Homelessness in Fresno

This collection of images is part of my personal journey to convey what was once a deep secret in our land and has now become a national tragedy. It is a tragedy that touches each of us because it plays out on the very street corners of the cities and neighborhoods in which we live. We see it when we go to work in the morning and when we are on our way to Whole Foods later in the day. We have all watched it unfold, but it is made all the more real and personal when for a moment we share a glance, a connection and realize that these people living on the streets, are more like us than they are different. This tragedy’s victims are the most vulnerable of us, and we bear witness when we look in their eyes and see the fear and confusion; the hunger, the helplessness and despair - all, more often than not, reflecting a cry for help. Taking time to talk with the people in these images dramatically changed how I see them. They are no longer strangers but a part of our community and, indeed, they are our neighbors. I take these pictures because the sadness is unspeakable. I take these pictures to give someone a voice and to make sure that someone doesn’t disappear. Peter Herzog