Michel had a job working at a restaurant in San Francisco. After his paycheck bounced for the third time, his landlord evicted him out into the streets. Michel is now homeless in Venice Beach, California. Michel shares there is plenty of food. Keep in mind this interview was recorded before COVID-19. Because of the coronavirus crisis and shelter at home orders, homeless people no longer have access to food, water, bathrooms, or places to charge their phones.
Michel immigrated from France when he was 17 years old and has worked for the last 33 years. Michel says 90% of the time circumstances put people out on the streets. Homelessness can happen to anyone. People don't choose to be out on the streets, especially with the economic ups and downs we've seen in this country.
Something Michel said in this interview is crucial. If we want to end homelessness in this country, we must pay attention to who we vote for and what they stand for, as they look at the less fortunate members of society.
At the time of this interview, Michel was working with LAHSA to go into the Bridge Shelter. Michel has worked all of his life and wants to get back to work as quickly as possible. Because of an injury, he cannot work right now. As soon as he is able, he says he's going to do whatever it takes to get back to being a contributing member of society.
Your voice can help end homelessness. If we do not fix the affordable housing crisis, homelessness will continue to get worse. Click here to tweet, email, call, or Facebook your federal and state legislators to tell them ending homelessness and creating more affordable housing is a priority to you
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About Invisible People
There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, a living wage or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.
We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Each day, we work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, we are changing the narrative on homelessness.
This isn’t just talk. Each year, our groundbreaking educational content reaches more than a billion people across the globe. Our real and unfiltered stories of homelessness shatter stereotypes, demand attention and deliver a call-to-action that is being answered by governments, major brands, nonprofit organizations, and everyday citizens just like you.
However, there is more work to be done on the road ahead. Homelessness is undoubtedly one of our biggest societal issues today and will only continue to grow if we don’t take action now.
Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since our launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.
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