Homeless, Nameless and Faceless: The Heart-rending Story Of The Invisible Pavement Dwellers

We live in times when more often than not, the streets are lined by faces instead of trees. These faces observe us quietly as we rush past, lost in our own bubble of worries. Faces crisscrossed by the vagaries of living on the roads and of living under the shadow of the skyscrapers. They remain nameless, homeless and in a way, faceless for how often do we stop to notice those who man our pavements? The answer is probably never. 

In a bid to create awareness, the New York Rescue Mission conducted an experiment with the help of the family members of five people from different walks of life. Dressed up, or rather down, as the homeless, these family members sat with bag and baggage by the side of a pavement as their brother/sister/niece/husband walked by without a second glance.  

The video shows us the stark reality of what it is like to be homeless; and in a world where nothing is certain, this video is both scary and an eye opener. How much do appearances affect us? Thousands watch us from the sidelines every day, while to us they merely seem to blend into the walls of the city.

Watch, and hopefully next time you too will notice that nameless face sitting at the corner of your street.