We empowered homeless people through artistic expression on the 2010 World Homeless Day Tour!
Read all about our fabulous tour below. Allow yourself to be inspired by the beauty and majesty of people and let them open your eyes to who we really are.
From September 19 to October 10, 2010 we had an amazing adventure, traveling from Southern California to Seattle, Washington and back.
At every stop, we were greeted with warmth and enthusiasm. The staff at each organization graciously accepted our offering and did a great job organizing and inviting people to our workshops.
People helped us carry our supplies and equipment and were eager to participate in our program. Laughter rang out in places where it was not usually heard and smiles covered faces where joy rarely appears. Although we endeavored to capture our experience of being with all these great people, the art and video can’t fully convey the love and community that surrounded us all along the way. However, I will do my best to express what it was like for me on the tour.
Day 1
Although the first stop on the tour was in Seattle, we actually began the trip in Ventura, California. I picked up Serena, my video person, and headed east on Rt. 126 then north on I-5. After several hours of driving with regular stops for gasoline, we were about 40 miles north of Sacramento when the first mishap occurred – the RV’s drive shaft broke. Well, it didn’t actually fly off destroying the underside of the vehicle as it could have done, but it did make a very loud clunking sound that we realized everyone could hear when they stared at us as we rolled into the Pilot gas station. Fortunately, the drive shaft went just as we were pulling off the highway.
Since we were just across the street from an RV park, Serena went over and asked if they knew a mechanic that could fix our vehicle. Yes! Mike the Mobile mechanic would come and help us in the morning. So we spent our first night roasting in the RV, listening to the nearby big rig lullaby with the fragrance of diesel fumes floating in the windows.
Day 2
The next day, Mike pulled up with his helper and they pulled the entire drive shaft off the vehicle. Turns out it was the center bearing that was gone, not the whole drive train. They took the drive shaft to Sacramento, put on a new bearing, brought it back and installed it. Five hundred dollars later, we were off on the highway again. Although we were lucky to get a major repair done so quickly, the repair set us back a day in the schedule. I now felt more urgency to reach our next stop, my friend Regina’s place in Medford, OR.
We were driving merrily along, admiring the scenery, when BANG, the right front tire blew out. I struggled to get the vehicle off the road because we were only a couple of hundred feet from a narrow bridge. As we lurched to the right, I just missed a truck on our right. That was a big problem driving the RV, it was very hard to see vehicles on the right side. Somehow, I managed to get to the shoulder without hitting anyone or the bridge abutment, we came to a stop a few yards from it.
By this time it was about 5PM and we were getting further behind schedule. Thank God for AAA! Although I rarely used it before, it was great to make a call and have a mechanic come out and change the tire for us. The tires on the RV are much more difficult to get off and on than a car – I know, I changed the same tire before we left. So after about an hour or so, the AAA guy had the tire changed and we were on our way. We finally rolled into Regina’s place in Medford about 9PM. She and her husband invited us in for a delicious pot roast supper and then we turned in for the night.
Day 3
I awoke to the sound of cars whizzing by my window. I had parked on the street outside the entrance to my friend’s condo complex. I stayed in the vehicle while Serena slept in my friend’s spare room. I didn’t mind because I escaped an allergic reaction to their new long-haired dog. After a light breakfast, we hit the road again. We had to make it to Seattle by nightfall because our first workshop was scheduled for the next day.
We drove a long way that day and finally made it to Seattle after dark. It is very difficult to drive the RV with cars speeding by on both sides in the dark and we had a couple of close calls. The GPS failed at this point, so we had a tough time finding my friend’s address in a Seattle suburb 15 miles outside the city. Finally, after some frantic moments and a little rain, we backed into my friend Lara’s driveway. Wow, was I tired.
Day 4
I woke up exhausted and glad out first workshop didn’t start until 2PM. After getting some time to pull myself together, I was excited to pull into the alley at Compass Housing Alliance’s Adult Service Center. The place was teeming with street people and many of them ran out to greet us and help us haul our supplies and equipment down the stairs to the center. We set up our trademark Hearts Of Fire Project banner and I explained the what we were doing to the 30 or so people who were sitting at tables sipping coffee and socializing with friends. The people who signed up for the workshop headed into a side room and had a blast painting and drawing. We met some great people and we interviewed some of them about their lives and the art that they created.
