fiftysandwiches

I'm upvoting this comment- I think critique and curiosity are really important for this project, and I think you have a very valid point. I've dealt with a lot of self-guilt throughout this process, driving down a line somewhere between journalism and exploitation, and I explain this all in the author's bio. Much of this project was a moral dilemma, where I am forced to weigh ego and hypocrisy, where my name on the spine sends chills up my own.

This isn’t some project with steadfast conviction. The only aspects of the project that have not been questioned is that America’s homeless are in desperate need of a platform to be heard and understood and that I do not know what I am doing.

With that said, these interviews were much closer to intimate, informal discussions of two strangers sharing stories. I was surprised to see how many people were not just willing to share their experiences but eager to do so. Many people, especially those in a population so unheard and misconstrued, want the opportunity to have their stories told. I thought I would have great difficulty in finding people willing to share their stories with a complete stranger with a camera but was surprised to see just how many people were ready to share their experiences. Of course, I tried to dig a bit and find the philosophy behind the story and the story behind the philosophy. Humans Of New York takes a similar approach.

At shelters I visited (keep in mind these are people in the recovery process and more willing to share), they would even have a signup sheet because so many people were excited to have their story told. I've given your point a lot of thought, because in my mind how am I supposed to create a book based on the struggles of homeless people and expect it to be acceptable that I not share my own?

I was denied interviews plenty of times- I'd say it's about 50/50- if I'm ommitting New York City- I must have asked 50 people in NYC before getting 1 anonymous interview. I guess the conclusion I came is this:

I'm just a middle man, the channel through which these experiences are shared. I have no doubt that plenty of people share your perspective and for good reason. That's understandable, and I love hearing it because this is a community project built on the money of others (Kickstarter) and the stories of others, not mine. It came down to how the people felt when I interviewed them. Almost every interview ended with a hug, and I am NOT a hugger. I had people who stopped the interview halfway through, and I through the recording out. For the most part, however, these are stories that want to be told and need to be. A social crisis cannot be solved without first being understood. Chances are, I can't solve a damn thing, but maybe I can inspire who can.

I'd love to hear your response to this if you get a chance! I don't mean to come across as ignorant, I'm genuinely curious because this perspective is something I've dealt with internally throughout the project.

No- addiction is a horrible travesty that affects millions of people and leaves many homeless, but there is FAR more to homelessness than just addiction and mental health. I spoke with a woman who was homeless because she couldn't pay her mom's health bills after she died, I spoke with a man who was a veteran but stopped caring about anything after his daughter died, I spoke with a woman who was homeless because she left her insane, abusive husband, the list goes on.

As far as addiction goes, in my opinion, homelessness and addiction follow each other. Addiction can obviously lead to homelessness, but homelessness can also lead to addiction. If find yourself at rock bottom, at the end of society's food chain, where people are crossing the street to avoid you, where you can't leave your camp without fear of things being stolen, and where you have to wonder where your next meal is, I can see escaping into the world of drugs as a realistic option. It's unhealthy, unethical, unproductive, but understandable.

Lastly, I'd like to thank you for your questions. I can tell this is something you are very curious about and it means so much when people are willing to ask tough questions in search of tough answers. I'm no authority on the issue, I'm just some guy who has talked with a lot of shelters and homeless people, but I'll always try to provide insight where I can!

In short: homelessness is far more complex and diverse than we give it credit for. I was watching a TedTalk by Chimamanda Adichie who said something like "it's not that stereotypes are untrue, it's that they don't share the full story.

If I have a book full of nothing but hardworking people facing adversity and pretend there’s no truth in stereotypes then I’m blinding my readers with my own ignorance. If I censor reality like that I give people a reason to doubt the validity of the profiles in the book. I spoke with drug addicts and alcoholics, I spoke with those suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and I spoke with veterans and college graduates. Remember, some addicts might be veterans, others might have suffered tremendous abuse, others may be grieving the loss of a loved one, the list goes on.

Simply understanding that each homeless person you walk by on a given day has a lifetime of experiences, stories, and struggles just as complex as your own is the key to humanizing the homeless.

Naturally, I cannot definitively state that there will be no bias, because I did pick and choose stories to be in the book. With that said, mental health is a huge part of the book, because it's a large part of the homeless population. I interviewed quite a few people suffering from mental health problems, and many are highlighted within the covers.

I don't want to sound redundant, but I'm going to copy and paste what I put in another answer: "If I have a book full of nothing but hardworking people facing adversity and pretend there’s no truth in stereotypes then I’m blinding my readers with my own ignorance. If I censor reality like that I give people a reason to doubt the validity of the profiles in the book. "

Now the book’s intent is to capture a glimpse, not the face, but a glimpse into what homelessness is. A testament to the sheer diversity and subsequent complexities of the homeless population.

Thank you, I greatly appreciate that! I understand this is an emotional, complex, and sometimes divisive issue that people may have strong feelings about, myself included.

I've learned a lot through both quantitative and qualitative research, so at this point, I am fairly confident of my beliefs regarding the project, even if that means consistently questioning my own motives and ethics.

When people are willing to share their critique on my project, I am always willing to listen. I can understand how someone believes this to be exploitation, and in all honesty, I cannot wholeheartedly disagree with them. Their points are valid, and they are making these points because they care. However, at this point, I'm trusting the voices of those I spoke to, and can take solace knowing that many were happy to share their story.