Strengthening the Voices on Albany Street.

Harsimar Brar is an MPH candidate in epidemiology and biostatistics as well as  chronic and noncommunicable diseases certificates and serves as a representative of the School of Public Health on the Life on Albany Committee. We sat down with Brar to learn more about the committee and her experience working with folks experiencing homelessness.

Why are you passionate about working with populations struggling with homelessness?

I am passionate about working with individuals who are faced with homelessness due to the unfairly and inequitable distribution of circumstances as well as barriers that play a role in homelessness. Our society also unfairly stigmatizes and desensitizes many aspects related to this challenge. Individuals who are battling homelessness often lose many aspects of their autonomy prior to or in tandem with facing this issue. I believe that autonomy is a critical part of living that is often overlooked and therefore would like to work with and strengthen the voice of individuals who are facing homelessness. I also believe that a future should be created that promotes health equity, which includes but is not limited to shelter, nutrition, and health care.

Early in the fall semester, I started talking with my professors about creating a program that would increase student awareness and interaction with the mental health as well as homelessness challenges around the Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC). That is when I met with Emily Barbo in the Activist Lab and Mahogany Price in Graduate Student Life to discuss potential ways in which my program could come to fruition. It became clear that I should join the Life on Albany Committee, as the committee’s goals aligned with my own.

What are you working on with the committee now?

I am currently working on creating a student committee where student representatives from each of the four BUMC schools can work together to tackle the substance abuse, mental health, and homelessness challenges in and around Albany Street. As of now, the main focus of this student group is to create a resource guide that describes all of the available resources around Albany Street that are focused on addressing the aforementioned challenges.

What are some of your goals?

I hope to assist with creating a platform that would increase the collaboration across the BUMC community and awareness about current projects that are addressing the challenges on Albany Street. With the resource guide, I hope that individuals will be able to utilize preexisting resources and/or further build upon them. Overall, I would like this endeavor to increase the number of effective projects that work with and strengthen the voices of individuals who are facing substance abuse disorders, mental illness, as well as homelessness.

What advice would you give the next SPH representative on the committee?

I think that taking an active stance with regards to understanding the current circumstances in and around Albany Street is crucial. Being perceptive to the suggestions and needs of individuals who are facing substance abuse disorders, mental illness, and/or homelessness, resource providers, and community members across BUMC, can help with creating, implementing, or discussing effective changes. I also believe that each community has unique circumstances that can heavily influence the type of problem-solving approach they are able to take.

Any suggestions for how your fellow students could get involved?

I am really grateful to be able to study in this supportive environment created by the faculty, staff, and students at SPH, BUMC, as well as the community surrounding BUMC. Conversing with those around me was instrumental in my ability to get involved, as I was able to receive feedback for projects and information about resources that were available. In terms of getting involved, I would recommend striking up a conversation with whomever you can, whenever you can, about your passions and projects! It can be daunting at first but there are many individuals who are more than willing to help.

—Emily Barbo

The Life on Albany Committee sponsors the Summer Water Squad program, during which volunteers from our Medical Campus community volunteer to hand out water to our neighbors on Albany Street from June through September. Register to volunteer.