Exploring Resiliency, Identity, and Access: Educational Narratives of Adults Who Experienced Youth Homelessness

Author

• Taylor MestresFollow

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Transformative Action in Education

First Advisor

Jennifer D. Geiger

First Committee Member

Brittany Auernig-Roan

Second Committee Member

Richard Tapia

Abstract

This study explored the educational experiences of adults who experienced homelessness during their youth, focusing on how instability, stigma, and resilience shaped their K-12 schooling. Guided by Maslow's hierarchy of needs and resiliency theory, the research employed a narrative inquiry approach with seven adult collaborators who reflected on their schooling while experiencing housing instability. Seven themes emerged: living between places, school as sanctuary, concealment and stigma, resilience and survival, the role of educators and support systems, thriving despite adversity, and retrospective recognition. Findings reveal that while housing instability and shame created significant barriers to learning and belonging, schools also functioned as critical spaces of safety, consistency, and opportunity. The study affirms research on systemic inequities affecting unhoused youth while extending it through lived narratives that humanize unhoused students’ experiences and illuminate pathways of resilience. Results highlight the need for trauma-informed and equity-centered educational practices, emphasizing that when educators intentionally address students’ basic needs, schools can transform from sites of survival to spaces of belonging, dignity, and hope.

Pages

167

Recommended Citation

Mestres, Taylor (2026). Exploring Resiliency, Identity, and Access: Educational Narratives of Adults Who Experienced Youth Homelessness. University of the Pacific, Dissertation. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/4327