Unhoused and Unheard: The Hidden Struggles of POC Youth

By Chika Anubalu & Ashlyn Ro 

Across the United States, there is a significant population of young individuals who often navigate each day without the security of a home or other basic necessities. For youth of color (POC youth), this reality is induced by systemic inequities that make their day-to-day process and journeys even more isolating and dangerous. Houselessness does not simply consist of the lack of shelter; it also strips away any sense of safety, stability, and the blueprint needed to thrive. According to The Covenant House, “69% of youth experiencing houselessness report mental health challenges. Suicide is the leading cause of death among youth experiencing houselessness…” This crisis is more than a housing issue; it also stands as a mental health emergency as it disrupts access to basic needs while amplifying long-standing systemic barriers, worsening existing mental health stigmas/challenges, and eroding future opportunities. 

Houselessness impacts nearly every aspect of a young person’s mental well-being. Without stability, youth face a gradual yet striking exposure to trauma, chronic stress, and violence. Research shows that unhoused youth are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and more compared to those who are housed (Iwundu et al. 2017). In the case of POC youth, the mental weight induced by housing instability can become unbearable as they often find themselves navigating cultural stigmas, a lack of culturally competent care, racism, and more. This can work to deter any sense of hope and desire to seek out and receive mental health support. The internal struggle of seeking out mental health resources and the external battle fighting systemic housing barriers opens up the conversation about a topic known as the amplification effect. In this case, homelessness does not just create new struggles; it exacerbates deeply ingrained issues that already exist. Without access to consistent, stable housing and resources such as therapy, supportive relationships, adequate medicine, etc., this ongoing vicious cycle of homelessness and mental health crises amongst the youth is perpetuated. 

Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we can examine how unmet physiological and safety needs mold a pipeline for vulnerability. When young individuals lack a sense of security in regards to education, shelter, food, etc., the ability to pursue opportunities that include evolving for the better (education, relationships, and more) becomes severely compromised and limited. 

POC youth are more likely to face systematic barriers that push them into homelessness, including: 

• Family abuse and unsafe home environments

• Underfunded schools

• Aging out of foster care without adequate support

• Poverty/economic inequity

• Racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and sexism in housing and places of employment

These factors are only some of those that are integrated into a system of larger structural issues, including gentrification and inadequate protection from harsh societal influences such as stereotyping and hostile anti-homeless infrastructure, which evidently create a cycle that traps vulnerable youth.

To address the growing issue of youth homelessness, it is essential that we come together as a community to create safe, inviting spaces where youth feel comfortable seeking support. We can do this by: 

1. Creating Spaces for Healing and Growth: Beyond mere survival, unhoused youth require spaces where they can freely express their creativity, develop essential skills, and view themselves beyond their circumstances, rather than letting them define them. Community-based art programs, peer support groups, sports centers, job training, and much more can set a foundation of long-term recovery.

2. Harnessing the Power of Media and Policy Reform: In our day and age, media has consistently been seen as a tool that has catalyzed change and awareness while mobilizing action. Through advocacy campaigns, storytelling, informational posts, etc., we can push for reforms in housing, foster care, and education policy to put a halt to the root causes of houselessness.

3. Strengthening Support Systems: Using our privilege, education, and resources, we must invest in youth-centered shelters, food programs, and after-school initiatives that help fulfill and bridge that gap regarding meeting immediate needs while fostering a sense of empowerment. Providing culturally competent mental health care and connecting youth with advisors, mentors, and counselors who can understand their lived experience can rebuild/build a sense of trust and resilience.

Houselessness among POC youth is a product of deeper systemic issues and failings. Its consequences on mental health, specifically, are too loud and severe to brush over or ignore. It is not enough to provide temporary relief; we must commit to more long-term solutions that dismantle these inequities, amplify voices, and restore access to dignity and opportunity. 

Works Cited

1. Iwundu CN, Chen TA, Edereka-Great K, Businelle MS, Kendzor DE, Reitzel LR. Mental Illness and Youth-Onset Homelessness: A Retrospective Study among Adults Experiencing Homelessness. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Nov 10;17(22):8295. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17228295. PMID: 33182590; PMCID: PMC7697732.

2. Covenant house. “Mental Health Challenges of Homeless Youth | Covenant House.” Www.covenanthouse.org, www.covenanthouse.org/homeless-issues/mental-health.