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When I Close My Eyes, I See You

One man told me once that he found his way out of homelessness because someone, only one person, at first, chose to treat him like a human being. No grand gesture. Just recognition. A nod, a smile, the brief warmth of a voice saying I see you.

Instead of coming home to a warm bed, the homeless sleep on sidewalks, beneath bridges, in the shadowed corners of our cities. They carry stories longer than the lines on their faces, histories marked by loss, illness, chance. But because we recognize them first as homeless, we allow the word to eclipse the person. We define someone based on their appearance, allowing their identity and value to be completely disregarded. We walk past as if absence were natural, as if their very presence had been subtracted from the sum of our shared humanity.

In a nation entranced by the dream of the self-made and the virtue of individualism, we forget that respect is not earned, that dignity is not a prize for the deserving. It is our first responsibility: to treat others as we ourselves would hope to be treated, to keep alive the fragile covenant of community, and to exhibit humility. To pause, to acknowledge, to remember that equality begins in the smallest gestures, begins with refusing to let anyone be unseen.

 

 

What We Carry, Carries Us

Documenting Change is at the forefront of digital ethnography in the United States, specializing in film and photography. Our lab is dedicated to exploring cultural narratives and human experiences through innovative visual storytelling. We are passionate about using our expertise to document the ever-evolving tapestry of human life, offering a unique perspective that bridges technology with tradition. Join us as we capture and preserve the stories that define our world.