The Face of Green Space--Cierra Garcia, Carolyn Burns, and Hali Shotz
Our podcast “The Face of Green Space”, discusses homelessness in Austin with a focus on their access to green spaces. This podcast sought to understand the relationship individuals have with their environments in the wake of policy decisions that can forcibly shape these connections. Not only did this podcast provoke us to gain a better understanding of how human-environment relationships can be shaped by policy, but how these policies can alienate homeless individuals from their own community.
Within our podcast, we focused on three specific areas: the history of homelessness in Austin, the cause and effect relationship of homelessness on the environment, and asked how we can alleviate this growing issue in the midst of major policy action. We focus on green spaces and how these areas function in the discussions surrounding camping. Green spaces have ample room to house homeless individuals, yet they are not utilized. We explore the reasons behind these actions by understanding how certain people or groups are able to occupy and access space. In the case of homelessness, the stigmas surrounding these individuals perpetuates how many other community members interact with them. As a result, communities vote on policies such as Proposition B that completely assume the livelihood of these individuals but yet dismiss much of their reality.
Kathie Tovo, a council member representative of Austin's District 9, spoke with us about the city's discourse on the homeless population when attempting to enact policy. Councilmember Tovo is in agreement with us and many other Austinites, that green spaces are of value to Austin and should be maintained and protected. However, we all seem to ponder upon the same questions of how we can best assist Austin's unhoused population and take into account the livelihoods of our homeless neighbors.
Drawing from our class concepts, we were reminded of Lauret Savoys, “Alien Land Ethic” as we began to better understand the relationship of homeless individuals, their community members, and the environment. In society’s attempt to protect their land, the lifestyle of the majority of homeless individuals is now criminalized. As minorities in an Alien Land Ethic feel disconnected from their society, active policy solidifies the notion that homeless people don’t belong in green spaces while other community members do. In order to fulfill our moral responsibility to the land, we must first extend consideration to all of the community members.
Organizations such as Community First, ARCH, and ECHO are all nonprofits in Austin that provide homeless individuals with resources they do not have access to while living in public areas. The main goal of these non-profits is to guide the individuals they work with to eventually find permanent homes and a sustainable lifestyle. Community First, provides acres of affordable housing and a safe community for its residents. These nonprofits are always in need of help from the larger Austin community. Volunteering and donating are simple ways to join these organizations in supporting our homeless neighbors. In terms of policy, make sure your voice is heard and consider low-income families and unhoused people when deciding political action.
Links to learn more:
About Prop B https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/05/02/uncertainty-fills-austin-homeless-co mmunities-after-prop-b-passes/4915553001/
About Councilmember Kathie Tovo https://www.austintexas.gov/department/council-member-kathie-tovo-biography Community First: https://mlf.org/community-first/
Tiny Village art studio: https://shop.mlf.org/collections/neighbor-made Non-profits https://frontsteps.org/ https://www.austinecho.org/
Within our podcast, we focused on three specific areas: the history of homelessness in Austin, the cause and effect relationship of homelessness on the environment, and asked how we can alleviate this growing issue in the midst of major policy action. We focus on green spaces and how these areas function in the discussions surrounding camping. Green spaces have ample room to house homeless individuals, yet they are not utilized. We explore the reasons behind these actions by understanding how certain people or groups are able to occupy and access space. In the case of homelessness, the stigmas surrounding these individuals perpetuates how many other community members interact with them. As a result, communities vote on policies such as Proposition B that completely assume the livelihood of these individuals but yet dismiss much of their reality.
Kathie Tovo, a council member representative of Austin's District 9, spoke with us about the city's discourse on the homeless population when attempting to enact policy. Councilmember Tovo is in agreement with us and many other Austinites, that green spaces are of value to Austin and should be maintained and protected. However, we all seem to ponder upon the same questions of how we can best assist Austin's unhoused population and take into account the livelihoods of our homeless neighbors.
Drawing from our class concepts, we were reminded of Lauret Savoys, “Alien Land Ethic” as we began to better understand the relationship of homeless individuals, their community members, and the environment. In society’s attempt to protect their land, the lifestyle of the majority of homeless individuals is now criminalized. As minorities in an Alien Land Ethic feel disconnected from their society, active policy solidifies the notion that homeless people don’t belong in green spaces while other community members do. In order to fulfill our moral responsibility to the land, we must first extend consideration to all of the community members.
Organizations such as Community First, ARCH, and ECHO are all nonprofits in Austin that provide homeless individuals with resources they do not have access to while living in public areas. The main goal of these non-profits is to guide the individuals they work with to eventually find permanent homes and a sustainable lifestyle. Community First, provides acres of affordable housing and a safe community for its residents. These nonprofits are always in need of help from the larger Austin community. Volunteering and donating are simple ways to join these organizations in supporting our homeless neighbors. In terms of policy, make sure your voice is heard and consider low-income families and unhoused people when deciding political action.
Links to learn more:
About Prop B https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/05/02/uncertainty-fills-austin-homeless-co mmunities-after-prop-b-passes/4915553001/
About Councilmember Kathie Tovo https://www.austintexas.gov/department/council-member-kathie-tovo-biography Community First: https://mlf.org/community-first/
Tiny Village art studio: https://shop.mlf.org/collections/neighbor-made Non-profits https://frontsteps.org/ https://www.austinecho.org/