As our first workshop wound down, I realized that our next workshop started in a just a couple of hours. Fortunately, the next site was only three blocks away. The RV was in a hard to find spot which I didn’t want to abandon. We assembled a crew of volunteers from the center and we carried, dragged and hoisted all the supplies up the stairs, down the streets and down the steep stairs of the Compass Housing Alliance Hammond House, a woman’s shelter.
We had a wonderful time with the women at the shelter. Although unaccustomed to having a man in their midst, they adjusted well and soon we were having a lively session. Everyone was very engaged in their work and we had a good discussion about the art and their lives. At the end of the night, Serena and I hoisted all the stuff up the stairs. I retrieved the RV from its haven and drove it over to Hammond House. We loaded all the stuff in the RV and headed to our “camping spot” at my friend’s house in Issaquah, a Seattle suburb.
All the way back, we smelled something burning; it seemed like something electrical was on fire. We didn’t see any smoke and the vehicle seemed to be operating fine, so we just kept wondering – until we got home. When we got out, I saw smoke coming from the rear wheel well which made me think another tire was going. But the tires looked fine and weren’t even warm. The smoke lessened after awhile but the stench filled the RV. Despite the chill, damp air, we left the windows and vents open to help air the place out. I finally hit the sack after midnight. Just before dawn, I woke with an idea of what happened – I left the emergency brake on. Sure enough, I did! Mystery solved.
Day 5
It was a cloudy, damp morning, so after I released the emergency brake, I went back to sleep. When I got up, I organized and cataloged all the drawings and release forms. Although my friend Lara wasn’t home during our stay, we had access to house so we could take showers, etc. I arranged all the paintings on the floor of the garage, spayed them with sealant and when they dried, placed them in clear, plastic envelopes – our version of a frame. This was a process which we repeated for each site throughout the tour.
Our last stop in Seattle was the Compass Housing Alliance Men’s Program downtown. As usual, we inched through the city traffic until we found ourselves under an elevated highway. Miraculously, I found a parking space right in front of building. Steve, the director of the program, came out to greet us and help us haul our supplies. I was glad to find that we had an elevator to get the stuff up to the second floor. We met some really interesting guys at the workshop and got some good interviews with them.
Galen was one the participants and has been an artist all his life. Now in his 50’s, he nearly died on the streets of Portland before getting into the Men’s Program. He arrived in Portland from what was his home in South Florida. He lived in a beautiful 30ft. sail boat and had a great life cruising the Florida Keys and painting signs and art work. All that ended in a hurricane which wrecked his boat, destroyed everything he owned and almost cost him is life. After being stranded in the wreck on a reef for four days with no water, he was rescued. Galen was devastated by his loss and became depressed and suicidal. He roamed the streets of Miami for quite awhile until his brother found him. Galen just wanted out of Florida to get away from all the bad memories. His brother bought him a bus ticket, the longest distance ticket they had – Key West to Seattle. He arrived in Seattle with $20 and his art supplies in his back pack. He created paintings and sold them to tourists until his pack was stolen and he was beaten severely. After recovering from his injuries, he was able to enter the Men’s Program. Galen feels very blessed and grateful to be in the program and expects to move into his own place shortly.
Day 6
Since we had finished our work in Seattle, it was time to head down to Portland. Our first travel day since we arrived proceeded fairly well, at least to begin with. On the way out of town, we stopped and bought a used tire to replace the spare that we used on the way up. Several hours later, we were almost to our next “camping” spot outside Portland when another tire blew out.
This time, it was one of rear dual tires so didn’t cause as much of a problem as the front tire that blew. We calmly proceeded to a shopping center and called AAA. While we waited, we did some shopping at Albertson’s. To my surprise, the rear tire was quickly removed and replaced and we drove the last few miles to my friend Nash’s home in Hillsboro, just outside Portland.
