PhotoVoice: Cameras for unhoused people

There is a worldwide project called PhotoVoice that recently came to Portland's unhoused community, sponsored by Sisters of the Road. Today there was a show featuring the ten photographers who took the course and were given disposable cameras with which to record their unhoused lives. One of them, Bekah, is an old friend. I went to the show not knowing her work would be included and was delighted to see her again and to see her beautifully composed landscapes. She made an excellent presentation, as did another photographer. She is currently living in a shelter but has been clean and sober for two years and hopes to have an apartment of her own in the next two months. As we were chatting about another formerly unhoused woman now housed and with a stable job, she said, "I love success stories. Tell me another one." 

"Look in the mirror," I suggested.

A youngster who is currently unhoused and calls Bekah "Mom" congratulated her after her presentation and made a lovely Extra.