In Los Angeles, California, the combination of income inequality, exorbitant prices for homes and rentals, exclusionary neighborhoods and the stigmatization of homelessness have all contributed to a housing crisis that has only been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Persistent cultural norms allow us to distance ourselves from those most marginalized in our communities, resulting in a diffusion of responsibility in affluent areas where homelessness coexists and is at an all-time high. This paper explores the use of a series of dialogues on homelessness in one affluent Los Angeles community to break through stigmatization, and to encourage empathic action toward their unhoused neighbors. Findings include emerging themes from the dialogic process and individual examples of shifts toward empathy and action.
© Rebecca Cannara, 2021
The World Needs Dialogue!
Three: Shaping the Profession
ISBN: 978-1916191273
In Los Angeles, California, the combination of income inequality, exorbitant prices for homes and rentals, exclusionary neighborhoods and the stigmatization of homelessness have all contributed to a housing crisis that has only been amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic. Persistent cultural norms allow us to distance ourselves from those most marginalized in our communities, resulting in a diffusion of responsibility in affluent areas where homelessness coexists and is at an all-time high. This paper explores the use of a series of dialogues on homelessness in one affluent Los Angeles community to break through stigmatization, and to encourage empathic action toward their unhoused neighbors. Findings include emerging themes from the dialogic process and individual examples of shifts toward empathy and action.