It’s effortless to drive by homeless camps taking photos/videos of tents, then say how horrible homelessness is and share blanket statements like homeless people are all addicts. I interviewed this woman today. As soon as I hit record, she started to cry. I could feel her pain.

2/ I probably will never post her video. I have 100s of video I’ll never post. I understand her pain, but I don’t think others will. I spent all week visiting her every day. Saying hello. Giving her positive attention. She asked to do a story. It was important to her.

3/ every homeless person experiences some kind of physical and emotional abuse living out on the streets. For women, the abuse they experience is unimaginable. Drugs help people cope with the pain of homelessness. To cure the addiction, we need to help heal people’s pain.

4/ in each tent is a human. Most are there at no fault of their own. If homelessness were a punishment for bad choices, we’d all be homeless. Many had horrible childhoods. Once you peel back the layers of pain, the stories are heartbreaking. I am proof people can change.

5/ that photo is me homeless in Venice 25 years so. I was severely addicted to drugs. You would have crossed the street to avoid me. I was the worst of the worst. Why am I typing this today sober? Because people loved me until I could love myself.

6/ when someone shares photo or videos of homeless camps, remember that homeless people are not animals. We are people. We can change. Even the worse knucklehead dope fiends like me can change.