Day 7
Today was a big day – two sites in one day and our first family shelter. The family shelters are usually our favorites because of the kids. I never have to convince them its ok to draw or overcome their embarrassment. The kids can’t wait to start as was the case at My Father’s House in Gresham, just east of Portland. Everyone had a blast and many wanted to share their stories with us. Serena took on double duties: filming and babysitting at the same time, carrying a child in one arm and filming with the other.
In the evening, we headed downtown to Operation Night Watch, an evening drop-in center for homeless people. When we arrived, several people who were waiting on the sidewalk for the place to open ran out into the street and helped us unload. Similar to the Adult Service Center in Seattle, Operation Night Watch was a lively gathering spot, a poor man’s Starbuck’s where lots of interesting people crammed into two small rooms and an outside patio area. The coffee was hot and they kept pouring it until they closed at 11PM. Along with the coffee, Night Watch offered a limited supply of sandwiches and cup cakes. As is the case with most organizations, the food that is served depends on what was donated that day, so there really isn’t a menu. Although it was loud and kind of chaotic, we managed to involve several people in drawing and talking about their lives.
Although I spoke with several people that evening, a middle-aged couple with heavy coats and hiking gear caught me attention. Chris and David said they were coming from Eureka and had been homeless for several years in the area. They weren’t sure where they were going, but they were terrified of staying anywhere near Eureka. One of their friends had died after being set on fire by some young people while he was sleeping. In addition, they said the shelters didn’t open in Eureka until the temperature dropped to 28 degrees, and they were afraid of freezing to death. It was after midnight by the time we pulled into the driveway in Hillsboro.
Day 8
Wow, a week on the road and I was already beat. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it for two more weeks. However, I was excited about visiting Sisters of the Road, our last site in Portland. Sisters of the Road is one of the few organizations that simply serve people without regard to their beliefs, their condition or their ability to pay. The Sisters of the Road Café was closed on Sundays, but they opened it up for us.
Rich, the café manage, was amazing and did everything he could to assist us, including running an electric line out the second floor window to the space he “saved” for us on the street. All the participants were amazing people and they did some great drawings. Chris showed us his quilt work which teaches to other homeless people and David told us about his pioneering work with Dignity Village, an incredible community of homeless people who fought for their rights and won. The café and all the people we met there were just great. They even gave us t-shirts and a book that I highly recommend for anyone who wants to learn about the reality of homelessness “Voices From The Street” by Jessica P. Morrell, it is an eye-opener.
I was a little sad to leave Sisters of the Road, but I was excited to learn that a Day Of Dignity event was going on in the park right up the street. With camera and digital recorders in hand, we joined the festivities and learned a lot about the struggle for housing rights in Portland.
We met another founder of Dignity Village, Ibrahim Mubarak, an amazing man who obviously enjoyed great love and respect from the community. Dignity Day was sponsored by the Islamic Relief USA, a world-wide group that helps oppressed people. The leader of the group in the U.S., Karim Amin was there and told me they are organizing Days of Dignity around the country. People were fed, haircuts were available and live music was happening. People were honored and respected, no questions asked.
Day 9
I was so impressed with Ibrahim and what he told us about the long struggle to house people in Portland, he accepted our request to give us a tour of Dignity Village. So on our last day in Portland, we rode to Dignity Village, a small parking lot on the outskirts of the city wedged between the county prison, the city compost dump and the airport. The Village consists of formerly homeless people who ten years ago succeeded in getting a small plot of city-owned land to live on. They suffered persecution for years before they finally got a place to stay. At first, they lived in tents but now have all built small shacks. It was an amazing experience to talk with the people there and learn about their self-governed, self-policed community. I believe that these people and many others like them are leading the way to a new human existence, a new community of human beings that is based on self-respect and the inherent value of every person.
Day 10
I awoke a little more refreshed and inspired than usual. I guess I finally got enough rest and was happy to meet people who shared my vision of the greatness of homeless people and who were really doing something about it. We said a fond farewell to Portland and our friends there and headed south to Medford, Oregon. After a scenic drive through some very pretty county, we arrived without incident at my friend Regina’s place where we stayed at on our way north. This time, we arrived before night fall and actually had some time to hang out and talk. After dinner, I headed out to the curb to sleep in the RV. I slept a little better this time; I guess I was getting used to the tilted floor and the traffic whizzing by.
