In this first session, we will take the first 30 minutes to hear from professionals with expertise and insights into our current housing environment. We will then break out into smaller groups and address the a set of questions, roughly covering the first part addressing rent.

 

Featured Guest Speakers:

Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Beyond Housing 

Stephanie Co has worked in community development in St. Louis for the past 9 years. She currently serves as Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Beyond Housing, a community development organization based in the Normandy School District of North St. Louis County, where she supports operations, housing and infrastructure development projects, organizational development, and public policy and advocacy efforts. She has supported the construction management of 41 new single family homes in Pine Lawn, and is supporting the LIHTC application process for a multifamily housing development in Pagedale. Stephanie has also volunteered with a range of affordable housing, education, food access, and transportation projects, boards, and committees, and is currently a board member of Community Builders Network of Metropolitan St. Louis and Citizens for Modern Transit. Stephanie earned her BA at Washington University in St. Louis and MPPA, Certificate of Nonprofit Management and Leadership, and Certificate of Policy and Program Evaluation at University of Missouri-St. Louis.

 

 

Professor of Sociology, Professor of African and African American Studies

Louisiana State University 

Dr. Martin was born and raised in Nyack, New York.  She holds degrees from Fordham University, University at Buffalo, and University at Albany.  Dr. Martin is the author of many scholarly works.  Her most recent publications include Big Box Schools, White Sports Black Sports, and South Baton Rouge.  Dr. Martin enjoys research and teaching.  Dr. Martin teaches the following courses:  (AAAS 2511/SOCL 2511) Race Relations, (SOCL 2255) Sociology of Sport, (SOCL 2000) Introductory Sociology, and (AAAS 4800/KIN) African Americans in Sport. 

 

 

Executive Director, Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless 

 

 

A summary of the book and some interesting study questions can be found here. 

 

New to the Book Club format? Check out these guidelines for engaging with friends old and new on this topic.