Does there have to be suffering?
So the past few weeks have been busy, I have been trying to reflect on what it really means to be homeless. When I started out this project I just wanted to do some community service and take some nice pictures, but it became so much more. I realized that being homeless doesn’t just mean you don’t have a place to call home or a bed to sleep in; it affects and is your life. I also learned that there isn’t only one type of homeless, everybody situation is unique and everyone is homeless for different reasons. Throughout this project so far, the one thing that has really stuck with me is the idea of treating the reason why people are homeless and not just treating the homeless. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people so far, many of them homeless and they have all had a lot to say about the resources that are there for them. Many raved about how wonderful they all are and how they don’t know where they would be without them. then there have been so many people that I have met who don’t even know that resources that try and help get them back on their feet, give them food or a safe place to stay even exist. They have been thinking that they are completely on their own. What good are these places if people don’t know about them? But then that also leads to the problem of once everyone knows then there won’t be enough help to help all of the homeless people. All of this has made me think a lot about awareness and advocacy, because I know that right now I can’t help everyone even if I tried. Take a look around you, what little thing can you do? Something that should go hand in hand with awareness is consideration and being conscious of what’s around you.
Any can be an advocate, you just have to open your eyes to what is around you and make a conscious effort to at least think about things. I understand everyone can’t or won’t do everything to help homeless people, but being aware takes virtually no time and will cost you nothing. Because maybe everyone just being aware isn’t enough, but if more people are aware I feel like there is more of a chance that something or someone will do something about it. Homeless people aren’t going to go away and the reasons why people become homeless aren’t either, why does anybody deserve to suffer or struggle?
May 12th, 2013 at 7:19 am
Jordan, The image featuring homelessness in LA was timely since I just returned from that city–I was taken with the many street wanderers who were clearly in need of mental health resources, and the many, many makeshift beds on the streets. The image site, “A Place Called Home” http://www.apch.org/about/ is certainly one valuable resource in the city. While I was in LA I read about another terrific project called Dome Village-“Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, the Dome Village was founded by homeless activist Ted Hayes in 1993.” The Omni-Sphere dome homes, though successful, must now be relocated. Check out the story at http://domevillage.tedhayes.us/
May 19th, 2013 at 8:20 pm
I have to say your project is one of the few that I think about on my free time. I think its because im always out driving around and I see a lot of homeless people out especially when the weather is nice. Your project has opened my eyes a little bit and has given me a great visual representation of what it means to be homeless. I look forward to seeing what you do for your final project.
May 22nd, 2013 at 6:01 pm
I think your project has given me way more insight into the life of the homeless population and helped me identify with them instead of objectifying or judging them based on their homelessness.
June 5th, 2013 at 6:43 am
I’ve really liked your project so far this quarter. I think it’s been really interesting and I’ve loved being able to learn more about homelessness through your eyes. I think it’s really cool that you took the time to really discover what being homeless was really like without making it seem possibly better than it really is. Good job.