Day 11
Our next site was in Ashland, about 16 miles south of Medford. I was looking forward to meeting Aaron and the young street people his Community Works organization served. They were so excited about our visit they rented a hall in downtown Ashland for the event. I felt right at home in Ashland, a small picturesque town nestled in the green hills of Oregon. It reminded me of Ojai, the town where I live, except it looked more like Vermont than southern California. In addition to some nice art work, we also recorded a young street musician and a couple of interviews. It was a little sad to see so many young people without homes; in many areas, they are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.
Day 12
We were excited to start the day, the first of a few that we would have “off.” Well, not actually off, but not visiting sites either. We really needed this time to regroup, organize what we had and take a break. We planned a stop in Redding, but that site fell through. So we headed to our next “camping spot” at my friend Jody’s place in Sacramento. The day’s drive went well and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery on the way. We arrived before dark and parked on the street in front of the house. This spot was pretty level and on a quiet side street. In addition, I was pleased to find a large grocery store within walking distance. I avoid moving the RV if at all possible, its just too hard to maneuver. I slept pretty good that night.
Day 13
We hung out in the RV organizing the release forms and art work and prepping for the next site, Sacramento Loaves and Fishes. Serena went to spend some time with a friend which gave us a break from each other. Although we worked well together, it isn’t easy spending weeks in a confined space with a stranger. So I think we both enjoyed the solitude and used it to work and relax before the next site, Sacramento Loaves and Fishes.
Day 14
Two weeks on the road. We took our time heading out to the site; it was only a few miles away. Although our next workshop was not until tomorrow, we wanted to get set up, etc. the day before so we would be all ready to go. After a couple of GPS-induced detours, we finally found the aging industrial area which is the home of Sacramento Loaves and Fishes. We lumbered into the back parking lot where we were warmly greeted by staff and volunteers eager to help us. We were accorded a prime parking spot right next to the dining hall and showers. I couldn’t ask for a better place. Plugged in and ready to take on tomorrow!
Day 15
The two sites we were visiting in Sacramento were co-located in the same building complex. Since 1991 when it started, Sacramento Loaves and Fishes and its affiliate organizations have grown to occupy several warehouses in the old industrial complex.
Family Promise of Sacramento was one of these and was right across the lot from us in an old galvanized steel ware house. As its name implies, this was a family shelter and we were excited to meet everyone. Family Promise is a small transitional shelter. At the time we visited, they were working with five families. As soon as the kids got out of school, we started the workshop. As usual, the kids jumped right in taking the reluctant adults with them. The children were beautiful and were soon jumping up to show everyone their art work. We did some interviews with the kids and parents and we all had a lot of fun. Needless to say, it was a lot easier to haul our supplies in and out being in the same parking lot.
Outside Family Promise, we met Slim, a long-time homeless man who volunteers his time at Loaves and Fishes and nearby organizations. He told us a lot about Safe Ground, a program to find a safe place for homeless people to sleep in Sacramento. They are fighting the same kind of battle that the people of Dignity Village in Portland won. However, in Sacramento, there is no solution yet in sight. Sister Libby, the leader of Sacramento Loaves and Fishes, strongly supports Safe Ground and constantly advocates for the homeless.
Early in the evening, we heard a super loud BANG on the roof of the RV. I ran outside to see what it was but there was nothing to see. No one was around and it was otherwise quiet outside. A little while later, another BANG made us jump. I went back outside to try and figure out what it was. That was when I noticed we were parked under a huge fig tree and that the ground was littered with them. I watched as a large hard fig fell on the roof and sure enough, it went BANG. The noise was so loud I climbed up on the roof to see if there was any damage. There were a few figs up there but no dents, cracks or anything else. So we had to get used to the loud, intermittent impacts. Although, the sound sometimes woke us up during the night, knowing what it was made it a little less disturbing.
Day 16
I was really excited about this day. We would get to work with the wonderful people at Sacramento Loaves and Fishes and the people they served. Based on the already great connection we established there, I knew it would be awesome. Birte, the librarian, was our liaison and was very helpful.
