An intimate and moving portrayal of life on the streets and the journeys of Marin County individuals experiencing homelessness will be on display starting November 7 at the Marin County Civic Center.
The compelling exhibit by San Rafael photographer Lea Del Pomo, called I Will Not Be Forgotten: The Dignity in Homelessness, will be displayed through January 31, 2025, in the first- and third-floor galleries inside the Civic Center, at 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael.
The exhibit features some 50 photographs chronicling the life of being homeless, the places called home, the transformative moments of those newly housed, and the outreach efforts to those on the streets by local agencies. Alongside each photograph, visitors will find selected personal stories in the words of those depicted, accompanied by a pair of their shoes — serving as powerful symbols of the steps taken through their journeys.
The goal of the exhibit is to dissolve barriers and reveal our shared humanity, while dispelling common misconceptions about homelessness. By spotlighting the dignity, struggles, and triumphs of those living without shelter, the exhibit seeks to challenge the myth that people choose homelessness. Instead, it highlights the critical impact of human connections and the strides made when communities come together to support one another.
“Any one of us can face homelessness due to life circumstances — whether through loss of health, relationships, or shelter,” said Gary Naja-Riese, Director of Marin County’s Division of Homelessness and Whole Person Care. “This exhibit serves as a poignant reminder that homelessness does not define a person. It underscores the importance of compassion and collective efforts to restore dignity and rebuild lives.”
Del Pomo explained: “When a person feels perpetually unseen, we can harden into our solitude and internalize other’s opinions of ourselves. I’m interested in the human condition and see the beauty and tragedy in all of us. Who is behind the skin; how do they survive in the moment? My goal is to find the core within us that represents our universal connection in humanity. Using the camera is my way to capture the heart-felt sense of another.”
Timed to coincide with National Homelessness Awareness Month in November 2024, I Will Not Be Forgotten: The Dignity in Homelessness aims to inspire conversation, reflection, and action toward ending homelessness in Marin County.
The exhibit, curated by the Marin County Department of Cultural Services and theMarin Cultural Association, is generously sponsored by the County’s Department of Health & Human Services.
I was working & living for 5 years with my boyfriend, we were taking “good” care of his mother,, elderly with dementia at her home. She would wait at the door for me to come home, then she would set the table knowing I would start to cook dinner and the 3 of us sit together for our family meal. One afternoon I came home for lunch & found my boyfriend & daughter involved in sexual activity. Needless to say I was physically shoved out the door with the clothes on my back and lived in my car for 7 months. It was at the height of the pandemic when even gas stations didn’t have access to bathrooms. My boss only had an out house and a hose, so I would fill buckets placed in the sun till they warmed up and then clean myself and wash my hair. I got into a homeless shelter, two years later I got semi housing and got a studio. So. how. Did I feel waking up. In my car and having to pee outside? You have no idea. I did. Not want to be homeless nor did I deserve that type of inhumanity. You sure get looked down upon in that situation.