My friend Smokey´s struggle in the streets of New York. .This project was made for the Magnum Foundation & NYU Human Rights and Photography Fellowship in 2013.
Please watch the multimedia project on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/88496697
Photographs by Santiago Arcos.
Music By Loudis and Red. (Smokey´s friends).
"Smokey" makes a call in one of his usual sleeping spots, on a bench bellow Cooper Square, in Manhattan.
"Juju" was 17 when she got pregnant from Smokey. She was still in high school and living with her parents, who dissaproved their relationship.
Smokey stops during a walk in the park to greet a baby and talk to his parents about parenthood. Smokey had lost two kids before and this new one was filling him with joy.
Smokey lights a cigarrete in a park.
Smokey washes himself with water from a park fountain. Sometimes he also borrows the shower from nearby friends, and the restrooms of restaurants.
Smokey and Juju had no plan for the future of their child. He wanted to get a job, but could figure out doing what, and she had to finish high school.
Didi, Smokey's aunt, who is also homeless, screams to him trying to talk him out of the suicidal thoughts that he was having this night. He was planning to jump in the east river, overwhelmed by the vodka and the uncertainty of his future.
Cardboard pieces layed on the floor that Smokey used as bed the night before.
Smokey rattles his head in preparation to enter the criminal court building, where he had an audience due to failing his probation. In the audience he was told that he had to serve time in prision.
Smokey and Juju hug after they fought in Cooper triangle park.
Message from Juju on Smokey's phone.
Smokey tries to keep calm moments before starting his trip towards the criminal court building, in order to attend to an audience for violating his probation.