@galefilterphotography

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, Luke has a brand new bag. “Second City” is what I call the ever-expanding community of our homeless neighbors that roam Sacramento streets and alleys. In Second City there are no doorbells, mailboxes or televisions. The denizens of Second City are nomadic, moving from one temporary location to the next. Thousands of homeless men, women and children have no permanent place to sleep. “Every day, the California dream is dimmed by the wrenching reality of families and children and seniors living unfed on a concrete bed,” California Governor Gavin Newsom. Luke is 39 years old and has been homeless five years. He was at “Show Up” (Showers on Wheels for Unhoused Patrons @showupsac) getting a shower, lunch and clean clothes provided by Mercy Pedalers, Show Up and the United Methodist Church. Mercy Pedalers was also able to give Luke a sleeping bag thanks to a new program created by Christian Brothers High School students. The program provides clean sleeping bags in exchange for ones that need to be replaced or laundered. The distribution of sleeping bags began on April 5. We have now distributed a total of 156 sleeping bags. Thirty (30) sleeping bags have been exchanged. Tonight, there will be a new sleeping bag between Luke and the concrete bed he sleeps on. Kudos Christian Brothers High School, United Methodist Church, Show Up and Mercy Pedalers. The human spirit is found in all of us. “Good trouble” imagery is about capturing the human spirit of those who are homeless and the kindness of volunteers. 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 #homeless #photojournalism #streetphotography #streetlife #kindness #survival #gratitude #socialjustice #poverty #streetportrait #compassion #hope #love #hunger #hardtimes #justice #mercy #916 #injustice #cbsacramento #volunteers #fujilove

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, end of the line? A California judge recently ruled that there’s “no constitutional right to housing,” consequently the government (Caltrans) could move forward with sweeping 200 people from a Bay Area encampment. Caltrans has cleared 1,262 homeless camps in California since September 2021, averaging 100 camps cleared a month. “Sweeps” are on the rise in California. A sweep is the forced cleanup and disbanding of homeless encampments on public property and the removal of both homeless individuals and their property from that area. Justification for the sweeps invariably rests on concerns for public safety, fire prevention, and/or health risks. Unfortunately, sweeps are like whack-a-mole. The homeless swept from one area move to another area. California’s railroad tracks are now lined with men and women sleeping in tents or under cardboard boxes. Sweeps are a significant factor for the number of homeless living along Sacramento railroad tracks. Photos: 1) tanker train/Sacramento skyline, 2) Rico lives next to the tracks, 3 & 4) homeless men on Sacramento tracks, 5) red alert. 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. #mercypedalers #loavesfishes #encounterchurch_sacramento #showupsac #sacramento #California #photojournalism #street-photography #asmallactofkindness #streetlife #meanstreets #survival #homelessness #gratitude #socialjustice #poverty #streetportraits #politics #environment #compassion #hope #hardtimes #justice #916 #railroads #trains #railway #rail #traintracks #fujilove

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, the passing of Carl. Carl died earlier this week. He was 63 years old and had been homeless approximately eight years. His death was a lonely one. A homeless neighbor found Carl in his tent. He had been dead for more than a day. Carl is survived by his two dogs Mini-Me and and Baby Girl (image 3). The dogs were more than companions. They were Carl’s family. I do not know if Carl had other family. Prior to being homeless Carl drove a semi truck until an illness forced him off the road. Carl regrets that he came close but never reached the 2 million mile mark as a truck driver; and, that he did not get to drive the Alcan Highway. Carl was one of the “River People”, the homeless folks that live along an irrigation canal that flows into the American River. It’s a hard life. For the river people there are no garbage bins, sanitation facilities or drinking fountains. The winters are cold and wet, summers unbearably hot and dry. Carl scrapped to survive. Scrappers collect various discarded and unwanted metals and sell the metals to a recycler or scrapyard. The cane in image 2 was fashioned from a flagpole Carl found. “People who die while experiencing homelessness are some of the most neglected in society,” said Matt Fowle, University of Washington researcher and co-creator of the organization Homeless Deaths Count. “These are folks who most need our help and are least likely to receive it.” Nobody should die homeless. Nobody should die alone. No life is less valuable than another. Rest In Peace Carl. #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 #death #dying

