Youth Homelessness in America: 2024

It's 2024 and Teen Homelessness is still a pressing issue in America. At this very moment, some place in America, a young person is alone, hungry and homeless. The stats on youth homelessness isn't getting any better. Being more aware of this issue, spreading the word and getting involved are helpful things that we all can do. I'm honored to contribute to Justine Pedrosa's project Teen Homelessness https://prezi.com/gcen4hk_twcv/teen-homelessness/

Everybody's Thing

Teen homelessness leads to human trafficking. Human trafficking leads to HIV. This is an endless cycle, which keeps evolving. This isn’t someone else’s thing. This is everybody’s thing. Sadly, the numbers are still rising, even in your hometown. Spreading the word, being more aware, and getting involved are little things in which we all can do to help confront youth homelessness. – Randolph Randy Camp
Learn more at https://prezi.com/gcen4hk_twcv/teen-homelessness

Our Vulnerable Youth

Unfortunately, human trafficking has become a rising social issue in America. And sadly, after natural disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, which devastated the Houston area, there’s a predictable spike in human trafficking due to the high number of displaced and extremely vulnerable people, especially people who were already living in poverty.
The number of homeless youth in America is already on the rise, and natural disasters will certainly attract those shady individuals, including pimps and hustlers, who prey upon these desperate, vulnerable young people.
Supporting and getting involved with helping agencies in any capacity is always appreciated. Becoming more aware and spreading the word about Youth Homelessness and Human Trafficking are helpful as well. Thank you. – Randolph Randy Camp

Servicetown, Lot Lizards and Other Writing Tips

If you’re an aspiring writer, one of my greatest advice to you is to always keep your eyes and ears open.


Ever since I could remember I wanted to be a successful writer. But, of course, I was naïve to the world during my younger years. During my teen years, I found jobs at highway restaurants along Interstate 95 and Highway 17 near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Servicetown was a huge truck stop in our area years ago. The underworld life surrounding a truck stop was a real wake up call for me. Working at restaurants near a truck stop was very educational to me, especially as a budding young writer. I was so naïve back then. Don’t you know that when I’d initially heard the term ‘lot lizard’, when I first started working at the highway restaurant, I actually thought that it was a real lizard crawling across the truck stop parking lot.


The shady, secretive world of truck stops allowed me to see the world differently. As a teenager, when I’d originally conceived the concept of my first novel ‘Wet Matches’, I shed light on this somewhat little-known world of a truck stop by using it as a backdrop within the story. Today, in 2017, unfortunately, this dark world of truck stops and lot lizards is among many factors which play a role in the harsh, unforgiving world of human trafficking.


So, to all emerging writers, keep your ears and eyes open to everything going on around you. Your next story could come from something totally unexpected. – Randolph Randy Camp


(Photo: WBFO Radio Reporter Eileen Buckley interviewing Writer Randy Camp)
Learn more at https://www.amazon.com/author/randolphcamp