In the Field:
​a Visual Ethnography of People Experiencing Homelessness 

In the Field is an ongoing project which reflects on my work as a social worker in housing people experiencing chronic homelessness, which I started in 2017. As a part of the work, I would often spend about 9 months (and up to 3 years) working intimately with my clients before housing interventions were in place, offering case management, referrals, and naturally, friendship. When their time for housing would come up, I would often help them move in. The process would be short and quick, and rather dull to me as part of my daily work,  but to them - to someone that had been sleeping outside for 5, 10 and up to 30 years, the experience was monumental.  I felt as if everyday I would witness miracles in private, while also feeling the loneliness that many people experiencing homelessness would experience at the sight of living such a life-changing and life-saving event by themselves. 

These portraits started as a way to commemorate such a tremendous event that would go largely unwitnessed, lost to the monotony of daily life. 
Later on, I realized that, for a variety of challenges, many of my clients did not see housing as an end goal, and preferred the autonomy of seeping outside. The endurance and resiliency of these people needed recognition as well, so included them as well.

The  project was expanded  upon in 2021 as apart of a public art project organized by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and Hope Atlanta.