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, a moment with Joan and Mike. “We tell ourselves stories in order to live,” wrote Joan Didion in her 1979 essay collection, “The White Album.” Mike is 44 years old and has been homeless 5 Years. I offered to buy Mike a cup of coffee for a couple of photos in front JEKs’ @jeks_nc Joan Didion mural in Midtown. In the early 1970s Didion and her husband, John Gregory Dunne, collaborated for the first time writing the screenplay for the film Panic in Needle Park (1971). The film is set among homeless drug addicts in New York City and introduced audiences to the actor Al Pacino. Didion and Dunne’s work on the film was most favorable. The couple became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after screenwriting teams. Fifty years after Panic in Needle Park we are still dealing with homeless substance abuse. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 38% of homeless people are alcohol dependent. 26% of people without a home are dependent on other addictive drugs. A survey conducted by the United States Conference of Mayors asked 25 cities to share the top reasons for homelessness in their region. 68% of mayors reported that substance abuse was the number one reason for homelessness among single adults. 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. Thanks Mike, Jeks and Joan. #mercypedalers #loavesfishes #encounterchurch_sacramento #showupsac #sacramento #California #photojournalism #streetphotography #streetlife #kindness #survival #homeless #gratitude #socialjustice #poverty #streetportrait #environment #compassion #hope #love #hunger #hardtimes #justice #mercy #916 #jeks_nc

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, in the presence of Justice. It is Martin Luther King, Jr. who said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” I had the pleasure of being in the presence of Justice yesterday. Justice is his name. He will soon be 12 years old and starting school again next week. He has been homeless for about a month. His dad Roque has been homeless for a couple of years (second image). According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, a staggering 2.5 million children are now homeless each year in America. This historic high represents one in every 30 children in the United States. A 2020 UCLA report found that there were at least 269,000 K-12 students in California experiencing homelessness at the end of the 2018-19 school year, and that number was likely a gross underestimate. The power of photography, observed photojournalist Gordon Parks, is that the camera can be used as a weapon against injustice. In his 2020 State of the State address, California Governor Gavin Newsom said, “Let’s call it what it is, a disgrace, that the richest state in the richest nation — succeeding across so many sectors — is failing to properly house, heal, and humanely treat so many of its own people. Every day, the California Dream is dimmed by the wrenching reality of families, children and seniors living unfed on a concrete bed.” Everybody counts or nobody counts. Better days for Justice. Through photography and acts of kindness we can expand and strengthen our possibilities and make the world a better place. “Sooner or later we all discover that kindness is the only strength there is,” Father Greg Boyle. #mercypedalers #loavesfishes #encounterchurch_sacramento #showupsac #sacramento #California #photojournalism #streetphotography #streetlife #kindness #survival #homeless #gratitude #socialjustice #poverty #streetportrait #environment #compassion #hope #love #hunger #hardtimes #justice #mercy #916 #injustice #children #homelesschildren

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, elevated voices. Ryan “Pawn” Rhodes’ @pawnpaint mural at 5th and Broadway is huge, covering two sides of the ABC building. The mural is part of the Community Murals Sacramento (CMS) project, an innovative pilot program funded by the City of Sacramento. The project is designed to elevate the voices of neighborhoods across each of Sacramento’s 8 districts. See yesterday’s post for Liv Losee-Unger’s “Rhythm of the Boulevard” mural for CMS @ORLUarts. A small section of Pawn’s mural serves as background for these images of Jay. Jay is 50 years old and has been on-and-off homeless for more than 20 years. For the past month he has been living at Safe Ground, a city tent facility intended to be a short-term solution for 110 unsheltered people. Jay hopes to get into housing soon. The juxtaposition of Pawn’s mural and Jay’s images hopefully serve to elevate the voices of our homeless neighbors. 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. Thanks CMU, Pawn and Liv. #mercypedalers #loavesfishes #encounterchurch_sacramento #showupsac #sacramento #California #photojournalism #streetphotography #streetlife #kindness #survival #homeless #gratitude #socialjustice #poverty #streetportrait #environment #compassion #hope #love #hunger #hardtimes #justice #mercy #916 #pawnpaint #hot #heat #pawnpaint #orluarts

