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 Episode

• When 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 Chorus
• Robin’s London concert adventure and the magic of public transit
• Dr. Eric Rice on his journey from funk DJ to youth homelessness researcher
• How volunteering at My Friend’s Place changed everything
• Music, community, and belonging as forms of healing
• The reality of youth homelessness—beyond stereotypes
• Survival, resilience, and self-compassion in hard times
• Early HIV prevention work and the evolution of PreP
• The rise of social media (from MySpace to TikTok) and connection online
• Belonging as the cornerstone of solving homelessness
• Tonny and Eric’s shared reflections on recovery, purpose, and finding your people

Connect with Dr. Eric Rice

• Current: Professor, Associate Dean for Research and Director, USC Center for AI in Society
• Research: Youth Homelessness, Social Networks, Public Health

Featured in: YP2F Zine (Belonging issue)

Episode Notes
Host 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 Episode

• Navigating homelessness in San Diego vs. Los Angeles during COVID
• How Project Roomkey closures exposed systemic cruelty
• Why “service resistant” is a damaging and false narrative
• The role of art, consulting, and research in shaping advocacy
• Harm reduction principles beyond substance use: dignity, rest, and autonomy
• Tokenization vs. authentic inclusion of lived experience voices
• Rebuilding social safety nets from scratch instead of reforming broken systems
• The promise of direct cash transfers and affordable housing

Connect with Amanda Nicholson:

• Clear Path NYC: clearpathnyc.org

YP2F: The New Deal to End Youth Homelessness — with Josh Kogan & Aurora Higgs

Episode Notes

Tonny 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 Episode

• The team’s second-favorite L.A. cities (and why it’s always Pasadena)
• Dexter O’Connell’s “second-favorite animal” meeting icebreaker
• What Measure A and “La Casa” actually fund in L.A. County
• Away Home America’s New Deal to End Youth Homelessness
• How Aurora & Josh built a cross-state advocacy tour (CA | TX | NC)
• Policy change: federal vs state vs local impact
• The power of staffers on the Hill and relationship-building in DC
• Faith, fear, and the courage to unlearn harmful theology
• Why trans and LGBTQ+ leadership matters in housing justice
• Storytelling as policy — how data + emotion change hearts
• “Trash & Treasure”: identifying good vs harmful state policies
• Building the New Deal’s five pillars: housing | family | economic | immigration | transformative justice
• Creating a movement led by youth voice—not prescriptive reform
• Finding hope, humor, and karaoke in the work

Connect with Away Home America

• 🌐 awayhomeamerica.org — Main site
• 📘 awayhomeamerica.info — Read The New Deal to End Youth Homelessness
• 📱 Instagram: @TheRealAwayHomeAmerica

Learn more at yp2f.org/hq

Follow Robin on LinkedIn!

Iziaih Choquette
On Youth Power, Systems Change, and Building a Future Beyond Survival
In this energizing conversation, host Tonny St. James is joined by advocate, consultant, and community leader Iziaih Choquette (they/them) to kick off Season 3 of Young People at the Front (YP2F).

Iziaih shares their journey from navigating youth homelessness in the Midwest to becoming a statewide and national voice for systemic change. With humor, candor, and unapologetic fire, they reflect on what it means to be “booked and blessed,” the struggles of tokenization, and how young people are reshaping advocacy from boardrooms to the White House.

From astrology to activism, this episode highlights Isaiah’s multi-hyphenate path: consultant, organizer, researcher, and relentless truth-teller. Together, Tonny and Iziaih unpack adultism, radical imagination, and the ongoing fight to create systems rooted not in crisis response but in dignity, equity, and care.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• Growing up in Nebraska and finding voice through advocacy
• Why many young people never envision life past 21—and why that matters
• Entering advocacy through housing instability and systemic barriers
• Adultism, tokenization, and how young people are leading real change
• The importance of redefining youth homelessness and prevention systems
• Lessons from Vienna’s social housing model and international approaches
• Balancing purpose, mental health, and community in advocacy work
• Radical good vs. radical hate: imagining new futures

Connect with Iziaih Choquette:

• LinkedIn: Iziaih Choquette
• California Homeless Youth Project
• Instagram: @Iziaih 

In this emotional and unflinchingly honest episode of YP2F, host Tonny St. James welcomes writer, filmmaker, and journalist Loe Renee for a conversation about what it means to survive—and thrive—after the foster care system.

