Some of you may be interested in attending this Panel Discussion on Homelessness being presented at UT’s Visual Arts Center on February 25 (Friday), 6:00-7:00PM.
Please note that three of the speakers, William Stringfellow, Khrysttey Bowick, and Rober Fytch are currently homeless.
Mary, could you please forward this invitation to the NACN community?  Someone from the NACN community attended the January 2011 NACA meeting and expressed the desire to talk with/hear from homeless people.  This would be an excellent opportunity to do so.

PANEL DISCUSSION ON HOMELESSNESS AND SIGN-FLYING
Friday, February 25th, 6pm – 7pm, UT’s Visual Arts Center, 23rd Street and Trinity Street
The discussion will kick off a video-based installation dealing with the same theme. We feel that this is a timely topic, especially considering the increase in panhandling in recent years and the current ban on downtown panhandling. Panelists include:
– Ben Callaway is currently a graduate student in at the UT School of Social Work. Prior to starting the program he was a case manager at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless.
– Sanna J. Thompson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at The University of Texas at Austin, School of Social Work. Her research has focused primarily on high-risk youth and their families, with special emphasis on runaway/homeless youth populations. Dr. Thompson’s publications in journals such as, Family Relations, Social Work Research, and Journal of Adolescent Health reflect her research with homeless adolescents and young adults with a specific focus on issues of substance abuse and trauma. She has conducted several, externally funded studies of runaway/homeless youth in the Midwest, Western New York, and Texas.
– Tiffany Ryan is a PhD student at UT’s School of Social Work studying homeless youth. Tiffany has conducted research at the local homeless youth drop- in on topics including housing issues, substance use, and trauma. She has also had the opportunity to work with the adult and family homeless population in her prior work experience in schools, hospitals, and with organizations that focus on hunger and housing issues.
– William Bernard Stringfellow was born and raised in Ruston, La. William graduated in Interior Design from Louisiana Tech University. After graduation William moved to L.A. to pursue further education in his field. He attended fashion institute of design and merchandising. After completing two years he was employed as a showroom manager at the Pacific Design Center. During his twelve years in L.A. William was employed in various retail locations and worked at Union Rescue Mission. William subsequently moved to Austin, continuing to work in the retail industry. William was managing two kiosks at the Barton Creek Mall when the business shut down. He lost not only his job but his apartment. Since then, William has been living on and off the street, working small jobs and “flying a sign” to survive.
– Khrysttey DeLoach Bowick was educated at Texas A&M and has worked as a licensed Vet Tech for fourteen years. Her purse was stolen when she arrived in Austin and she has been pursuing an ID ever since. Khrysttey is drug and booze free, extremely tired of begging people for food and getting somewhat discouraged. She wants out of her homeless situation. Khrysttey is the mother of two grown children and the partner of Scott.
– Robert Scott Fytch was born in Louisiana and raised in Massachusetts. He served for twelve years in the military and has since worked in construction, carpentry, and landscaping. Scott was also the owner of a trucking company. In 97′, by means of a divorce Scott lost all he owned to his second wife. He has been on the street since that time. In 2005 Scott met Khrysttey DeLoach Bowick, who has been his partner ever since. Scott has four children and three grand-kids.