notesladykier:

. In the U.S ,we are taught as soon as we can walk, to  keep  it moving right on past the homeless people.  i remember looking up at my dad the first time i saw a real down and out guy sitting on the sidewalk and  my hand was held tighter and the pace picked up .  I remember asking the questions  but no words were spoken in reply. i always had to run beside dad anyway…. years after dad left ……as a teenager ,i read kurt Vonneguts “godbless you Mr. Rosewater” where the wealthiest woman in the world was a bag lady ,and it made me realize that many homeless people just need mental healthcare ,have had very powerful positions and stories of success in their past on wall street, in business, in entertainment, or were viet nam vets , gulf war or iraqi vets. The hardest thing for me to do since moving back from living in London for 9 years ( where the social democratic govt provides homes for the homeless) was to get used to the way we treat our homeless  people here. I’ll never get used to it. I don’t know if this guy is homeless or not but all I can say is…..a little madness brings gladness and I am touched by this character. - lady miss kier

this just in from:Andrew Joseph  who  shared Humans of New York’s photo.

“I always refer to this guy as “Carmen Beard-Manda”. No matter what my mood he ALWAYS puts a smile on my face!!! Now learning about this former life as a lawyer in Colombia who earned a master’s degree in art from New York University and was pursuing his Ph.D. in Spanish literature when he was diagnosed with AIDS almost two decades ago. His solution is to channel all negativity and express positivity in the face of uncertainty. Thank you Oswald Gomez, I am honored to know your name and learn your story. Thank you for the smiles and the gift of your self expression. ”