Interviews
Real Stories: Meet Steven
Published August 14, 2009 @ 08:40AM PT
Imagine living under a busy freeway in New Orleans. Now imagine you have to sleep in a group, because the threat of violence is never far.
When you live outside, without a door to lock or a roof over your head, you are constantly vulnerable to violence. For Steven, the fear of violence never completely goes away. He said the other night another homeless man was "bricked." (Yes, it is as horrible as it sounds.)
That all said, I'm still shocked after hearing the last job Steven held.
Steven from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Real Stories: Meet Elvin
Published August 13, 2009 @ 04:40AM PT
Elvin is a seasoned healthcare professional. He has worked as a nurse for over 20 years and also holds a degree in political science. He has been married for 25 years and has three children.
Elvin sounds like someone you'd meet at a baseball game or a coffee shop, but I met Elvin in a parking lot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has been homeless and living under a bridge for over a year. He's working to renew his nursing license so he can go back to work. He says it's hard to keep your dignity when you're living on the streets without a home of your own. He is hopeful that his children will learn from his experience.
Homeless can happen to anyone. There was a time when Elvin was on top of the world. Now, he'd give anything to get back to where he once was in life. Even if he is never the man he once was, I hope he can reach a place where he finds happiness and a sense of restored pride.
I think Elvin said it best: "I shouldn't have to live like this."
Special thanks to Youth Oasis and Pastor Moor
Elvin from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Real Stories: Meet Tracy and her children
Published August 05, 2009 @ 07:01PM PT
You can have a roof over your head and still be considered homeless.
These days, a growing number of families are turning to ‘weekly rate' hotels as a way to stay off the streets. But don't let the roof fool you, many of these motels-turned-homes are shoddy, small, and unkempt. Hardly ideal living conditions for any person, nevermind young children.
Tracy and her four children are one of the thousands of families across the U.S. who call a motel "home." Although their living situation is not ideal, Tracy says it is an upgrade over the last motel room they lived in. Her husband works full-time, but Tracy cannot find a job, so the motel room is the only housing they can afford.
Seems every weekly rate hotel I have ever visited is horrible. Besides being run down, most places are filled with drug dealers, criminal activity and are unfit for children. It's easy to understand why Tracy wants a better environment for her kids.
Special thanks to Mobile Loaves and Fishes
Tracy and her children from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Real Stories: Meet Kathy
Published August 03, 2009 @ 07:45PM PT
Miserable. That's how Kathy of Austin, Texas describes the experience of being homeless. I can't say that I blame her for feeling that way. The night before this interview, Kathy slept on a bus bench. She hasn't been able to find a job because she does not have a permanent address and because of a few prior run-ins with the law. This isn't fair; Kathy's mistakes should not be a life sentence for life on the streets. Everyone deserves a second, even a third, chance. We must never give up on people.
Kathy's wishes are simple: she wants her children, a job, and a normal life. She and her husband are thinking about relocating to another state in the hope that they can find these things.
Special thanks to Mobile Loafs and Fishes.
Kathy from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Real Stories: Meet David
Published July 31, 2009 @ 06:50PM PT
For two years, David lived out of his van. But he didn't think he was homeless, he called it living "up town." But when he lost the van, everything changed. He moved into a tent. He learned how to survive with nothing. He faces cruelty from both young troublemakers and local law enforcement. He says that when the police visit, they pull up the tent stakes and let it collapse.
These days, David uses a sheet of plastic he puts on the ground underneath his bedroll and literally sleeps under the stars.
Despite his rough sleeping arrangements, David still searches for work everyday. He visits Seven Hills Center, an organization that provides homeless services in Northwest Arkansas for a daily breakfast and to use the phone to find work.
I found David's account of trying to find an apartment very interesting. Like many others on the street, David has an income, it's just not enough to afford housing.
Special thanks to The Cobblestone Project.
David from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Real Stories: Meet Charles
Published July 31, 2009 @ 06:49PM PT
Charles says he's lived on the streets of Northwest Arkansas for two years, but has been without a home his entire life. He is bipolar and suffers from depression, which makes it difficult for him to hold a job for any significant length of time. He survives by recycling and taking odd jobs when he can find them.
Charles says the hardest part of being homeless is finding a normal life, "You don't have an address and you can't keep clean."
I am often overwhelmed with the compassion street people have for one another. Charles and his friends are no different. They are trying to find a trailer so they can get off the streets and have a roof over their head.
Special thanks to The Cobblestone Project.
Charles from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Real Stories from Las Vegas and Phoenix
Published July 24, 2009 @ 08:54AM PT
This summer, Change.org will be bringing you real stories of homeless people from California to Washington, DC, courtesy of Mark Horvath's Road Trip, USA. Here are a a few stories from his second and third stops on the tour, Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Meet Jim
I met Jim in Vegas on a 116 degree day. Like many others I met, he came out here to start a new life. Instead, he wound up on the streets.
Jim lives in a tent city that has been moved eight times. He says his only other alternatives are jail or leaving town. The most heartbreaking thing about Jim's story is that he has AIDS but not healthcare, so he doesn't receive badly needed medications. The only public assistance he receives is food stamps.
One of Jim's closing statements still haunts me, "it's hard on everybody, it's just a little more hard on the homeless."
Jim from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Meet Paul
I wasn't sure of I was going to post this story. But InvisiblePeople.tv has one goal and that is to present the realities of homelessness. And who knows, maybe Paul's story will strike a chord with someone out there.
Paul has been sober for one week. When I asked why such a young guy is homeless, he said, "Drugs, man. Sticking a needle in my arm... because of that. ruining relationships." He's right. Addiction is a serious crisis. One that leads to homelessness for many people.
Before you judge Paul, look at me. This Aug 24th, I will have 14 years sober. Let me assure you, I was far worse than Paul. But I'm proof that people can change.
I hope Paul makes it. Sobriety is a road less traveled, so he has a long battle ahead. Luckily, there are places like Phoenix Rescue Mission that are there for people when they are ready to change.
For a behind the scenes view of my day in Phoenix check out my Whrrl story.
Paul from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Meet Kenneth
Kenneth is a straight shooter. He's been sober for four years and is taking the right steps to move forward with his life. But it isn't easy. He has been to prison, so finding a job is more complicated than usual. He's getting old, he says, so his job skills aren't what they used to be. But he remains optimistic, "I just roll with the punches. But believe me, if there was some other way, I wouldn't be here."
Kenneth offered an interesting street perspective. He says that there are more shelters today then there were 20 years ago. At the same time, he says that even more shelters are desperately needed, because the need has not been met. He knows of people who are still sleeping under bridges at night because they have nowhere else to go.
Kenneth from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
