, USC Center for AI in SocietyResearch: Youth Homelessness, Social Networks, Public HealthFeatured in: YP2F Zine (Belonging issue)

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• Navigating Youth Homelessness: Advocacy, Dignity, and Rebuilding Systems Ft. Amanda Nicholson

  Episode NotesHost Tonny St. James sits down with artist, organizer, and consultant Amanda Nicholson to unpack the realities of navigating homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic—and the urgent need to rebuild systems with dignity at the center.Amanda shares her journey from couch surfing in high school to surviving homelessness in San Diego and Los Angeles, and how those lived experiences fueled her transition into grassroots advocacy, workshops, and consulting. Together, they explore the failures of housing programs that label people “service resistant,” the challenges of navigating dehumanizing social systems, and the radical possibility of harm reduction, rest, and direct cash support as tools for true transformation.This conversation is as much about survival as it is about vision: what it means to claim humanity in spaces that erase it, and how art, organizing, and unapologetic truth-telling can spark systemic change.Topics Discussed in this EpisodeNavigating homelessness in San Diego vs. Los Angeles during COVIDHow Project Roomkey closures exposed systemic crueltyWhy “service resistant” is a damaging and false narrativeThe role of art, consulting, and research in shaping advocacyHarm reduction principles beyond substance use: dignity, rest, and autonomyTokenization vs. authentic inclusion of lived experience voicesRebuilding social safety nets from scratch instead of reforming broken systemsThe promise of direct cash transfers and affordable housingConnect with Amanda Nicholson:Clear Path NYC: clearpathnyc.org

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• New Deal To End Youth Homelessness Ft. Josh Cogan & Aurora Higgs

  YP2F: The New Deal to End Youth Homelessness — with Josh Kogan & Aurora HiggsEpisode NotesTonny sits down with Josh Kogan (Director of Public Policy) and Aurora Higgs (Associate Director of Communications) from Away Home America to talk about their New Deal to End Youth Homelessness—a bold, nationwide policy roadmap built by and for young people with lived experience.Together, they break down what it means to organize across states like California, Texas, and North Carolina; how storytelling transforms policy; and why belonging, faith, and fear all shape the systems we’re trying to change.From Josh’s journey out of conservative ministry into policy advocacy to Aurora’s insight on trans leadership and building authentic coalitions, this episode shines a light on what real transformation looks like—from congregate shelters to cash transfer programs, from performative “reform” to radical belonging.It’s a grounded, hopeful conversation that reminds us: ending youth homelessness isn’t just policy work—it’s people's work.Topics Discussed in This EpisodeThe team’s second-favorite L.A. cities (and why it’s always Pasadena)Dexter O’Connell’s “second-favorite animal” meeting icebreakerWhat Measure A and “La Casa” actually fund in L.A. CountyAway Home America’s New Deal to End Youth HomelessnessHow Aurora & Josh built a cross-state advocacy tour (CA | TX | NC)Policy change: federal vs state vs local impactThe power of staffers on the Hill and relationship-building in DCFaith, fear, and the courage to unlearn harmful theologyWhy trans and LGBTQ+ leadership matters in housing justiceStorytelling as policy — how data + emotion change hearts“Trash & Treasure”: identifying good vs harmful state policiesBuilding the New Deal’s five pillars: housing | family | economic | immigration | transformative justiceCreating a movement led by youth voice—not prescriptive reformFinding hope, humor, and karaoke in the workConnect with Away Home America🌐 awayhomeamerica.org — Main site📘 awayhomeamerica.info — Read The New Deal to End Youth Homelessness📱 Instagram: @TheRealAwayHomeAmerica

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• Announcing Young People To The Front Headquarters! with Director Dr. Robin Petering.

  Learn more at yp2f.org/hqFollow Robin on LinkedIn!

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