As a young child, my family and I experienced homelessness for over a year and without that experience I wouldn’t have come to understand that there are many, many sides to the story of homelessness which aren’t being told. In 2018, I had the privilege of meeting Arlene, a single mother of four at a workshop for creatives. She told me about her job as registered nurse practitioner who focuses on mental health and we connected and stayed in touch.
When I learned of her living situation I asked if I could document her and her family, and she graciously said yes. During our three months together I witnessed a story similar to my own childhood yet also very unique. It only solidified my belief that there is a tapestry of stories from people with lived experiences of homelessness and the more we share them, the better we can bridge the gap between the reality and assumption of homelessness.
