Page 32 - aruba-today-20171111

A32 FEATURE
Saturday 11 November 2017
Path to photographing homeless began in shock then curiosity

By JAE HONG mentally ill. Others were
Associated Press scary.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — I was People cursed me inches
drawn to document life on from my face, spittle flying
Skid Row after being re- from their mouths. A wom-
pulsed by it. an living on Skid Row told
Initially, it wasn’t to bring me no one would kill me
awareness to the plight of there because they didn’t
the people there or to give want trouble with the po-
voice to the homeless. It lice, but they might rough
was more of a visual curios- me up.
ity. I saw so much of people in
Tents were dwarfed by their rawest moments that
skyscrapers. People were I couldn’t bring myself to
shooting heroin and smok- photograph some of it.
ing crack in broad daylight. I dialed 911 four times to
A mentally ill woman was get help for people.
screaming and cursing as if One was a drug addict
seeing a ghost. passed out in the middle
My first encounter with this of a street intersection on
square mile of misery nearly Skid Row. Another was a
a decade ago remains naked woman in a tree in
a vivid memory. I passed Santa Ana talking to herself

John Ruiz, 9, poses for a photo in front of the RV where he lives with his family on Monday, Oct.
23, 2017, in Mountain View, Calif. His parents and four siblings moved into the camper after they
could no longer afford the rent in an apartment. John dreams of his family having a successful
life together and maybe ending up in mansion _ a home that might have swimming pool and
backyard. Or at least one big enough to have his own room.
Associated Press
its own. I’m just orbiting it as The other, not far away, There will even be Christ-
an observer. was to get into Gwen Ste- mas on Skid Row, too.
One night this week, there fani’s meet-and-greet to Well-meaning folks and
were two long lines on the celebrate her holiday al- some celebrities and poli-
James Harris, 54, poses for a photo Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in edge of downtown Los An- bum “You Make It Feel Like ticians will dish out meals.
Los Angeles. Harris has had AIDS for 30 years, he said. When geles. Christmas.” Blankets will be given as
medication stopped working, he got depressed and was One was the usual line of My home will soon start gifts. I hope they do more
evicted. Now he feels like an outcast, vulnerable and struggling homeless waiting for din- to feel like Christmas as than just cover up all the
to survive. He’s hoping that as a veteran he can get permanent ner at the Midnight Mission. my wife starts decorating. suffering.q
housing, though he missed an earlier opportunity because a stint
in a shelter disqualified him from being considered chronically
homeless.
Associated Press

through in my car and dou- in Spanish.
ble-checked to make sure There’s always an internal
my doors were locked and struggle. As a photogra-
windows rolled up tight. It pher, I want to capture the
wasn’t fear; it was shock. moment because my job
When I returned a couple is to tell the story. As a hu-
of years later, I was on foot man, the agony can be
with my camera. too hard to watch. Some
I had to experience the don’t know they need help
sights, sounds and smells up — or even that help exists.
close. I have sympathy for the
My role in The Associated poor. I don’t judge them
Press’ project to document now that I’ve seen so many
the homeless crisis on the people in dire situations
West Coast began in late and have heard about
August. Except for a few their lives. Many times I’ve
days covering the Northern tried to comfort them with
California wildfires and the encouraging words.
World Series, this is all I did I wish I understood the
for nearly three months. problem of homelessness Dolores Epps, 41, poses for a photo Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, in Los Angeles. Epps, a mother of two
children who has been homeless for five years, once had a job at a salon and still makes money
I walked a lot and talked to better than before. Truth cutting hair. “I don’t touch everybody, only the people that are clean,” Epps said. “All these dope
a lot of people. Many gen- is, I’m more confused than fiends are gonna keep looking like a dope fiend. You’re not my problem. But if you’re a clean
erously told me their stories. ever. I can’t see a solution. person and you just want to get a little bit extra sassy or as a man look a little more handsome,
Some were clearly high or Skid Row is like a planet of then yeah.” Her mother has custody of her 15-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son.
Associated Press