@galefilterphotography

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, eyes of gratitude. Homelessness is the whale that swallows you, what I call the belly of the beast. You sit in the belly of the beast uncertain whether you will get a second chance, whether the whale will spit you out. And if you do escape homelessness, will you ever be the same? It was early morning. My wife Kathi and I were leaving the farmers market and saw Jenny huddled on an old dirty mattress, getting up from a night of sleeping on the sidewalk in front of an abandoned store. We stopped to see if she was ok and whether she had water. It was going to be another 100+ degree day. Jenny didn’t have any water so we gave her some money for coffee and water. We offered her a peach and socks which she gladly accepted. I traded Jenny a new sleeping bag for these pictures. We also gave Jenny information about Maryhouse, a daytime hospitatlity shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness. Jenny is 42 years old and has been homeless 10 years. The power of photography, observed photojournalist Gordon Parks, is that the camera can be used as a weapon against injustice. Everyone has a name. Everyone has a story. Everybody counts or nobody counts. “Sooner or later we all discover that kindness is the only strength there is,” Father Greg Boyle. Through acts of kindness we can make the world a better place. #mercypedalers #loavesfishes #encounterchurch_sacramento #showupsac #sacramento #California #photojournalism #street-photography #asmallactofkindness #streetlife #meanstreets #survival #homelessness #gratitude #socialjustice #poverty #streetportraits #politics #environment #compassion #faith #hope #love #hardtimes #justice #916 #women