Archive for October, 2009

Ann Marie

Tweet I’d like to say that I found Ann Marie in Chicago, but the truth is that she found me. Ann Marie uses social media to escape from her world and connect with others. When I arrived in the Windy City I received a tweet from @padschicago and the next day we arranged to meet [...]

Donald

Tweet When we talk about homelessness as a policy issue, we often distinguish between treating the symptoms versus addressing the root causes. This is the sames lens through which Donald views his own situation. Donald is living without a home in New York City. He says it’s easy to find food and places to stay, [...]

Yubal

Tweet I met Yubal in New York City. He is originally from Mexico and traveling up to Canada to try and find his way out of homelessness.

Joni

Tweet At first glance I did not know Joni was homeless. Little did I know, she spent the previous night sleeping on a bench in Times Square. This is where I noticed her trying to steal a cup of coffee; she was caught, and my heart broke for her. Many people think that homeless people [...]

Paul

Tweet After interviewing dozens of homeless people from coast to coast, I’m often asked how I get people to share their story on camera. The answer? Socks. No matter what city I traveled to, people were beyond thrilled when I opened my bag and gave them a fresh pair of socks. It was not only [...]

Rashid

Tweet For 23 years, Rashid worked in New York City as a construction worker. On 9/11, he arrived at the World Trade Center at 9:28 in the morning and – for the next four years – worked to clean up the horrific destruction at Ground Zero. Today, as a result of his service, he suffers [...]

Guy

Tweet Times Square is unlike any other place in the United States. Lights, traffic, noise, masses of people. But in the midst of all this commotion, I spotted a man pushing a buggy. That’s when I met Guy. Guy says homelessness is hard to explain. One day he was doing fine. The next, tragedy struck [...]

Elijah Alfred “NatureBoy” Alexander, Jr.

Tweet There are many times that I’ll meet a person on the street who says that they prefer the streets, insisting they are there by choice. Usually, though, I can see the look in their eye; I can tell they don’t mean it. I believe it’s a defense mechanism to rationalize the trauma one goes [...]