Invisible Nation
Portraits of Unhoused Americans
We've all experienced homelessness in one way or another. We've either been homeless ourselves, had friends or family members who have spent time unhoused, or encountered people in daily life, whose unique circumstances have led to them sleeping on the streets and in shelters. But how many of us have gotten curious enough to learn the stories of these fellow humans, empathized with them, or considered how each of us might be to becoming unhoused ourselves, were it not for our health, employment, or network of family and friends.
Invisible Nation is an ambitious and transformative project that aims to humanize the homeless population across the United States by capturing intimate, powerful portraits of unhoused individuals from all 50 states.
Through these portraits, we'll elevate public awareness, foster empathy, and inspire action towards providing greater care for these vulnerable members of our community, and explore ways we might end homelessness altogether.
This project will highlight the unique faces and stories behind the statistics, creating a national conversation around homelessness that drives change on both local and federal levels.
50 Portraits, 50 Stories
A representative from each state will be selected or a portrait and a deep, personal interview. This ensures that the diversity of experiences - rural and urban, young and old, people from different racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds - is highlighted.
National Exposure
These portraits will be displayed in traveling exhibitions across major U.S. cities, with interactive exhibits and opportunities for community engagement. The portraits will also be featured online, and available for purchase, with significant portions of each sale to be donated to local aid organizations serving the unhoused populations we highlight.
Powerful Storytelling
Alongside the portrait exhibitions, we'll produce documentary pieces that chronicle the stories behidn the scenes and the production process. These stories will serve as long-term educational tools to help keep the conversation going long into the future.
