Out in Tech SF | Fighting Youth Homelessness in the Bay Area

Homelessness is a national crisis, acutely felt in the Bay Area and disproportionately experienced by the LGBT+ community. Why is that? What can the tech community do to help?

In celebration of Pride month, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), Baker McKenzie, and Out in Tech SF are bringing together child welfare advocates and experts on the issue of homelessness to discuss the unique challenges facing LGBT homeless youth and explore why this already vulnerable population is more prone to homelessness in our community here in the Bay Area as well as nationally. There will also be a call to action for all attendees. Local organizations working to reduce homelessness or provide essential services will be invited to present their work as well as bring one specific volunteer/ engagement opportunity which attendees can sign up to participate in on the spot.

The panel will:

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  define what homelessness is and is not

  
  


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  explore the reasons LBGT+ youth disproportionately experience homelessness

  
  


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  highlight resources available to homeless youth and LGBT+ homeless youth in particular

  
  


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  spotlight local organizations working to combat the crisis in the Bay Area and their strategies that have been successful

  
  


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  include a call to action for the audience: volunteer and engagement opportunities with the organizations highlighted

  
  

Volunteer Fair – A Call to Action:

Bay Area organizations working to reduce homelessness or provide essential services will be invited to present their work with the aim of engaging audience members in volunteer work on this issue beyond this evening. Each organization will be provided a table for exhibiting materials both before and after the panel discussion for audience members to engage with them, pick up materials for further reading, and get involved. In addition, we will invite each organization to bring along one very specific volunteer/ engagement opportunity which attendees can sign up to participate in on the spot and we announce from the stage.

Agenda
6:00 PM | Doors
7:00 PM | Panel discussion
8:00 PM | Networking

Snacks and beverages provided
Eventbrite RSVP free and required
21+ to attend

Please note that due to the nature of our free events and to ensure a full house, RSVP does not guarantee entry. We will stop check-in and may be required to turn ticketholders away once we reach capacity. Please arrive early.

Out in Tech’s Code of Conduct applies to all our spaces, online and IRL.

Confirmed Panelists:

Noah Nash, EdD in Education Leadership & Board, Foster Youth in Action

Noah is an interdisciplinary leader changing the narrative and experience for youth navigating the system. Noah experienced multiple systems firsthand before becoming a troublemaker and Gates Millennium Scholar. As a consultant, Noah supports numerous projects and initiatives aimed at improving life for people impacted by systems. Noah relocated to the Bay Area to attend graduate school during which he continued to advocate through public speaking, filmmaking, and community organizing. Currently, Noah is a volunteer Board member of Foster Youth in Action. 

Michael Santos, National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth

Michael assists states and communities in their efforts to prevent and end homelessness. He supports communities in strategic planning and implementation and system performance evaluation and planning. He has extensive experience researching, drafting, and editing various publications, technical assistance documents, amicus briefs, and legal memos on a wide range of issues related to homelessness. As a former attorney at the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty in Washington, D.C., his work focused on advocating for homeless children and youth through public education, impact litigation, and policy advocacy.

Rachel Katz, Social Impact Manager, Airbnb

Rachel works  on the Donations feature in support of the Open Homes program, which provides free stays to people in need. Previously at Airbnb, she oversaw global employee volunteering and giving and San Francisco local philanthropy, including guiding strategic partnerships to address homelessness in the Bay. Prior to Airbnb, Rachel ran global social impact programs at AngelHack to engage developers, designers, and entrepreneurs in 44 countries.

Moderator: Darnell Cadette, Manager of Community, CZI

Darnell is a Manager on the Community Team at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) where he leads the organizations grant making portfolio supporting children, youth and families experiencing homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also one of the cofounders and co-leaders of PRICZM, CZI’s LGBTQIA employee resource group. Before joining CZI in 2015, Darnell worked at Teach Plus as the Washington D.C. Program Manager for the T3 Initiative, elevating the voices and supporting the leadership development of teachers in the D.C. Public Schools. A first generation, Caribbean American immigrant, Darnell is originally from Trinidad and Tobago and currently lives in San Francisco, CA.