Arien joined me today as I walked around Hollywood handing out socks to new homeless friends. While we were talking to a group of homeless men in a tent, a man drives by and slows down after recognizing Arien from YouTube.

Arien has recorded four Invisible People videos while living homeless on the streets of Los Angeles. Four videos of the same homeless person over a few years' time is a benchmark I never imagined we'd hit. It also shows how broken homeless services are. If Los Angeles County could not get this young woman off the streets in three years' time something is seriously wrong.

Here is a playlist of Arien's four videos:
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Around nine months ago, I scheduled a fifth video with Arien but she canceled. The night before Arien was sexually assaulted and understandably didn't want to record an interview. I am so glad and excited to share that Arien's fifth Invisible People video is to announce that she is no longer homeless.

When I heard Arien was off the streets and working I messaged her right away. She confirmed what I heard was true and even suggested we record an update video.

Arien is an amazing young woman with a bright future who is very lucky. Someone allowed Arien to stay at their apartment long enough for her to find a job and a place to stay that is more stable. I cannot stress how important this is. Without help, people cannot go from homelessness to employment and housing. Many people think that all homeless people need is to get a job but without a safe place to sleep, food, a shower, and some stability it's impossible to get a job or remain employed.

Lots of horrible things can happen to a homeless person in a very short amount of time. Arien made it because someone gave her a chance. I understand we all can't just open our doors to a homeless person but all of us can speak up to help create more affordable housing and fix a broken homeless services system.

Your voice can help end homelessness. If we do not fix the affordable housing crisis, homelessness will continue to get worse. Click here [ Ссылка ] to tweet, email, call, or Facebook your federal and state legislators to tell them ending homelessness and creating more affordable housing is a priority to you.

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About Invisible People

There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, a living wage or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.

We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Each day, we work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, we are changing the narrative on homelessness.

This isn’t just talk. Each year, our groundbreaking educational content reaches more than a billion people across the globe. Our real and unfiltered stories of homelessness shatter stereotypes, demand attention and deliver a call-to-action that is being answered by governments, major brands, nonprofit organizations, and everyday citizens just like you.

However, there is more work to be done on the road ahead. Homelessness is undoubtedly one of our biggest societal issues today and will only continue to grow if we don’t take action now.

Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since our launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.

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