SMC Malibu Campus Remains Closed 
In the inaugural episode of Doing What Works: Innovations in Homeless Services, host Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins engages with Celina Alvarez, Executive Director of Housing Works, to explore practical and innovative strategies for addressing homelessness. Alvarez shares her 31-year journey as a frontline service worker and a leader in the Los Angeles County homeless services sector, underscoring the value of human connection. She reflects on her experiences helping to found the Homeless Services program at Santa Monica College, where she now serves as a resource and advocate and offers insights into the challenges and the importance of a skilled and dedicated workforce.
This episode is designed to inspire those looking to make a real difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness. From discussing the beauty of community, even amidst the struggles on Skid Row, to the need to improve systems for frontline workers, Celina's unique perspective is sure to elicit a call for change in all who engage.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
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Why frontline experience is an invaluable asset for effective leadership in homeless services.
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How community colleges can play a vital role in creating a skilled workforce for the homeless services sector through targeted training programs like the one offered at Santa Monica College.
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There is a critical need to address systemic issues and promote equity in housing access to prevent homelessness before it starts and highlight the role of affordable housing.
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What challenges are faced by frontline workers in the homeless services sector, including vicarious trauma, high caseloads, and systemic barriers.
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The lasting power of human connection, small victories, and unwavering commitment to motivating continued work in homeless services inspires hope for a better future.
About Our Guest
Celina Alvarez is the Executive Director of Housing Works, a nationally recognized organization at the forefront of innovative strategies to combat homelessness in Los Angeles. She is a dedicated advocate for community-based solutions and views housing as a fundamental human right. With over thirty years of experience, her distinctive perspective has been shaped by her journey from frontline service work on Skid Row to her present leadership role. Additionally, she is a key contributor to a pioneering workforce training program in collaboration with Santa Monica College, a project poised to make a significant impact.
Housing Works (opens in new window)
calvarez@housingworksca.org
Impactful Quotes
"I believe when you take care of the people doing the serving, the people you're serving will be well."
– Celina Alvarez
"There were so many beautiful things to experience in Skid Row and so many beautiful aha moments... my mother turned to me and she said, 'You know, I will never say a bad thing about LA again. You are here because God wants you here. He needs you here. And I am not going to get in the way of that anymore.'"
– Celina Alvarez
"What drives me every day to show up are the what we would say small victories, but they're really huge because one life, one relationship, one person at a time."
– Celina Alvarez
"It's housing and trust, housing and relationships, housing and addressing isolation, housing and, there's so many “ands” that we need to couple with the roof over folks head"
– Celina Alvarez
"We are going to make changes to [the program] after the first year we're gonna learn a whole lot and once we replicate it because that's the goal to replicate it in the other 19 community colleges then we're gonna really be able to tailor it in a way that is gonna be ever-changing really"
– Celina Alvarez
"One life, one relationship, one person at a time."
– Celina Alvarez