We did the art empowerment workshop in the beautiful library. Natural light bathed the interior from the warehouse sky lights far above. As with most of the facilities at Loaves and Fishes, the library was built inside a galvanized steel warehouse. There were lots of tables and chairs and soon the first participants began to file in and take a seat. The library entrance was on Friendship Park, a small area with lots of benches that Loaves and Fishes carved out of a vacant lot next to the warehouse. It is amazing how they transformed an old industrial area into a vibrant community. The street and park were filled with a wide variety of people who seemed happy to be there.
The people in the art workshop were awesome and we got to interview several of them. In addition to being an artist, we learned that Daniel was also an accomplished Taiwanese stick juggler. I couldn’t resist asking him to give us a demonstration which we filmed the following day. We also had a great time with the other participants; they created some amazing art. Antonio surprised everyone by actually focusing on his painting without distracting himself or others. From what his friends said, it was the first time they ever saw him concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes.
After the workshop, we had lunch in the dining hall and talked about our experiences on the tour. We learned that the hall served about 700 people each day. Birte said that the number of people has been steadily increasing and includes a lot more families than it used to.
Day 17
This was a day to regroup and organize our material. We also wanted to conduct an interview with Sister Libby. She is a hard person to pin down. She is filled with energy and always up to something. Much of the time, she appears to be visiting with the guests and staff, spreading the love she obviously feels for people. We almost gave up when Serena ran into Sister Libby between the maze of buildings. Serena managed to get in a short interview, but we hit the jackpot later.
That afternoon, I noticed Sister Libby standing in the parking lot near the RV. She appeared to be waiting for someone. I quickly launched myself out the door to talk with her before she disappeared again. Sister was waiting for a church group to show up to whom she was going to give a tour. Sister Libby invited us to come along and allowed us to film the whole thing. It was awesome. We not only learned a lot about Sacramento Loaves and Fishes, but we learned a lot about Sister Libby as well.
Day 18
We left for San Francisco in the late morning. We were sad to leave after having such a wonderful three days at Sacramento Loaves and Fishes. As usual, we stopped for groceries and water on our way. Early on, I learned that it was best to restock while enroute to our next destination so that we arrived ready to park and hook up the RV for the night.
As I expected, we encountered quite a bit of traffic as we approached San Francisco. However, that concern was somewhat alleviated by the wonderful views of the city and the bay. The trip was not as long as I expected and we arrived at Candlestick RV Park, the only one in San Francisco, in the late afternoon. We had been staying with friends all along the way, but couldn’t find anyone nearby who had room to park an RV, so we ended up at the park. It is a really nice, clean RV park with lots of spaces; they never seem to be full. Plus, the park was only six miles from our next site in downtown San Francisco.
Day 19
Compass Family Services seemed like it would be a fairly easy gig. Just six miles away with a parking lot in back of it. Boy, was I wrong. Yes, it was six miles away but that was the only thing I was right about.
Since the workshop was scheduled to start at 1PM, we left at 11AM thinking that would be plenty of time. Well, it kind of was enough time. We found the address and headed down a small alley to the parking lot. After barely squeezing down the alley and through a small opening in a chain link fence, the parking attendant ran out to tell us that it would cost $60 to park there. Wow, that was outrageous and way out of our budget. I called our contact at Compass Family Services and she suggested another lot on Golden Gate Street. Well, I didn’t know the area and without an exact address, the GPS was pretty much useless. All I knew was the parking lot was on Golden Gate a couple of blocks from Market Street. So we eased out of the lot we were in and tried to get down the alley. However, two large box trucks were parked in the alley, one on the sidewalk and the other in the street directly across from it. It looked like there was only a few feet between them. Since it was a one way street and I was now blocking the alley completely, all I could do was hold my breath and try to fit the RV between them. And I did! To our amazement, the RV squeezed by with just inches to spare on each side.
We lurched into the traffic, cruising around in circles until we finally found Golden Gate Street and eventually, the parking lot we were looking for. Although it was theoretically possible to park there, the cars were arranged in such a way that it was very difficult to maneuver the RV around them. After 20 minutes jockeying for position, the attendant came out and helped us into a space. Finally, we backed into a spot in the furthest corner of the lot, up against an adjacent building.
