Reaching Out to a Higher Power

I have spent many years photographing the urban environment and culture - including persons of many socioeconomic groups - children and adults, persons who are financially stable and those who are unhoused and homeless. During the first decade of this century, I took many photographs – and in more recent years video - of persons experiencing homelessness in many of the large cities of the USA. Over time I found myself engaging in more extensive, and more in-depth conversations with many of them.

I learned of the various circumstances that put them out on the streets. I learned that many of them have family members who care about them. I learned about how they deal with the day-to-day challenges of their marginalized situation. I discovered that most of these individuals had strong spiritual connections, and when one of the individuals launched into a very spirited and emotional prayer, I realized that the spiritual connection was a very important part of his life. His words were so moving that I began to explore the spirituality of others experiencing homelessness.

From that day on, video became a much more important part of my project, as it enabled me to capture their spirituality. By 2019 it became apparent that it was time to bring my media together into a story, a documentary story of homelessness and spirituality from the hearts and through the voices of persons who live it.