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, Rhythm of the Boulevard. Indeed, there is a morning rhythm on Sacramento’s Del Paso Boulevard where Liv Losee-Unger’s “Rhythm of the Boulevard” mural is found @ORLUarts and @exhibit_red, @art.ekg. The mural is part of the Community Murals Sacramento (CMS) project, an innovative pilot program funded by the City of Sacramento. The project is designed to elevate the voices of neighborhoods across each of Sacramento’s 8 districts. The city’s light rail passes in front of the mural, too early for any Saturday morning passengers. There is a barber shop in the building where the mural is located, open for early morning haircuts. The barber walks a client out to his car and asks me what I think of the mural. “Excellent,”I responded with a thumbs up. “Yes, it is,” he gives me in return. Across the boulevard there is a senior out for his morning walk. Daniel is 78 years old, retired for 14 years and lives in the neighborhood. He worked in construction. Daniel feels that the mural says something about his community, art, culture and diversity. There are a number of murals on Del Paso Boulevard, but this is Daniel’s favorite. Here, you’ll find “the Rhythm of the Boulevard.” Kudos to all! “Sooner or later we all discover that kindness is the only strength there is,” Father Greg Boyle. #916 #sacramento #seniorcitizens #seniorliving #seniors #seniorcitizen #retirement #senior #health #aging #community #art #artist #mural #photography #artwork #instagood #photooftheday #instagram #painting #artistsoninstagram #photo #artoftheday #photojournalism #streetphotography #asmallactofkindness #streetportraits #ORLUarts and #exhibit_red, #art.ekg

From the ❤️: San Francisco in BW& Red. If you like street photography, San Francisco is the place. Image 1) Transamerica pyramid 2) Trolley 3) Chinatown 4) Chinatown 5) For a few dollars more 6) morning handicapper. Two SF “street” photographers that I admire and are definitely worth following: Kenn @kzo_productions and Harry @hwilliamsjrphoto #california #usa #love #photography #sanfrancisco #travel#bayarea #instagood #photooftheday #westcoast #explore #bayarea #sf #usa #goldengatebridge #travel #art #sanfran #sanfranciscobay #instagood #onlyinsf #kzo_productions #hwilliamsjrphoto

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

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, the criminalization of homelessness. Measure O, on the November ballot, would require the city of Sacramento to create thousands of shelter beds and make it a misdemeanor for the homeless to camp on city streets if they refuse a spot in a shelter. It would also allow the city to clear groups of four or more from camping on public property. The criminalization of homelessness refers to measures that prohibit life-sustaining activities such as sleeping/camping, eating, sitting, and/or asking for money/resources in public spaces. Such ordinances include criminal penalties for violations of these acts. A 2022 count in Sacramento County revealed that the homeless population has doubled in the past three years. Out of a total of 9,278, 72% of the homeless people counted slept outdoors, not in shelters. You walk Sacramento’s city streets and it is impossible not to see homelessness and mental illness. In 2021, the Associated Press reported, “In California, a quarter of the 161,000 people experiencing homelessness also have a severe mental illness. An estimated 37,000 people pinball between nonprofits and public agencies, cycling through ERs, jails and the streets, sometimes for decades, with no one monitoring their overall care in a fractured system that nobody entirely knows how to fix.” Mack is 62 years old. Mack says he has been homeless for “as long as I can remember.” Mack sleeps where he can. He scraps to survive. “Scrappers” collect various discarded and unwanted metals (copper, aluminum, steel, etc.) and sell the metals to a recycler or scrapyard. Mack’s face provides a gritty text about helplessness, hardship, hope, pain, suffering and despair. Instead of providing aid, the city wants to make homelessness a crime. Image 2 David Puck mural @davidpuckartist. #mercypedalers #loavesfishes #encounterchurch_sacramento #showupsac #sacramento #California #916 #photojournalism #street-photography #kindness #streetlife #meanstreets #survival #homelessness #gratitude #socialjustice #poverty #streetportraits #politics #injustice #compassion #faith #hope #love #hardtimes #heat #justice #seniors #davidpuckartist

