We the Unhoused

Theo does a round table discussion with returning guests Zen Sekizawa and Mario Correa of JTown Action and Solidarity, Melissa Acedera of Polo's Pantry, and Neil Blakemore of the Long Beach Assembly to discuss the current state of mutual aid in Los Angeles as services and resources for the unhoused remain under attack at the city, state, and federal level.   Follow Polo's Pantry here:  h...

Theo interviews Fred Vars, author of Through the Fire: How People with Mental Illness Are Empowering Each Other  on the intersection of houselessness and mental illness, and how failures at city, state, and federal levels to put housing first makes it more difficult than ever to be unhoused in the U.S. Also: an upcoming screening at  Crushing Wheelchairs , a film with an unhoused cast an...

Theo attends an action opposing the continuing sweeps in DSA-endorsed candidate Hugo Soto-Martinez's district; then, he speaks with author and activist Nicole Lynn Lewis, who speaks on her own experience as a houseless student and parent, and on her latest book Student Parent: The Fight for Families, the Cost of Poverty, and the Power of College . Order Nicole's book here:  https://www.beacon...

Theo is joined by Dr. Jill Wiwcharuk, who speaks on her work as a street doctor for the unhoused population of British Columbia, and on how Canada‘s treatment of their own unhoused population compares with the U.S.  Follow Dr. Jill here:  https://linktr.ee/jillwiwcharuk See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Theo speaks with activist Kris of LA Street Care and Mutual Aid about the state of mutual aid, and how we can all rise to the occasion in a moment where most systems have turned their back on the unhoused. In Unhoused News, we take a closer look at the consequences of the brutal new HUD policies, and the drastic increase of the elderly unhoused. Follow LA Street Care and Mutual Aid: htt...

Theo speaks with Miguel, Elise, and Jacqueline at Food Access LA in our continuing series on how mutual aid is rising to the occasion as the Trump regime continues to slash programs that provide services to the unhoused.  Get involved at Food Access LA:  https://foodaccessla.org/ Learn more about Market Match:  savemarketmatch.org See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The upcoming election in Los Angeles gives officials an opportunity to do right by the unhoused community and invest in real, structural solutions. So, who's stepping up? This week, Theo interviews two candidates on their plan to make Los Angeles a safe and equitable place for all as the Olympics loom over the city -- Aida Ashouri for City Attorney, and Reverend Rae Huang for the mayorship. We the...

We're thrilled to announce that We the Unhoused is nominated for Best Public Service and Activism podcast at the Webbys for the second year running! You can vote for the show once a day, every day through April 16th. See you next week for a new episode! VOTE HERE:  https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/shows/public-service-activism See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

This week, Theo speaks with legendary historian, memoirist and educator W. Ralph Eubanks about his new book  When It's Darkness on the Delta: How America's Richest Soil Became Its Poorest Land.  Also, Theo heads to an El Monte action to learn how locals are fighting to make their home a sanctuary city for residents under attack from ICE. Buy Ralph's book here:  https://www.beacon.or...

This week, Theo attends a mutual aid protest action demanding that DSA-endorsed Los Angeles city councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez finally repeal 41.18, legislation that enables the LAPFD to arrest the unhoused, from his district. Speaking with organizers like Gina Viola, the group speaks with Soto-Martinez directly and detail their demands to get rid of 41.18 for good. Also: Theo interviews disabl...

As SNAP benefits continue to be rolled back and the Trump regime makes food access for the unhoused harder than ever, we need community-based solutions and ingenuity.    Enter Arnali Ray of Hollywood Food Coalition and Sara Reyes of SELAH in Northeast LA -- Theo speaks with them about how their organizations are rising to the occasion by prioritizing collaboration, ensuring unhoused peop...

Everyone deserves animal companionship, but the unhoused community is too often forced to make difficult decisions to care for their pets while living in shelters or on the street. This week, Theo speaks with Jillian and Christine with nonprofit My Dog Is My Home about their important work advocating for the unhoused and their pets, from accessible veterinary care to advocacy work to allow pets in...

Theo rings in the new year by spotlighting another crucial, underreported segment of the unhoused — the Black unhoused community. We speak with Angela, Ted, and Jeremiah of the Los Angeles Black Worker Center about the crucial work, they’re doing to support Black Angelinos in not just job training and help finding housing, but political education.  Learn more about LABWC here:&nbs...

