Episode 2 of “The Common Ground” Podcast – From Stigma to Solutions – Is Out Now!

By May Louis-Juste, NLIHC Project Manager, Strategic Partnerships   

Conversations about homelessness are often shaped by crisis-driven headlines and harmful stories that focus on individual failure while ignoring the systems that push people into housing instability in the first place. In episode 2, “From Stigma to Solutions - Inside Beyond the Bridge and How Media Can Change the Housing Conversation,” we unpack how those narratives take shape and what changes when storytelling is rooted in solutions rather than stigma. 

In this episode, we are joined by filmmakers Don Sawyer and Tim Hashko, the team behind the documentary Beyond the Bridge. As they drew reference from their travels across the country, Don and Tim share what they witnessed firsthand while documenting communities that are reducing homelessness through coordination, data-informed strategies, and a commitment to housing as the foundation for stability. 

“The cities that made progress were the ones where everyone. . .service providers, elected officials, businesses, and funders, worked toward a single, shared vision,” said Hashko. 

The conversation dives deep into how media narratives too often elevate disorder over effective systems, sidelining stories about prevention, supportive housing, and cross-sector collaboration. Don and Tim reflect on why successful models, where service providers, local governments, and residents work together almost rarely receive attention, and how that absence shapes public understanding and political will. 

“The main objective of narrative change is to take the blame off individuals who are suffering and place it where it belongs on a system that’s broken,” said Sawyer. 

Rather than asking who is “deserving” of housing, this episode centers a more urgent question on what works. Together, the guests explore the responsibility of filmmakers, journalists, and members of the media to tell fuller stories—stories that challenge stigma, bringing to light accountability, and make clear that homelessness is a policy choice. 

This conversation will hopefully push listeners to look beyond the crisis narrative and consider how shifting the story can help move real solutions forward. 

To hear more about this important discussion, you can listen to “The Common Ground” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. Subscribe to join us as we explore our shared commitment to finding common ground.