We Have a Story: Homeless in Colorado Springs - About

"We Have a Story: Homeless in Colorado Springs,” is a documentary project featuring the work of people experiencing homelessness. This project seeks to capture the unique experiences of these individuals through photos and stories. The individuals who participated in the project present their distinctive perspectives of this complex and diverse community. As Lance, one of the participants, said during his oral history interview, “We all have our story, which is the point of this [project].” The project was completed with different groups in 2019, 2022, and 2023. 

Each participant received training from a professional photographer on digital photography, went out and took photos of their world, and returned to get feedback from their instructor. The participants also sat with a historian to tell and record their life story in an oral history interview. At the end of the project, each person selected four of their images and wrote an accompanying artist story. The photos and narratives were displayed in a traveling exhibit and at receptions at different libraries around Pikes Peak Library District.  

The photos, narratives, and oral histories are also accessible in Regional History & Genealogy, located at Penrose Library, which preserves the stories and records of the Pikes Peak region. “We Have a Story: Homeless in Colorado Springs” contributes to the region’s history by documenting the stories of contemporary residents who are typically overlooked in a community’s historical record. 


To experience amazing photos and oral histories from participants over the years, click here.

We Have a Story: Homeless in Colorado Springs cover photoPhotos created by Devin for "We Have a Story: Homeless in Colorado Springs, 
a project exhibited at Pikes Peak Library District in 2022.