Video by Keith Brown & Hayley Curtiss
The power of human connection and relationships should not be underestimated. For those living in poverty, facing situations such as homelessness or food insecurity, the significance of relationships grows considerably. It is our responsibility to help those who have fallen on hard times and struggle with regaining their footing and dignity.
“Being on the street, being in the cold, no access to food sometimes, no access to a public restroom… their life was worth so much less in their own eyes.” Sunanda Charles, executive director of the Hospitality Center, Norristown said.
In Montgomery County, Pennsylvania’s second wealthiest county, it is estimated that there are about 88,000 people facing hunger. These are mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who have no idea where their next meals are coming from. Some of them have no actual bed to lay their head on at night. There is a saying that you should not let your past determine your future, but it is my past that brought me to work with those who are on the margins.
At age 11, my parents were unable to keep the house that I had grown up in since I was 4-years-old. Having to leave behind the friends, neighborhood and school that I had become so accustomed to was tough, but that was not even the most difficult part. The loss came so unexpectedly and my parents decided that it was best to move apart, neither truly knowing where they would go.
By the grace of my loving and generous Aunt Gate, my mom, sister and I were able to move into her household instead of a homeless shelter, which was looking like the most realistic option at the time. It was a difficult time for sure. Three people sharing one room does not leave much in terms of space, but we were blessed to have even that. It gave us a stable place to stay and stick together as a family until my mother was able to bounce back on her feet and get us a place of our own.
Unfortunately, not many have family members and the safety net that my aunt was able to provide for my loved ones and me. For so many Americans who live along the poverty line, all it takes is one mishap to find yourself without a place to call home, or without a bite of food to eat.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 564,708 people are homeless in America. In 2015, 42.2 million people lived in food-insecure households. Poverty is a systemic cycle that when combined with issues in education and housing, leaves our neighbors homeless and hungry.
When my “Photography for Publication” professor, Linda Panetta, offered me the opportunity to participate in creating the photo exhibit “Imagine No Hunger” at Theatre Horizon to complement the Grand Concourse play, I jumped at the chance. Having worked with Panetta before and her nonprofit organization, Optical Realities Photography, I knew that it would offer me the experience to get personal with those on the margins, those who didn’t have an Aunt Gate.
The project required my class to go to the Coordinated Homeless Outreach Center (CHOC) in Norristown, and digest the stories of those who were staying there as well as photograph them, documenting the visits and their situations.
“Some have mental illness or some kind of addiction,” director of CHOC, Genny O’Donnell, said. “Some have been abused and assaulted, some are battling with gender identity issues. Most have nowhere to go, nobody to rely on and nobody to count on.”
We spent late nights with residents of CHOC gathering content for our exhibit, and it was those moments where we really got to bond, when we really learned.
“I had no idea what it was like to be homeless until I myself became homeless.” – Eric
“The programs help me get everything I need… medical assistance, to find a job and I’m very grateful for them.” – Erik
“The worst thing about being homeless isn’t living in a shelter, it’s going to bed at night and not being able to lay next to the man who has been the love of my life for more than 40 years.” – Mrs. Davis
“They need to bring more arts into the area and make it accessible for lower income individuals.” – Anthony
To hear these experiences and thoughts, other people’s situations, trials and tribulations, I think I speak for everyone in the class when I say that it was a humbling and teaching experience that helped to put our lives in perspective.
In creating the exhibit, we wanted to show that not everything is all one-way if you’re homeless or food insecure. We wanted to get rid of the stereotypes and judgments, to show what reality is like for them. We wanted to display that they are on the same emotional rollercoaster called “life,” just like everyone else.
The exhibit is now resting at Cabrini University, in Founders Hall, where most students will walk past it to go to class. The exhibit will eventually move on to a new location. As someone who has heard the stories and injustices of those with nothing next to their name, as someone who works to create community between those struggling with homelessness and food insecurity, I ask you to stop and look up.
Recognize that those in the photos of the exhibit are human beings just like you, people who have emotions, thoughts, ideas, and an impact. Put yourself into someone else’s shoes for a moment and take in the stories of those who have no voice in our society.
“It’s just an amazing thing when you realize it’s not about me, it’s not about what I know… It’s about trusting the person I’m trying to help and trying to be a voice for them at the places where people have stopped hearing their voice,” O’Donnell said.
“We need to help people in the way they say they want to be helped.”
