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 and crew, and the long-term consequences of Spencer Pratt's ghoulish anti-unhoused language.

See Crushing Wheelchairs at Vidiots in LA, June 25th:

 https://givebutter.com/crushing-wheelchairs-vidiots

More on Through the Fire: How People with Mental Illness Are Empowering Each Other: 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/through-the-fire-fredrick-e-vars/1148151502?ean=9781493087839

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.org/Student-Parent-P2452.aspx

Learn more about Generation Hope: https://www.generationhope.org/student-parent-book

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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: https://www.instagram.com/lastreetcare/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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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 Unhoused is nominated for a Webby!

Vote for us here:

https://wbby.co/57462N

Learn more about Aida's campaign here: 

https://aida4la.com/

Learn more about Rae's campaign here:

https://www.raeforla.com/

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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 information.

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.org/When-Its-Darkness-on-the-Delta-P2243.aspx

 

Follow the San Gabriel Progressive Alliance here: 

https://www.instagram.com/sgvprogressiveaction/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 disabled unhoused veteran George Fleishmann, and tours the new mutual aid popup Shirley's Free Food Hub, organized by Carlos Nietos and Allison Riley.

More about the Soto-Martinez protest here: https://lataco.com/soto-martinez-41-18

More about Shirley's Free Food Hub here: https://www.instagram.com/shirleysfreefoodhub/

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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 people receive holistic care across mutual aid and nonprofit services, and removing ego from the equation.

Learn more about Hollywood Food Coalition:

https://www.hofoco.org/

Learn more about SELAH:

https://www.selahnhc.org/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.