By this time, we were running late so we hustled up to the 7th floor of the building. After connecting with the staff, we all went back to the RV to haul up the supplies and equipment. We returned, jammed into the slow moving elevator and proceeded to quickly set up the room for the art workshop. Because we were now about an hour late, people were already waiting for the workshop to start. One of these was Peggy, an Ojai friend now living in San Francisco who stopped by to help. Since this was an organization that worked with homeless families throughout the city, several families showed up to participate. We all jumped into the art and everyone really went at it. As people completed their work, we interviewed them in an adjacent room. Some really great stuff happened and everyone had fun.
With the assistance of the staff, we cleaned up the room and hauled everything back to the RV a couple of blocks away. Serena received an unexpected invitation to join her family in Santa Cruz, so her sister picked her up and whisked her away. Since it was a Friday night rush hour in the city, I decided to hang for awhile, cook my dinner and head out later that night. I left about 7PM driving south on Rt. 101 toward Santa Barbara. I didn’t expect to stay awake long enough to drive the 350 miles that night and I didn’t. Despite tea and chocolate, I couldn’t keep my eyes open much after midnight, so I parked in a remote section of a mall lot in Santa Maria. I turned everything off, crawled into bed and quickly drifted off to sleep.
Day 20
I woke about 6AM, had my usual oatmeal breakfast and headed south toward Santa Barbara. I stopped on the way for an early morning interview on Santa Barbara talk radio. I arrived at my friend Alannah’s place around 10AM and took a much needed shower. After I felt human again, I prepared the art supplies for the community art workshop at our World Homeless Day Event the next day. Since this event was the culmination of our tour, I was very excited about it. My friend and long time supporter Roslyn, had been working hard organizing the event for the last few weeks and I knew it would be great. She and I checked out Pershing Park after dinner to plan how we would set up for the event.
Day 21, the Finale
Although I wanted to park the RV at the event, there was no legal place to do that, so Roslyn picked me in her car and helped me haul the supplies, etc. We arrived about an hour early to set up the tables, chairs, PA system and the other stuff we needed to do the art workshop. On Sunday morning, Reverend Hank feeds people and preaches at the park; he as been at it for more than 30 years. Many of the people from Hank’s event meandered over to our spot and most were very interested in participating. Another group, Art In The Park, joined us as well. They recently began doing art projects with homeless people in Santa Barbara and were a welcome addition to the World Homeless Day celebration.
Several talented people performed their music and recited poetry much to the delight of the crowd. As usual, I spoke about the project and our intention of empowering people and invited all to join in the workshop. The participants started drawing and had a great time. Some of the participants were mourning their friend Shopping Cart Ray, who died in the park the night before. They placed a large stone on the spot where he died and asked people to sign the “memorial” rock. Doug drew a picture about his grief and told us it was the first time he had ever drawn anything in his 34 years of life.
Although we didn’t get all the media attention we would have liked for the 1st Annual World Homeless Day, we were happy to be part of an event that empowered and celebrated people without homes around the world. We packed up all the art, supplies, equipment and the tables and chairs. As usual, we had lots of people helping us, so it went quickly.
Later that day, I headed back to Ojai. I was so happy to drive into the blessed valley that I call home. Although my surroundings looked the same, I felt different somehow. The tour really was a life-changing experience for me. I can see it is going to take awhile for me to really understand and assimilate it all.
I am very grateful for all the wonderfully generous and gracious people who helped us before, during and after the tour. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Art From The Tour
Below are a few examples of the art created on the tour. We are busy processing the art work so that we can sell prints on our web site.
We will be showing all of the pieces from the tour at local events. Our first show will be on December 12 from 2 – 5PM at the E.P. Foster Library at 699 E. Main Street in Ventura, CA. This event we will also be the world premiere of our documentary film about the tour.
Please click this link to support the our upcoming events so we can continue to make a difference.
When someone believes in you, you can do anything.
If there was no poverty, no homelessness, we would no longer live in fear of these things. When we embrace what we fear, the fear melts away.