Homelessness is a problem that plagues many cities around the world, and Tampa Bay Florida is no exception.
Every day, individuals and families are forced to sleep on the streets or in shelters due to various circumstances such as job loss, illness, addiction, and domestic violence. Yet, despite being a growing issue, homelessness is often misunderstood and stigmatized.
“Faces of Homelessness: A Tampa Bay Story”, seeks to shed light on the lives of those who are experiencing homelessness in Tampa Bay. This book, just released in 2023 by our very own host, Tonya Fines, is a compilation of black and white photographs that capture the faces of individuals who have been affected by this growing problem.
But it is not just a book of pictures. It is a tribute to the humanity of the homeless and a call to action to finally end homelessness in Tampa Bay.
“Not every person you see on the street has that ‘they deserve to be there’ story.”
– Tonya Fines
Time Stamps
00:46 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast
1:28 – Get to know today’s special guest, Tonya Fines
4:36 – Discover the inspiration behind her new book, ‘The Faces of Homelessness’
10:13 – Understanding the fear of exposing homelessness
13:08 – Helping the homeless: The importance of knowing who you help
17:22 – The stigma of homelessness: Tonya shares her thoughts on the impact of visuals on readers
20:03 – What is it like to be homeless in this day and age?
27:54 – Tonya on why homelessness IS NOT a choice
33:56 – Why Tonya shares a Thanksgiving meal to everyone
36:19 – Lending a Hand: Ways to engage with homeless support groups
42:09 – Where you can go to get Tonya Fines’ book, ‘The Faces of Homelessness: A Tampa Bay Story’
Resources:
Connect w/ Tonya:
Connect w/ CriticalBench:
