In the late 1980's to early 1990's, my father and I spent a tremendous amount of time together. My dad was my AAU basketball coach, mentor, and our in-house social activist. For anyone that has lived with a person of this stature, you understand that the constant element that comes along with being related to these types of people is, facial recognition. Today's photo assignment was an important reminder of the impact of my fathers' influence.
Twenty plus years ago my dad introduced me to Oscar. This was the preamble that awakened my sense of awareness toward the homeless population. See Oscar was my fathers' childhood friend who'd fallen on hard times for one reason or another. I found this out in the most bizarre way. It was on a cold winter day and my father I were driving down Washington Street when he recognized a man walking. I didn't think anything of it because my dad always recognized someone when we'd go places. Only this time was different. He picked this guy up and little did I know that my life would change forever.
My dad and Oscar exchanged an old timers handshake while introducing me in the same line of greetings. With the heat blasting in the car it hit me, the smell. I immediately realized that Oscar hadn't taken a shower, brushed his teeth or anything else hygiene related in about two years. By this time I'm sitting in the backseat trying not to throw-up in my moms car, because if I did I knew she would have killed me. In the thick of the funk, I was thinking to myself, if I could put this man, my dad in the headlock, I would.
Fast forward to a few minutes after dropping Oscar off, dad and I begin to talk about his story. It was in those moments that I'd learn that there were millions of Oscars in the world. It was then that I'd understand that someone would be responsible for telling the world about the other Oscars. The seed had been planted for me to always treat the most downtrodden persons with the utmost respect. Even in moments where they appear inhumane to others.
At the age of 12 or 13, I had no idea that one day I'd assume portions the responsibility for reminding the world that there's an Oscar no matter where you go...
Below are a few photos from my 2014 100 Degrees Homeless black and white series.
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| Photo by: J.J. McQueen |
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| Photo by: J.J. McQueen |
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| Photo by: J.J. McQueen |
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