Monthly Archives: May 2014

A Talented Future?

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I had the pleasure of spending a recent morning with the youths at p:ear.  p:ear provides a unique environment in downtown Portland for homeless youth to explore the arts and other educational programs.  I was leading a photography workshop and the enthusiasm shown by the youth was very inspiring.  They brought their full energy and it showed me just …

A Rising Cause of Homelessness

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Poverty is a major cause of homelessness, that in itself is not a major revelation. What has been surprising to me is the people who I have met in the homeless community who could be any number of people I know today. A cruel twist of fate could happen to most anyone; I have met people who have been overwhelmed by medical bills or who have lost their job and have ended up on the street. There are some people who have chosen this lifestyle and they are in the minority. This 6 minute video explained to me a trend that is growing and should be a cause for concern for all of us. The growing inequality and wealth divide is a problem that is undermining our society and community, and forcing an increasing number of families below the poverty line. By increasing awareness of this, I believe we can and must change this trend.