College is supposed to be a time of growth, learning, and opportunity, but what happens when a student doesn’t have a place to sleep at night? In Los Angeles, a significant number of college students face housing insecurity, which can make earning a degree and achieving career goals very difficult. Often, students must choose between continuing their education or covering their basic needs, but the Dunamis House is stepping in to change that. The Reality of Student Homelessness When people think of homelessness, they rarely picture a young college student balancing coursework and multiple jobs. However, statistics show that housing insecurity is a major problem for today’s youth. The high cost of rent combined with a lack of financial resources put many at risk. Today, more than half of the 220,000 students enrolled across nine Los Angeles Community College District institutions are experiencing housing insecurity. Nearly 1 in 5 are homeless. Without support, these students can struggle in school and enter a cycle of poverty that is difficult to break. How the Dunamis House Is Making a Difference Led by the nonprofit Los Angeles Room & Board, the Dunamis House opened in 2023 in a historic building that once housed Japanese Americans working to rebuild their lives following World War II. Today, the group residential facility provides housing for 40 Los Angeles college students ages 18–24 at risk of homelessness. In addition to free, stable housing, Dunamis provides community support to help residents overcome challenges in school and life. Residents can access nutritious meals, tutoring services, and job training programs. Rather than providing short-term relief, the focus is on helping students become more self-sufficient to achieve long-term success. Los Angeles Room & Board allows residents to live at Dunamis for up to three years. Residents can then transition into one of the nonprofit’s other homes, where they can continue working toward their goals while paying subsidized rent. The housing, support, and stability provided by Dunamis and associated programs provide many with precisely what they need to finish their studies, secure stable employment, and break free from the cycle of poverty. The Dunamis House Turning the Tide on Student Homelessness
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If they ate it, they could become anything they wanted — rich, famous, powerful. But there was a catch: In exchange, you would forget your parents. Your childhood. Your grandfather’s war stories. Every memory that made you, you. She asked, “Would you eat it?” No one ever did. In that moment, every student realized the value of memory, of personal history. And in that silence, Mrs. Lovato taught one of the greatest lessons of all — that what makes us who we are is not what we have, but who we’ve loved, what we’ve survived, and what we remember. Carol Lovato was not just a teacher. She was a force. A guide. A keeper of stories and igniter of purpose. I would not be who I am without her. And I miss her. But I carry her lessons into every courtroom, every letter, every client meeting. Because she made history matter, and she made me want to be someone worth remembering. Everything I do today still holds a thread of that yarn she once stretched across the room. And the jelly bean on my desk top. —Bert Parnall
SIMPLE SUMMER GARDEN PASTA
Inspired by TheKitchn.com
This light, flavorful dish with juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese is a fresh, satisfying weeknight meal.
Ingredients
• 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil • 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, to taste) • 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper • 1 lb angel hair pasta • 1 cup fresh basil • 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese • Cooked, chopped chicken for serving (optional)
Directions 1. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper and toss until well coated. 2. Cover and let the mixture sit at room temperature while the pasta cooks. 3. Add pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook per package directions until al dente. 4. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water to add to the tomato mixture. 5. Coarsely chop the basil leaves. 6. Add the pasta, Parmesan cheese, and chopped basil to the tomato mixture and toss again until combined. 7. Serving suggestion: Add cooked, chopped chicken for more protein!
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