About.
Concrete Beds is an ethnography project culminating the various unseen facets of homeless life in Santa Cruz, California. With homelessness in the bay area on the rise, so many people in our communities face harsh conditions living on the street. The details of their struggles and hopes are often shrouded in misunderstanding. A lack of perspective can result in cruel policy decision-making, forming rifts in our communities that disenfranchise these already marginalized individuals and their families. Our mission is to bring these stories to light, to empower those experiencing homelessness to present their truths.
Our Mission
Projects.
Us.
Carolina Profeta - Founder
Carolina is graduate from San Francisco State University, currently looking forward to attending a Master's program in Social Work at San Bernardino State University. Between working full-time and volunteering at the Santa Cruz Women's Center for the Domestic Abuse Hotline, Carol participates on the Board of Mental Health Services in Santa Cruz. Her passion for lifting others up drove her to establish this project, as one of many efforts to bring our community closer together.
Julianna Valdez - Founder
Julianna recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz studying Environmental Science and Education. In addition to a full-time work schedule, she utilizes her creativity and enthusiasm to advocate for environmental and social justice movements at organizations like the Homeless Garden Project in Santa Cruz. As a student at UCSC, she designed community-based curriculum for children that integrated eco-friendly artistic expression and empirical field research.
Alissa Chester - Founder
Alissa is a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, pursuing a degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Social Psychology and Law. She acts as a research assistant in a Ph. D project concerning US attitudes about restorative justice as an avenue of criminal justice reform. Combining her drive to solve problems and caring for others, she volunteers for various community organizations in Santa Cruz. Alongside coursework at UCSC, she is completing a certificate in a Human Resources program.
Elizabeth Mortimer - Founder
Liz studied Linguistics at University of Southern California, and frequently uses her skills in multiple languages to travel and experience other cultures. She finds time between her journeys to volunteer within her community, all while balancing a full-time work schedule. Always looking for new opportunities to improve the lives of others, she regularly participates in fundraising efforts for Autism and Juvenile Diabetes research, as well as animal adoption services.
