Musician Ben Dorfan meets with Hydie and her 15 year old son Isaac. Both have been unhoused and have strong creative practices. Hydie makes visual art and poetry. Isaac plays the saxophone. Housed participant Lydia is a violinist, a former paramedic and a mom of teenagers. Ben is struck by the profound interruptions in life and uses Hydie’s poem, “In the Silence” as a starting off point for his new composition by the same name. You can listen to it here.

Artist and musician Micheal Gabriel gets to know Tyle who identifies more as an animal than a person. Tyler chooses to be unhoused out of his care for our planet. In the winter life is harder for Tyler as he works two jobs and sometimes when he takes shelter from the rain in an urban spot, he is moved along by cops.. Bob is a retired lawyer who has a dedicated art making practice. Watch what happens as Bob challenges Tyler to have a ‘bette’ life and Michael sees the dignity in those of us who are unhoused.

There was a huge encampment for the unhoused at the Benchlands at San Lorenzo Park in Santa Cruz. This is where octogenarian playwright Edward Weingold facilitated a conversation with unhoused playwright, Sunshine who is in her early 40s and housed participant Mikaila who is in her early twenties. Sunshine empathizes with Mikaila’s struggles to care for her mom and pay rent.

The resulting play , “A Crack in the Earth” stems from this interaction, the colorful encampment and the city.politics that affect those who live outside.