When “Home” Becomes Something Everyone Else Is Selling Gallery: A collection of advertisements, storefronts, and scenes that all use the idea of “home”—viewed through the perspective of someone currently experiencing homelessness. Home. It’s one of the smallest words in the …
When I was a kid, my mom and I played Punch Buggy. The rules were simple. Whoever spotted a Volkswagen Beetle first got to call it out. “Punch Buggy!” Before long, it seemed like Beetles were everywhere. Of course they …
When people think about homelessness, this is often the image that comes to mind. A bench. A shopping cart. Everything someone owns piled together. It’s a real image. It’s also an incomplete one. My experience doesn’t look like this. Tonight …
People tell you to keep looking. They mean well. They imagine looking for housing means scrolling through listings over a morning coffee, sending a few messages, arranging a viewing, signing a lease, and moving in. That isn’t what it looks …
There are sentences you’re not supposed to say out loud. “I like taking my shits here.” Read that again. It’s crude. It isn’t polished. It isn’t the sort of sentence you’d expect to open a piece of journalism. It’s also …
The shower room has a motion sensor light switch. Outside. If you stop moving long enough to wash your hair, dry off, get dressed, or simply sit and organize your belongings, eventually the lights go out. Then you have two …
Someone invited me for fish and chips this morning. I wanted to go. The people inviting me weren’t offering charity. They know me. They knew me before I became homeless. They know my work, my photography, my radio background, my …
The accompanying illustration is a composite courtroom-style reconstruction based on lived experience. Architectural details, mural content, bed numbering, clock placement, and identifying characteristics have been altered or combined to protect privacy. It should not be interpreted as depicting any specific …
The Morning Everyone Knew Their Lines – A Place Called Richter Street Read more »
Three men waited for the bus at the Queensway Transit Exchange. I thought back to Charles. Earlier that evening… Yum Yum Tree. Capri Centre Mall. A large combo. Curry rice noodles. Thin. Fragile. With a sweet bite. Chop suey. Barbecue …
This morning I called the BC Housing Registry. The call lasted 13 minutes. I was told my file was active. My information was updated. My mobility needs were reviewed. We discussed walkers, wheelchairs, stairs, bathtubs, income assistance, shelters, and the …