This week, Theo is in the field with Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid (PUMA) for their National Houseless Persons’ Memorial Day event. Organizers and neighbors gathered on December 21st, 2025, the longest night of the year, to memorialize those we lost. We also remember Cindy McAllister, Jessica 'Queen' Mendez, and Benito Flores. Follow Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid here:  https://www.instagram.co...

To close out 2025, Theo speaks with Sam Luu and Hillary Cohen of Every Day Action. We learn how they scaled their pandemic-era mutual aid effort to feed the unhoused to where they are today, continuing that work by preventing food waste on film sets and helping out-of-work film industry professionals during the ongoing labor crisis.  Learn more about Every Day Action here:  https://www.y...

This week, Theo speaks with Professor Dina Gilio-Whitaker, author of the new book  Who Gets to Be Indian? Ethnic Fraud, Disenrollment, and Other Difficult Conversations about Native American Identity.  We also take a look at the new ghoulish policies that stand to force people into houselessness in the new year, and revisit the story of Brendan Glenn, an unhoused man killed by an LAPD of...

Longtime guest Caitlin Krenn returns to We the Unhoused to tell Theo about the upcoming documentary  Outcast Nation: LGBTQIA. Homeless. Unseen.  on PBS, along with collaborators and subjects Jen Liquori, Maddox Guerilla, and director Charlie Spickler. Watch the documentary here starting December 6th or on your local PBS affiliate! https://www.pbs.org/show/outcast-nation-lgbtqia-homeless-...

This week, Theo speaks with legendary activist and writer Dr. Gloria Browne-Marshall, author of the new book  A Protest History of the United States.  Dr. Browne-Marshall discusses the most effective ways to protest in the modern age, and what we can learn from the long tradition of sit-ins, street protests, and boycotts that have empowered people for centuries. Also, Theo returns t...

This week, Theo heads to a protest organized by the unhoused residents of the Mountain View encampment after yet another violent sweep. Their question: why isn’t their DSA-endorsed councilperson, Eunisses Hernandez, showing up? Residents, organizers, and mutual aid workers share their perspectives.  If you’re in LA and lost your SNAP benefits:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DQP...

School is in session! This week, Theo speaks with Felicia Rangel-Samponaro of the Sidewalk School, an organization that provides services from food and necessities to policy advocacy to education to unhoused immigrants living on the Mexican border. Felicia's journey to this crucial work, and how the Sidewalk School has had to adapt to protect their participants during increased ICE kidnappings and...

Theo speaks with longtime activist Beth Green about how to push through moments of apathy in the organizing movement. Follow Beth's work here:  https://www.heartcastmedia.com/beth-green/   Keep voting for us in the Signal Awards -- open til October 9th! https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting?fbclid=PARlRTSANKtG1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp1QF2gTwcL-RtwGFolalwQqBkJK6ze8t3PwOwCPWyZ8OuvbsReVYEXZ5r...

Description: We the Unhoused is nominated for a Signal Award, one of the most prestigious in podcasting, and your vote counts! Vote for WTU in the Activism, Public Service & Social Impact category before October 9th, and Theo will be back next week with a brand new episode. Vote here:  https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting?fbclid=PARlRTSANKtG1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp1QF2gTwcL-RtwGFolalwQqBk...

This week, Theo examines how violent language has not just become normalized and weaponized against the unhoused, but how its worst offenders are lauded as heroes. Then: To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Crenshaw Farmer's Market, Theo speaks with organizers Laura, Ashley, Summer, and Jennifer about how community food justice is working to preserve and build community in South LA. Learn more...

This week, Theo speaks with Executive Director of the Institute of the Development for Human Arts Jessie Roth about healing and transforming society through accessible treatment for mental health that takes full account of the adverse affects of external conditions. In Unhoused News, Theo takes a closer look at the most recent policies at the national and state level targeting the unhoused and the...

As ICE raids continue to escalate and target farm workers, many of whom as unhoused, revolutionary mutual aid efforts like Alianza Nacional De Campesinas are meeting the moment. Theo and the WTU crew head to the triple digits of Thermal, California, where farmers can access everything from fresh food to diapers and school supplies. Food justice organizers Melissa Acedera and Roxanna Chavez speak t...