So with the way the economy is right now, I don’t have a car. So, I’ve resulted to taking the bus. I have to hop on 3 buses to get my day job. That’s also in part to why I haven’t been active on here. My days have turned into 12, 13-hour days all while getting paid the same rate and having less time for gigs. It’s a garbage situation especially taking into account of the 110-degree weather. So, to make things more fun, I decided to take my camera with me.
I really like these photos! I did something I was told not to do years and years ago…. I took photos through a window. Okay now, put the pitch forks down. I think it adds an extra element since I’m literally on the bus. These photos aren’t perfect, and I don’t want to touch them up because I love their perfections. Riding 3 buses to get to work is awful BUT I get to stop at Fremont.
I absolutely love these photo sets because I feel like they show off the real Vegas vs what people assume Vegas is. Las Vegas isn’t all glitz and glam. It’s filled with community, art and hard-working genuine people. Las Vegas is filled with people like me.
Another day, another bus post. BUT THIS TIME… I was feeling myself. I thought I looked cute so I put on my bad bitch playlist and took some self portraits. I really love my fish eye camera.
7/11/2024
Another day, another bus post. BUT THIS TIME… I was feeling myself. I thought I looked cute so I put on my bad bitch playlist and took some self portraits. I really love my fish eye camera.
After walking around Trivoli Village, I hopped on another bus. My photos became more centered around the community, and the day in the life of being in Las Vegas. There’s so much strength and community around my city that photographing has made me aware of.
Then the bus takes me to to Fremont street. This day I got off a few stops early and just soaked in this area I’d road past time and time again, but never really walked around.
As beautiful as this area of town is, I became more and more aware of the homeless. Any spots with trees, or shade had signs saying sitting or lying on the sidewalks were prohibited, or no trespassing. I walked past a women sitting at the bus stop with a blanket covering her. Mind you, it was about 115 degrees outside. I noticed her skin, she had burns everywhere. The blanket was to protect her skin. I gave her my unopened bag of trail mix and told her to stay safe. It’s heartbreaking how this city doesn’t protect the homeless. Even to get into shelters, you need an ID. To get an ID in Nevada it’s 22 dollars if you’re under 65. If you are homeless, you can get that ID waived once. Since ID’s are the golden ticket to getting into our overcrowded shelters, most homeless people with IDs get targeted. Their ID’S get stolen, or worst… You don’t know who you are anymore. Substance abuse runs high, and generally speaking majority of the homeless population are either the youth or it’s people on something. It’s a lose lose situation. While walking the streets I’ve walked past so many sidewalks covered in piss. Fremont smells horrible. Why are there so many homeless people in this part of town though? It’s a spot with shade. It’s somewhere to beat the heat. Some of these homeless people are disabled, and need help and yet a blind eye gets turned. These people get ignored. How many of these people are veterans? How many of these people lost everything here due to gambling? How many people have to die in this heat? What’s going to give?
Meanwhile, this is also what’s happening on fremont.
Our tourists are in their own bubbles, having a great time. Ignoring the homeless that needs help, especially in this heat. Hell even locals! I was one of the people who’d turn an eye towards the homeless before. I grew up in Las Vegas. I remember my mom pulling me my by wrists telling me to stop looking at people and to not ask questions. So I continued to turn the blind eye. I don’t have a lot of money, but something I do have is the desire to make things better. Everything I know is from my own personal experiences. My goal is to do more research, educate myself and figure out the best way to go about creating a positive change. I don’t want to see anymore homeless people on the streets of Las Vegas. I want them all to have shelter, food, and whatever other resources they need. The older I get the more apparent it is: The City of Las Vegas does not care about it’s people. The city just cares about making money. It doesn’t make sense for us to have such a detailed bus system that is STILL unreliable. It doesn’t make sense for people to be baking in the sun, using blankets in damn near 120 degree weather. I hope that after my research and photos, I will be proved wrong about the city not caring about its people. I hope I am just uneducated. If this is our reality, our city is doomed.
Maybe it's not inspirational how strong the people of Las Vegas are. Maybe they are all just as drained, tired and burnt out as I am.
