This documentary series began as a simple idea, but quickly blossomed into a full on project where me and 3 other students began the journey of making a multi episodic documentary series about homelessness in our own county during Covid. Below are the episodes and an in depth interview I did on the project in and of itself!

The Episodes

Being unhoused is not an easy thing to sustain, but in Humboldt County, there are many unhoused individuals and couples living in tandem with everyone else. One such individual is JP. In fall of 2020, my crew and I were introduced to JP and his then wife, Caity Jo. They were living in tents behind the Bayshore Mall in Eureka in a swampy area called Devil's Playground. The first episode of Homeless in Humboldt follows them as they try to survive together in the face of law enforcement and the ups and downs of life in general. JP talks about his outlets for coping with these shifty conditions alongside how he came to be where he is today.

Now that a rapport with JP had been created, we continued the story. Following a series of events, JP finds himself in a new town with a new life that he must figure out how to navigate effectively. Conjunctionally, the resources available to the unhoused population in Humboldt County, especially related to substance abuse, are highlighted.

Homelessness can also take the form of vehicle camping, as evidenced by Angela and William. They were an older couple who couldn't find work due to Covid, leaving them no choice but to sleep in their crammed truck. Due to the amount of stuff in the back of the truck all crammed together, both Angela and William slept and lived in their truck seated upright, which constricted blood flow and caused other physical ailments in addition to the pre-existing ones they had. Bouncing around from motel to motel when they could afford to do so, this couple continued to roam through life with a smile on their face and a belief that they would eventually find more stable housing. Being able to document all of this was really amazing and heart-warming for my crew and I. I personally feel very fortunate to have met the couple!