STATE OF
THE MOVEMENT
From Struggle to Strategy: Reimagining Justice For Youth Through Collective Action
A two-day in-person convening to strategize and activate collective power to address systemic inequities that impact youth. Each workshop will explore systemic barriers, innovative solutions, and actionable steps to drive change. Workshops and sessions will provide space for deep collaboration, cross-sector learning, and youth-led insights to ensure a holistic approach to justice.
Event Details:
October 22, 2025-October 23, 2025
The Little Black Pearl: 1060 East 47th Street, Chicago, IL 60653
SOTM Purpose:
SOTM is a semi-annual event hosted by A Way Home America & partners to convene movement leaders working to end and prevent youth homelessness to assess the current state of our movement and work together to strategize and combine efforts to prevent and end homelessness for youth and young adults.
October 2025 Event Theme:
SOTM: Reimagining Justice for Youth Through Collective Action
In a world where justice systems often fail to meet the needs of young people, it’s time to reimagine what true justice looks like.
This year’s State of the Movement (SOTM) gathering will bring together advocates, organizers, policymakers, and young leaders with lived experience to collectively challenge harmful systems, co-create solutions, and build pathways toward liberation. Through deep dialogue, strategy-building, and shared learning, we will move beyond surface-level reform and work toward transformative justice that prioritizes healing, equity, and community-driven change.
Join us as we shift from vision to action—because real justice for youth is built together.
FAQs
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The focus of the conference will be to strategize and activate collective power to address systemic inequities that impact youth. Each track (based on the Five Pillars to our new deal to End Youth Homelessness) will explore systemic barriers, innovative solutions, and actionable steps to drive change. Workshops and sessions will provide space for deep collaboration, cross-sector learning, and youth-led insights to ensure a holistic approach to justice.
Day 1: Laying the foundation
Day 2: Driving Solutions
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To unite and combine policy efforts to apply more political pressure toward housing justice legislation
To support shifting and sharing power & accountability with youth and young-adults (YYA)
To invest in repairing ruptures and rebuilding trust in movement spaces
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Anyone passionate about ending and preventing youth homelessness! Specifically, this event is designed to resource: Activists, Advocates, Policy Advocates, Policy Makers, Congress members, Organizers, Service Providers, Lived experience experts, Social workers, People seeking service, & youth access services through a Continuum of care.
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We’d love to have you!If you want to apply to be a presenter at SOTM 2025 Contact Dez Barnette Dez@awayhomeamerica.org if interested.
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Come as you are! This event is not a formal one. Be comfortable, be flashy, be YOU.