Street Speak

Street Speak
  • 5.0 (5)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Brought to you by the staff of the Street Sheet, the nation's oldest newspaper bringing you the word on the street about homelessness and poverty directly from those who live it. We answer your burning questions about homelessness in San Francisco because we know that homeless people themselves are the experts when it comes to ending poverty.

  1. 10/02/2025

    Episode 20: Plaintiffs in COH v City of SF Tell Their Story

    After years of having their belongings destroyed by city workers while homeless in San Francisco, Apple Cronk and her partner fought back through the courts. Join Apple and her partner Josh with our Host, Street Sheet editor TJ Johnston as they explore how this settlement protects ALL unhoused San Franciscans from routine property destruction, as well as their journey fighting back against the city's attack on unhoused people's human rights, their dignity and their vital and precious belongings.  Check out Apple's op-ed in the Chronicle telling her story about why she joined the lawsuit.  Support the show

    43 min

  2. 09/15/2025

    Episode 19: End Poverty Tows- 2025 RV Ban

    On this episode we are joined by Lukas Illa, Human Rights organizer with the Coalition on Homelessness and Armando Martinez, RV resident and End Poverty Tows activist.  As part of the RV ban, RV residents who were counted by the City in a May 2025 count may be exempt from the 2-hour enforcement for only 12 months unless they are offered a housing subsidy or shelter placement. But the plan only has 65 family housing subsidies allocated for an estimated 427 RV households.    The mayor’s RV ban comes at a time when immigrant communities are threatened by increased criminalization and deportations. End Poverty Tows fear the disproportionate impacts to immigrant communities and poor black and brown communities that have turned to RVs as their housing solution due to the lack of affordable housing in one of the world's richest cities. Tune in to hear Lukas and Armando discuss vehicular homelessness, the common myths and misconceptions weaponized by the city officials to demonize the RV community and the future of organizing with and for the RV community in the aftermath of the RV ban. Thanks for tuning in!  Support the show

    58 min

  3. 08/21/2025

    Episode 18: What is Harm Reduction? With Laura Guzman and Shakema Straker

    In this episode we host Laura Guzman- the Executive Director at the National Harm Reduction Coalition and Shakema Straker, human rights organizer and harm reduction advocate at the Coalition on Homelessness. Our guests discuss the basic tenets of harm reduction and the data and research that champions harm reduction as an evidence based practice. We explore the harmful misconceptions and stigma that surrounds the overdose crisis, drug use and substance use disorders and the harmful narratives and policies that we are seeing at a local, state and national level. Our guests end with discussing how we can continue to shape counter narratives and fight the stigma.   "Harm Reduction is Loving People Back to Health."  Support the show

    45 min

  4. 06/16/2025

    Episode 17: Housing First, Housing Heals with Lauren Hall from Delivering Innovative Supportive Housing

    Join us this episode with Lauren Hall to chat about DISH's commitment to providing high quality permanent housing to San Franciscans who suffer from serious health issues. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, theres is a nationwide shortage of affordable housing and permanent supportive housing. We explore the political attacks on the Housing First framework that stigmatizes drug use and users and call for the prioritization of treatment before housing. "It is hard to make positive change in your life if you don't have a home,"  Support the show

    51 min

  5. 04/18/2025

    Episode 16: San Francisco Immigrant Experience and Family Homelessness

    On Today's episode we will be speaking to the Lucia Obregon, the director at the San Francisco Latino Party and Equity Coalition (SFLPEC) a citywide coalition of more than 22 Latinx-led and Latinx serving community based agencies, she is also the appointed commissioner for the immigrant rights commission of San Francisco, a volunteer with the Building Community Collective and lastly an artist and of the lead singers of the band Inti Mystica. We will be discussing how SFLPEC'S member agencies center unhoused communities in their work, the rise in family homelessness within the immigrant community and the ways that SFLPEC and the immigrants rights commission address this. Support the show

    49 min

  6. 03/07/2025

    Episode 15: The intersectionality of Homelessness and the Lived Black Experience

    In this episode, we delve into the intersectionality of homelessness and the Black experience with two prominent leaders in the fight for social justice and housing equity: Shellena Eskridge, Executive Director of the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP), and Joe Wilson, the Executive Director of Hospitality House.  Shellena, a San Francisco native who is a passionate advocate for families, is leading HPP into a new era of hope and transformation for the Bay Area’s most vulnerable families. Joe Wilson, who leads Hospitality House with over 40 years of experience in community based solutions. Together, they’ll discuss the challenges Black individuals face in the homelessness crisis, the historical context behind these disparities, and the innovative, community-driven solutions that can pave the way forward. Join us as we explore how these leaders are working to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness, share their vision for a more equitable future, and offer insight into how the community can come together to provide lasting solutions. Support the show

    54 min

  7. 01/24/2023

    Episode 14: Poets Speak Up 2023

    Today's episode features some incredible poets reading their pieces aloud. To read these poems and many others, check out our full 2023 poetry edition of the Street Sheet, available at streetsheet.org Featured Poets: Virginia Barrett Dee Allen Johanna Elattar Detroit Richards Aaone Enosa Revolt Martine Khumalo Lisa Willis Submit Your Writing! Street Sheet is always accepting submissions of poetry, personal stories, and news articles for our bi-monthly newspaper, which supports the survival and well-being of over 100 hundred vendors. To submit your work or to pitch us an idea for a story, visit our website. Support for Street Speak comes from our listeners! Please donate to us online at https://coalition.networkforgood.com Support the show

    27 min

  8. 11/21/2022

    Episode 13: Why is the Coalition on Homelessness suing the City of San Francisco?

    On September 27th, the ACLU, Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights, and the Coalition on Homelessness—the organization that creates this podcast—filed a lawsuit against the City of San Francisco. They, and the seven homeless plaintiffs they represent, allege that the constant "sweeps" of homeless encampments carried out by numerous city agencies are unconstitutional. We speak with Zal Shroff and Hadley Rood, lawyers with the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights (LCCR), as well as with plaintiff and homeless activist Toro Castaño, about what this lawsuit could mean for the thousands of unsheltered San Franciscans who call this city home. To support the lawsuit, please report any encampment sweeps you see to the legal team using this form: https://forms.gle/fSUgkK1TEUVk7fLW6 Today's weather report is brought to you by Revolt, an activist, rapper, singer, illustrator, journalist and all-around troublemaker, who rouses the rabble with the arts that he dabbles in. This new track "She's Homeless" is inspired by and builds on an original song by Crystal Waters. You can find more like this at revoltrightnow.com Support the show

    29 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Brought to you by the staff of the Street Sheet, the nation's oldest newspaper bringing you the word on the street about homelessness and poverty directly from those who live it. We answer your burning questions about homelessness in San Francisco because we know that homeless people themselves are the experts when it comes to ending poverty.

Information

  • Creator
    Street Speak
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Street Speak
  • Show Website
    Street Speak