KarmaTube Video

My friend, Lyn, recommended this video to me. I work with my homeless neighbors, and know that visibility is important to them. What a powerful video and experiment! Thank you for sharing!

This puts life into perspective for all of us. A homeless person could very easily be a family member of ours at any given moment. Loss of job, break up of a relationship, inability to meet financial obligations, drug addition, mental issues, etc. can all lead to a homeless situation. We have to put faces on the homeless. They are someone's child, father, mother, sister, brother, grandparent, etc. Yes, some choose to be and remain in a state of homelessness. It becomes comfortable to them. Yet others were forced by a change(s) in their lives that they haven't been able to recover from. They want to remove themselves from it, but they need a hand up not a hand out. They still have their pride. Many find it hard to accept assistance, because those helping often brag about doing so or hold it over their heads. We must always remember many of us are a paycheck or circumstance from being where they are now. Should it happen to you, will you have a face or will you just be another amongst many? At least acknowledge the next homeless person you see. Just a friendly "hello" may spark a warmness that physical heat cannot.

Everyone got changed, regardless of whether the "homeless" were really homeless or not.
I thought it would be more fair to those passing by (and possibly more statistically significant) if the "homeless" persons' faces were more visible, rather than under a hat tipped downwards, etc.

Fantastic experiment! saying hello and remembering their names really lifts their spirits. Food also helps! In San Diego we have 10-15,000 homeless and many are women and children. There is only one night shelter for women with 35 beds that is always full. It is illegal to sleep in your car and the safe park programs have a waiting list of 100 people. 5.000 homeless are teenagers. It is a horrible situation. San Diego needs help!

We can no longer ignore situations when we have a face and a name and that person is someone we know and love

It's the "look but don't see" mentality that is powerful to me. We may look toward humans lying there, but we don't (can't? won't?) see people. SEE THE PEOPLE, DON'T BE AFRAID.

There is a saying - "There but for the right set of circumstances, go I". I believe this is not only true for the homeless but for criminals and all oppressive people as well. I try to remember this, be kind and count my blessings.

Eye Opener

We are all family. We just don't recognize it. Speaking to the homeless, offering them more than money by taking the time to talk for a moment, to smile and offer encouragement; that's what came home to me.

Inspiring . Thank you .

Touching

What inspired me about this video is the raw emotions were of the family members who literally walked right by their "people" and didn't see them. It makes the homeless issue so real and personal . I Am guessing that they will SEE every homeless in a whole new light: somone's mother, father, sister brother, and sadly someone's grandparent. I run an 80 single adult homeless shelter and this video got to me, and I've seen a lot! It was really powerful and I've seen it before. Just this evening I was in Target and ran into an ex-resident who had been a homeless, single, mother of two, and now she is a nurse! I cried when she told me, so proud of her. We ALL want to be seen, we ALL want to be heard, AND we all need a kind word and a smile! Thank you for taking the time to make and post this important video. POWERFUL.