From early experiences in group homes to a professional journey through film, journalism, and advocacy, Loe shares their story with striking vulnerability and clarity. Together, they unpack what it means to be a “shadow youth,” the unspoken gaps in the system, and how reclaiming childhood joy—through bouncy balls, Connect Four, and creativity—can be a radical act of healing.

This episode is a testament to the power of listening, the complexity of systemic inequity, and the dignity every young person deserves.

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

• What it means to be a "shadow youth" and why so many foster youth remain invisible
• Navigating group homes, legal ID numbers, and early adult responsibilities
• Why trauma-informed care must be more than a buzzword
• Transitioning from survival to expression through film and journalism
• The systemic failure of programs that aren’t led by or informed by lived experience
• Embracing joy, play, and community as survival tools
• Reimagining youth care: dignity, trust, and real support over performative fixes

Connect with Loe Renee:

Published Work: The Imprint – Loe Renee
Instagram: Coming soon
YouTube (Launching Soon): Late Night Loe

In this latest episode of YP2F, hosts Tonny and Robin sit down with Dr. Seth Pickens; a pastor, researcher, and Managing Director of the Homelessness Policy Research Institute (HPRI) at USC and explore the powerful intersection of spirituality, data, and homelessness policy. 

From his journey in ministry to launching trauma-informed, human-centered pilot programs for housing-insecure youth, Dr. Pickens unpacks why building people up is just as vital as building housing. The conversation dives into systemic gaps, the role of equity in research, and how personal empowerment can change the narrative around homelessness in LA and beyond.

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

• Dr. Seth Pickens’ personal and professional journey from ministry to research leadership at USC
• How trauma-informed, goal-oriented programs can lead to sustainable housing outcomes
• The balance between spiritual truth and empirical data in solving complex social issues
• Youth homelessness prevention through early education, community care, and empowerment
• Bridging cultural gaps in faith-based and secular spaces to drive systemic change

Connect with Dr. Seth Pickens and the Homeless Policy Research Institute (HPRI):

https://www.instagram.com/drsethpickens/

hpri.usc.edu

In this episode of Young People to the Front, Tonny, Robin and Fatine are joined by Christian Quijano and Chino Quinlan to discuss their shared work in youth homelessness advocacy and how their friendship and professional collaboration evolved from a West Coast convening event. Christian, Associate Director at My Friend’s Place, and Chino, a youth advocate with lived experience working at Safe Place for Youth and the LA LGBT Center, reflect on the intersection of data, storytelling, and personal history. 

They explore the complexities of transitioning from receiving services to providing them, navigating professional relationships formed through shared experience, and the essential role of belonging and community in healing and empowerment. The conversation also touches on the dynamics of youth voice in program design, the challenges of burnout, and how success and validation are defined differently depending on background and culture.

Topics Discussed in the Episode

• Navigating professional relationships between former service recipients and providers
• Youth-led advocacy and the Young Adult Steering Council (YASC)
• Nonlinear paths to success and redefining metrics of achievement
• The role of belonging and community in healing and program engagement
• Provider responsibility, burnout, and the importance of representation in service organizations

Connect with My Friend’s Place:

https://www.myfriendsplace.org/

https://www.instagram.com/myfriendsplace/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-friend's-place

In this episode of Young People to the Front, the hosts Tonny, Robin and Fatine welcome guest Ashley Bennett, Director of Homelessness at the Los Angeles City Controller’s Office. The conversation explores Ashley’s personal journey from experiencing homelessness as a youth to becoming a community organizer and later transitioning into government work. She discusses her work with Ground Game LA, her pivotal role during the Echo Park Lake encampment, and her transition into the Controller’s Office under Kenneth Mejia. 

Ashley provides a detailed look at the importance of transparency in city budgeting, especially concerning homelessness, and highlights new tools like the Homelessness Dashboard and Build My City Budget. The episode underscores the need to spotlight youth homelessness as a distinct and often underrepresented issue in city planning and services.

Topics Discussed in the Episode:

• Ashley’s lived experience with youth homelessness
• Founding and organizing with Ground Game LA
• Echo Park Lake encampment and community defense strategies
• Transparency and budgeting tools in the Controller’s Office
• The need for youth-specific homelessness data and resources

Connect with Ashley Bennett:

https://controller.lacity.gov/

https://www.facebook.com/lacontroller

https://www.instagram.com/lacontroller

https://www.tiktok.com/@lacontrollermejia

https://twitter.com/lacontroller

https://bsky.app/profile/lacontroller.bsky.social

https://homelessdashboard.lacontroller.app/

https://shelterbeds.lacontroller.app/