My Self Built Sanctuary

Many, many Angelenos live under bridges, in public parks or on the broad shoulders of freeways. All varieties of tents, lean-tos and homemade shelters cluster in these places, testifying to the universal need for comfort, privacy and protection. Having once lived this way herself, Dorothy Edwards will give a firsthand account of the incredible ingenuity and effort involved in building temporary shelter from whatever is at hand. As perpetual pilgrims in a gritty urban landscape, our unhoused neighbors build their own version of home with creativity and flare. Though no long term solution, these ad-hoc communities are monuments to human creativity and dignity.

Dorothy Edwards is an Enrichment Services Coordinator at Housing Works of California. Formerly homeless, Dorothy is an advocate for those still suffering on the streets. Seeking policy change, Dorothy shares her story of lived expertise on a local, state, and federal stage. She is an inaugural graduate of the CSH “Speak Up!” Advocacy training program and also serves on the National Board of Directors for the Corporation for Supportive Housing, a Community Development Financial Institute. She has also been recognized as a Congressional Woman of the Year by California Representative Judy Chu, 27th Congressional District.