The Mission at Kern County wrapped up a 24-hour livestream on Friday. It’s called Conversation on the Bench — and it brought together community leaders, and everyday people to talk openly about homelessness.
For 24 consecutive hours, Executive Director of The Mission at Kern County Carlos Baldovinos sat at a bench, speaking with countless members of the community on homelessness.
By the end of it, Baldovinos says he spoke with around 60 people, from neighbors experiencing homelessness, city leaders, law enforcement, business owners and both current participants and graduates of the Mission’s programs.
“I’ve even had some people give me ideas like hey maybe we need to work on this or that so I think it’s been a great opportunity to hear from the community almost like a town hall meeting,” said Baldovinos.
Baldovinos says October 10 marks World Homeless Day, one of their main drives for creating the event.
They’re also not the only ones partaking in this event, Baldovinos telling me they’re just one of 70 organizations hosting Conversations on a Bench.
“It gives us an idea what is really really happening with homelessness and addiction and mental health at a community level, with having some real conversations,” said Baldovinos.
Baldovinos says he It wasn’t just about raising awareness, it was about reminding the community that every story matters, and every person deserves to be seen.
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