the west is blue

 Skeaze + Lord Youth at Sunnyvale

J’Ouvert, Part I

J’Ouvert, Part II

 Emily Shao

Protests after the funeral for Alauddin Akonjee, 55, and Thara Miah, 64, who were shot and killed in Brooklyn in an apparent hate crime. 

2016 RNC in Cleveland, OH

From top: Kali F., 23, has been on and off crack after her abusive husband beat her and she lost her child. Harold B., 45, tried sobriety and living at the shelter for a few months but now is actively using and lives down the street with a friend. Cindy E., 51, has been sober for the past three weeks and will move into a women’s shelter tomorrow. Stephanie I., 27, was addicted to pain pills and now has been sober for 2 years. She lives with her son David, 2, and Madisyn, 6, in St. Petersburg. Toni Moore, 50, a former bus driver, has been sober for two weeks.

Couple Jenny T., 61, and Raymond H., 47, sit outside the shelter, smoking cigarettes. Jenny has been sober for a day, Raymond sober for two. Aaron W., 34, has been here a week and sober for 6 months and 1 week washes dishes and does chores in the shelter. 

Arnold H., 60, Nike E., 28, and Ashley P., 25, who all reside at a recovery shelter in south St. Petersburg. 

Jimmy S., an alcoholic and drug addict, has been staying at a recovery house and panhandling for small bills in south St. Petersburg. He hopes to save up enough to move back to Sacramento and stay sober. 

Jimmy S., 53, shows a picture of his niece who he raised after his brother descended into drug addiction.