Simmons College of Kentucky announces initiative to help with homelessness

Simmons College of Kentucky is working to address an ongoing problem in the city, homelessness.“I see education as a vehicle and a platform that could really empower people who are unhoused, but also set them up to access careers and job opportunities where they can really provide for themselves,” said Dr. Terance Lester.Dr. Lester is a scholar and activist and will come on board as a faculty member at the college. On Thursday, he and other leaders came together to announce a new program to tackle the homeless epidemic called the “Open Doors Initiative," which is geared towards giving people who are unhoused access to education. Simmons College of Kentucky says this initiative would make them the first Historically Black College and University to create a program dedicated to addressing the houseless epidemic. It's a cause that Lester is leading and has personal significance in his own life.“I grew up impoverished, all of the statistics stacked against me. I had bouts when I was experiencing homelessness myself as a teenager,” said Lester.However, Lester says with support he persevered. Now he and others including the Simmons College president, Dr. Kevin Cosby, are hoping to provide others with that same opportunity. Cosby says this effort is also about raising awareness and providing solutions.“Because so many houseless people are black and brown. And many times, I think people in the black community often feel hopeless and helpless in terms of remedying the problem,” said Cosby.Right now, Lester says they're still in the early stages of planning by building partnerships and collaborations.“We need to start thinking in positive ways to end homelessness and not just punishing this community,” said Lester.He says he’s hopeful with access to the right resources, others who have faced challenges like his own will have an opportunity for a comeback to reach success.