Unless he is migrating from one place to another, Charlie sits on a folding stool next to his shopping cart on an oriental rug and is usually listening to music and reading. The music is never loud, and sometimes he uses earphones. Perhaps due to his experience in the military, Charlie never has more than he can carry in one shopping cart, and he only unpacks what he currently is using—mainly his stool, rug and music player. When he needs to move, he just packs up these few items and is ready to go.

We have more than 4,000 regular readers – 3,500 read for free.  That will kill us. Step up and donate today.

Charlie Morales. Photo by Joseph Johnston.

You can learn more about the photographer here.

Follow Us

When I walk out of the house, I only need to walk a block to encounter someone living on the street. Perhaps, in part, because I am a pre-Stonewall gay man, I have always had a special place in my heart for outsiders whether they are homeless, mentally challenged, or just unable to fit into the system. Recently a homeless man said to me “Most people see us as drunks, but you talk to us and see our humanity.” http://www.jwjfoto.com/ http://www.artemaya.com/

Join the Conversation

2 Comments

  1. thank you for this- it’s a beautiful portrait of a man I also see often in the area…i appreciate MissionLoc@l honoring those living in the street and giving “voice to the voiceless” (or more accurately, a platform in the news media to honor those often left out).

    0
    0
    votes. Sign in to vote
  2. I’ve greeted him many times on the street, for years, and he never once greeted me back. So now I just walk by.

    0
    0
    votes. Sign in to vote
Leave a comment
Please keep your comments short and civil. Do not leave multiple comments under multiple names on one article. We will zap comments that fail to adhere to these short and very easy-to-follow rules.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *