Saturday Morning Photos & Stories

Yesterday morning, Elle and I joined Joy and Chad of the Carriage House, and writers Curtine Metcalf and Cheri Hoffer to find homeless people that would like their stories told.  After planning our objectives at the Carriage House, we made a beeline to the Boulder Band Shell - a part of Boulder's Central Park - where many of Boulder's homeless congregate.  (See the post of 12/21/10 for photos of and at the Band Shell.)

Near or at the Band Shell, we met with four currently homeless people and captured their photographs.  Curtine and Cheri partnered with three of the homeless for interviews.  One of the homeless men that we photographed wants to write his own story -- fulfillment of a longstanding desire to tell young people of his mistakes in a way that will encourage them to choose another path.

While we were at the Band Shell a small group of volunteers, possibly from Naropa, brought pots of warm soup and clothing to distribute.  Shortly after that, a Boulder Police officer arrived to enforce laws against distributing food without a permit.  One assumes that the intention of the laws is good - to prevent someone from knowingly or unknowingly giving "bad" food to others. But, as one of the homeless people said, "Don't they know that most of us have eaten food from dumpsters."

As our morning was finishing, Elle and I received a request from Joy.  A local salon owner, formerly homeless, would like to tell her story.  So, we stopped by the Boulder salon, set up our lights and captured the portrait. Jennifer Sleek-Klevdal will interview this entrepreneur.

One of our participants, Hope, has a service dog named Baby.  Hope says that she rescued Baby and that Baby now rescues her.  I am eager to read Curtine's story about Hope and Baby.  That's the portrait of Hope and Baby, to the left.

Back from Travel

After being on the road for a couple of weeks, I was happy to return to our project today.

The morning started with a Rotary club meeting and a quick update on the project. (Very well received by Niwot Rotary members who are supportive of our vision and efforts!)

Then, off for an initial meeting with Travis Railey, Development & Marketing Director at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (www.BoulderShelter.org).  The Boulder Shelter is a huge part of the homeless landscape in Boulder and Travis was kind to spend a half hour with me to introduce the various services housed in and operated through the Shelter.  Based on that conversation, we're hoping to arrange an interview with a volunteer for Boulder County Cares.  This interview will help tell the story of the street outreach program of the Shelter that utilizes trained volunteers to canvass the community every winter evening, distributing blankets, gloves, hats, and other warm clothing, and providing food to unsheltered homeless people who are living on the streets.

We would also like to interview a long-time Shelter volunteer who serves meals to the homeless.  Such volunteer insight to the interface between the homeless and mainstream population would be excellent. Also excellent would some insight into how over 83,000 hot meals are prepared and served by the Shelter to homeless folks each year - at a cost of less than a dime each!

Then, I was fortunate to join Michelle Weiner-Davis at the Starbucks on University Hill. Michelle was completing her interview of Cassie Gedbaw, Coordinator of the CU chapter of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group. Cassie is passionate about serving the less fortunate and educating the University's students about homelessness.  One's hope for the future is bolstered when hearing of the selfless work of Cassie and her peers.  I'm eager to read the story that Michelle will write.

My morning finished with a portrait session with Cassie at the east end of Varsity Lake on the CU campus.  She's a lovely lady.  Wouldn't you agree?

A Day of Photographs

Joy Eckstein, of the Carriage House, offered to host Elle and me for a photographic tour of downtown Boulder in search of homeless people that would like to have their stories told in our book. (What photographer wouldn't like to join a guide for a photographic expedition! Particularly an expedition that is so meaningful!) So, enjoying yesterday's wonderful weather, we started at the Carriage House, walked the Pearl Street mall, and finished at the main branch of the Boulder Public Library.

We captured images of eight subjects, digitally recorded an interview with one, and received agreement for the others to either write their own stories, or to be interviewed by the project's writers.

It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

This is a photograph of Rabbit that I captured by the courthouse on the Pearl Street mall.  He has a pretty exciting story to tell....

Betsy Duckett, RN

Yesterday, I photographed Betsy Duckett in follow-up to an interview that Doug Hill conducted with Betsy last week. Betsy is a Clinical Nurse Specialist at the People's Medical Clinic on 13th Street.

Betsy knows the homeless. As the Clinic's Homeless Outreach Nurse, it is Betsy that spends much of her time outside of the clinic to meet with patients and provide access to medical care to many of Boulder's homeless population. She meets them where they are - at the Shelter, the Carriage House, Attention Homes, and elsewhere. After the photography, I showed Betsy images of those photographed for the project so far. She named each person.

A woman of great compassion, Betsy describes her calling as part medical and part social work. She's a specialized case worker.

Boulder's homeless are fortunate to have Betsy caring for them.

Katrina & Dionshay

Elle and I met with and interviewed Katrina and Dionshay this afternoon. What an amazing and inspirational story!

As a ward of the state of Colorado since she was two, Katrina has been homeless for much of her adult life. The opportunity to have her four year old son returned to her custody led Katrina to change her situation and get on a new path.

She is now in an apartment with Dionshay, is no longer drinking and is looking forward to a productive life. Later, she wants to return to school for training in radiology, culinary arts, or automotive repair. But, for now, her focus in on taking care of Dionshay and getting him into school.

For those that believe life is the result of the choices we make, Katrina's story shows that positive choices can turn around a life and set it on a new course. I'm inspired by this formerly homeless woman!

Where Are the Photographs Taken?

In order to capture the images of people in Boulder's homeless community, we go where they are. In the case of yesterday afternoon's interview, it was to the main branch of the Boulder Public Library in the art gallery at the north entrance.

Before the interview with Angela and Keith, I photographed the couple. And, in the process of my photographing, our writer, Anne Doyle, took a picture of me.

These photos show the place where we met with Angela and Keith, and the resulting image of them.

A Missed Appointment

Yesterday afternoon, we were scheduled to interview and photograph a homeless woman at the Boulder library. She missed our appointment. Later, I learned that she had a chemotherapy session on Thursday, the day before, and she was sick. She simply couldn't get to our session.

When I'm sick, I can stay home in bed to recover. Where does a homeless person rest and recover?