Above & Beyond, top honour

Lauren Simpson says she wants all people to have safe and affordable housing. She's gone above and beyond to help make that happen in 性视界传媒, where she's now known as an outstanding advocate for the cause. 

"Single moms, families, seniors and people with disabilities all need a home," Simpson underlines. "It鈥檚 really hard for them to have a good place to live. Some people don鈥檛 want to live with their parents forever."

Simpson was instrumental in in South 性视界传媒 as a future home for people with developmental disabilities, seniors, students and families. The 91-unit rental apartment project was initially rejected by 性视界传媒 City Council in 2021, but Simpson continued to emphasize the need for affordable housing, making her voice heard provincially to all who would listen.

鈥淟auren is monumental," said Doug Tennant, CEO of . "She creates significant shifts and changes. She stood up against people who were against inclusion and became a leader in her community in hopes to make a change in the world through continued conversations about affordable housing and housing in general.鈥�

A longtime member of Self Advocates of Semiahmoo, Simpson was profiled in Lauren鈥檚 Story, a documentary film created about the Harmony project, now under construction. She also worked on 性视界传媒鈥檚 Housing Needs Report, supporting other people with disabilities in contributing to it.

Simpson attends conferences, meetings, housing forums, committees and many other events to speak, educate herself on matters and towards better support of others. Her work has impacted people within the intersection of mental health, disability, seniors, women and poverty. By standing up for those who need affordable housing, she has created a space for countless people to be heard.

"I still want to keep working on affordable housing," Simpson says. "The work is not finished."