Santa Clara University’s Unhoused Initiative debuted its latest exhibition on Oct. 26, called “Confronting the Homelessness Crisis Through Art” which explores the personal experiences of individuals in the community facing homelessness.

The artwork, which aims to raise awareness for the local crisis, is displayed on the second floor of the University Library through Nov. 20, alongside a series of free public events featuring participating artists.

One event featured the “Tombstone Memorial for the Unhoused,” created by artist Shaunn Cartwright, the installation displayed makeshift tombstones honoring individuals who passed away while experiencing homelessness.

Each tombstone displayed the name of the person who died, along with significant identifying symbols. The symbols included a variety of colored flowers to represent the person’s ethnicity, leaves for individuals over 50, suns if they died from heat exposure, snowflakes if they died from cold exposure and a female symbol if they identified as female.

“I think that people want to look away, and I think you can’t look away from these tombstones—the goal is to recognize that these people are dying on the streets,” Cartwright said, explaining how the installation challenged stereotypes surrounding homelessness.

Marlene Bennett, program director for the Unhoused Initiative, said the exhibition’s diverse artistic mediums provide audiences with a more personal understanding of homelessness by offering insight into the perspectives and experiences of those facing it.

“Visual arts, poetry and music—are all methods for processing and speaking to our artists’ lived experience,” Bennett said. “These modalities can have a deeper impact than statistics, reporting or observations related to the homelessness crisis because they are so deeply personal.”

Other participating artists shared the stories and inspirations behind their work during the Artists Reception on Nov. 9.

Participants included artist and activist Art Hazelwood, who showcased works spanning his career, and singer Shamira Dickerson, who uses music to share her experiences with homelessness.

“What inspires my art is my dad, because he’s always pushing me to keep going and to keep focusing on my dream,” Dickerson said.

The 16-year-old singer performed at the Tombstone Memorial on Oct. 30th and the event this past Monday.

Dickerson’s song recounts the period when she and her father experienced homelessness, a story she hopes will encourage audiences to reflect on the realities of homelessness.

“Being the age that I am, hopefully people listen to my music and listen to what I’m trying to say and display from my experiences and experiences of other people,” Dickerson said.

Hazelwood, on the other hand, draws inspiration from the people he encounters through his work.

“What’s inspiring me is the resilience of people working in the prison art system, and to see how important art is giving people an escape from a brutal environment,” Hazelwood said.

Hazelwood showcased works created for protests and featured in San Francisco’s Street Sheet newspaper. He explained that his art highlights the economic justice crisis in America by illustrating the challenges individuals face alongside broader policy issues.

“I do a lot of printmaking, and the primary reason that I do it is that it does have a wider reach for visual arts–for artists to have a place to have their work displayed is an essential part of being an artist,” Hazelwood said.

Bennett hopes that the exhibition will help reach audiences beyond those who are already engaged in the discussions of homelessness.

“It’s been an honor to work with all of the artists. Planning an art exhibition is far beyond my area of expertise, and I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with the artists about the details of the programming,” Bennett said.