With a personal understanding of what it feels like to be seen, Susan McDowell, CEO of LifeWorks Austin, has made it a top priority for Austin’s youth experiencing homelessness to be seen and heard as they navigate their way to self-sufficiency. With similar values to Mobile Loaves & Fishes, LifeWorks Austin focuses on the relational needs of individuals experiencing homelessness and instilling dignity in our friends who may simply desire to be seen. In this episode of the Gospel Con Carne, Susan recounts her personal experience of feeling noticed, which led her to the opportunity to attend college where she majored in philosophy—a degree that has helped lay the groundwork for the many decisions she makes as the leader of an organization serving Austin’s most vulnerable youth.
[A NOTE FROM OUR HOST, ALAN GRAHAM: As we navigate through this unprecedented time in our world, it dawned on me that the term ‘social distancing’ is something many of us had probably never heard of just a few weeks ago—and yet today it is a common defense as we all deal with the coronavirus outbreak. Everything we do at Mobile Loaves & Fishes and Community First! Village is about relationships. As we often talk about on the Gospel Con Carne podcast, we consider community to be our greatest source of healing, dignity and transformation. Connecting with others human-to-human, heart-to-heart is something everyone inherently needs in their lives. It’s the way God designed us to live. So while we keep our physical distance during these uncertain times in order to keep ourselves and others safe, we still crave that human connection. One way we have decided to continue connecting with you is through our Gospel Con Carne podcast. Please keep in mind that this conversation with Susan McDowell was recorded before the impact of the coronavirus pandemic had fully set in and our daily lives dramatically changed. We hope you will feel connected to us as you listen, and know that we are praying for you and your loved ones as we all endure this crisis together.]
Alan Graham is one of the country’s leading visionaries on issues involving homelessness. He’s also a pretty cool dude. Meet Your Host >