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, hot in the city. Jay is 50 years old and has been on-and-off homeless for more than 20 years. For the past month he has been living at Safe Ground, a city tent facility intended to be a short-term solution for 110 unsheltered people. Jay told me that he hopes to get into housing soon. It was early morning, warm and humid. Jay was bicycling to an appointment some seven miles from Safe Ground. You can see that Jay, even early in the day, had a glean of sweat covering his body. Sacramento’s high temperature for the day was 107 degrees. For Jay and many of our homeless neighbors, the bicycle is their primary mode of transportation. It is also a lifeline. A bike can get a homeless person to a job, the store, a shelter, Loaves & Fishes or Show Up for a hot breakfast or lunch, showers and bathrooms. Bicycling beats walking and It expands the travel area. Extreme heat can pose serious health risks to people experiencing homelessness, especially those with pre-existing heart, lung or mental health conditions. Hot days can lead people to suffer from dehydration, heat exhaustion, and in some cases, heat stroke. A growing body of evidence suggests that days of high temperatures may negatively affect our mental health. Ryan “Pawn” Rhodes’ @pawnpaint mural at 5th and Broadway is huge, covering two sides of the ABC building. A section of Pawn’s mural, a patch of urban jungle, served as a backdrop for these images. Thanks again Pawn. For our homeless neighbors there is no escaping the dawg days of summer. 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. #mercypedalers #loavesfishes #encounterchurch_sacramento #showupsac #sacramento #California #photojournalism #streetphotography #streetlife #kindness #survival #homeless #gratitude #socialjustice #poverty #streetportrait #environment #compassion #hope #love #hunger #hardtimes #justice #mercy #916 #pawnpaint #hot #heat

From the ❤️: “good trouble” imagery, three stacks and a rock. In the California Central Coast town of Morro Bay, two things tower above everything else. The 23-million-year-old Morro Rock that rises 576 feet out of the ocean; and, the three 450-foot concrete smokestacks, built half a century ago for a seaside power plant. Locals call Morro Bay “Three stacks and a rock.” Built by Pacific Gas and Electric in the 1950s, the Morro Bay power plant was first run on oil, eventually transitioning to natural gas before shutting down in 2014. The smokestacks will soon come down. Vistra Corp., a Texas-based energy company that now owns the plant, is proposing building what would be one of the world's largest lithium-ion battery storage facilities on the site. And there are ongoing discussions about connecting a planned offshore wind farm to the power grid using existing infrastructure on the property. The new Morro Bay power station would house around 180,000 battery modules that would hold energy produced elsewhere and release it to the power grid via an existing PG&E switchyard adjacent to the site. It could power up to 450,000 homes. Times change. Global warming is our reality. California law requires that all of the state's electricity come from clean energy sources by 2045. It was a rare clear morning for this long exposure. In Morro Bay the fog can be so thick that the stacks can disappear several times a day. For six years after retirement, I worked as a consultant on California’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). I spent a considerable amount of time in Morro Bay, all of which is a MPA. I will miss seeing the three stacks. Yes, I own a tripod. #California #photojournalism #Morrobay #centralcoast #kindness #survival #climatechange #heat #drought #wildfires #water #thirst #globalwarming #savetheplanet #energy #cleanenergy #renewable #sustainableenergy #greenenergy #battery #windfarm