For African students at the University of Texas at Austin, the phrase “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” is easier said than done. There will always be some level of cultural disconnect as they tip-toe across the fine line of being “too African,” or “not American enough.” It’s the epic struggle of wanting to fit in, while trying not to lose the one thing that makes you different. For so long, it seemed that African students were faced with only two options: forsake their African culture and assimilate into American culture or be labeled an outcast for choosing to be African. But by creating the Fest Africa program, the African StudentsAssociation at UT attempts to show that it doesn’t always have to be one or the other.

The 27 acres of land just east of U.S. Route 183 look just like any other patch of open land in Texas. The grass is a faded green and overgrown with shrubbery, patches of moss cling to the trees, and only birds and insects call this place home. The thousands of drivers who pass by it everyday easily overlook it. But, when Nate Schleueter and the rest of the Mobile Loaves & Fishes team look into this field, they see a vision, one that will revolutionize how communities deal with chronic homelessness.