Photo-voice project shows homelessness through the eyes of those who live it

June 26, 2008
Photo-voice project shows homelessness through the eyes of those who live it

A University of South Carolina psychology researcher and three graduate students, using photographs taken by 16 of Columbia’s homeless citizens, have created a display that depicts homeless life.

Thirty-five photographs from the photo-voice project and description are on display in the community gallery at the Columbia Museum of Art through Aug. 3. Together, they convey feelings about being homeless, illustrate shelters used to survive, describe ways to make money and detail the many legal challenges that homeless people face. Visitors also can take an audio tour, which includes interviews with the homeless talking about their experiences.

The exhibit, “While I Breathe I Hope (Dum Spiro Spero): Columbia’s Homeless Share Their Stories Through Words and Images,” is a collaboration between the university team (assistant professor Dr. Brett Kloos and graduate students David Asiamah, Greg Townley and Dorian Lamis) and the Midlands Interfaith Homeless Action Council, the Central Carolina Community Foundation and the museum.

“It struck us that the voices of the homeless were missing in the larger discussion about homelessness in the community,” said Kloos. “There are many good people working on homelessness issues in Columbia. We felt that one contribution we could make was to talk with people who are homeless and help find a way for their voices to be heard to a greater extent.”

Kloos and his students started the photo-voice project last winter by talking with homeless individuals who were taking refuge at Columbia’s winter emergency shelter on Huger Street.

There, they interviewed people and asked for volunteers who would be interested in taking photos of their daily experiences. They distributed 78 disposable cameras, along with instructions on techniques, safety and ethics. Thirty-six of the cameras were returned, and the team was able to discuss the photos and their meaning with 28 of the participants.

Some of the photographers said the camera gave them a sense of identity.

“Most people are not proud of being homeless, but taking the pictures made me feel strong and proud,” said Lesa, one of the photographers. “It felt good taking pictures.”

Townley believes visitors to the exhibit will be struck by the humanity of the individuals who are featured in the photos and in captions.

“It’s embarrassing to me,” said an anonymous person from the shelter speaking of homelessness. “It’s kinda - I feel degraded, and it’s embarrassing to my family and friends. Took a lot of my morale, my pride away and stuff like that. It don’t feel good; it don’t feel good at all.”

Asiamah hopes common stereotypes of the homeless will be dashed. Kloos says the general public will be surprised to learn that many homeless individuals work and that most are not chronic substance abusers or mentally ill.

Kloos says they chose South Carolina’s state motto for the title of the project because it conveys the spirit of the homeless and the challenges for the community to address homelessness.

The motto’s first part, Dum Spiro Spero or “While I Breathe I Hope,” captured the resilience and hope of the people who shared their experiences. The second part, Animis Opi Busque Paratu or “Prepared in Mind and Resources,” captured the community’s struggle to understand homelessness and to better address it.

“Taking photographs for this project made me realize that being homeless is not only our problem, but it’s a public problem,” said Beverly, another photographer for the project. “It’s a lot of things that need to be done to help the community and society.”

Kloos specializes in community psychology and has studied homelessness for more than 12 years. The photo-voice project was an outreach effort of a graduate course on community intervention. Townley is from Rock Mount, N.C., and David Asiamah and Dorian Lamis are from Little Rock, Ark., and Atlanta, Ga, respectively.

For more information on the exhibit and Columbia Museum of Art hours and admission costs, visit the Web site: www.columbiamuseum.org.

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