"Hell yes I know who Marty Robbins is,'' Benny Eldridge said while reflecting on the music of his youth in small town Trona. "I don't want to leave, but some people put some papers on my door saying my house isn't livable anymore." With his signature John Wayne charming looks of Eisenhower's America and a scar on his forehead from falling from the earthquake in his small town; Eldridge now realizes he must leave the city he has called home since 1955, and leave a place were everyone knew a man named Benny. The ghost town of Trona gives a tip of the hat and final goodbye to Benny as he leaves his home behind and moves to Bakersfield, California, with all of his possessions and his signature cowboy boots. Saturday. July 13, 2019. 

Tony, 53, was once a ranking gang member in the 53rd Street Hoover Gangster Crips who in the late 1980's was shot multiple times that lead him to be quadriplegic. He now uses a alphabet board to communicate with others since his vocal cords have been shattered. He is often seen around the Slauson Super Mall, but mostly need's assistance to get to most places.

A man who goes by Rico, relaxes outside of Park Hill Apartments after the announcement last year that the Beecher Terra-Cotta apartments were announced to be torn down by HUD. "I can understand why they want to tear down Beecher, but Beecher will always be Beecher. There's memories there but we keep it moving," Williams said.

Thomas Shaw, 64, wonders why locals are not able to humble themselves during the time of Hurricane Florence. "I don't understand why people are not accepting this situation for what the situation is. I tell people this is only the beginning. Will only get worse from here, our planet will only get worse, and people are complaining about loosing electricity for a week," Shaw said.

Rochelle Turner wraps around the high school jacket of her only son Ricky Jones. Ricky Jones was murdered April 14th, 2017 from gun shot wounds at the age of 29. “At first I would look at other mothers who lost their sons and think their sons were into something and mine wasn’t. I would think that maybe if my son was doing something wrong or died from a disease or committed suicide I would be able to find closure but in any way I can’t bring my son back. He was murdered but his life wasn’t his own. He had five children who now have to live without a father in their life,” Turner said.

James Mack, 66, laughs at a joke outside of a convince store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. "You ain't never notice that did you. What's that sign say. That I have big nuts." Pointing to the tail end of his motorcycle, a sticker that says in jest, Warning: Big Nuts Required. As his friend laughs hysterically saying "if you have one of them is plenty," before yelling out, "MACK DADDY!!!"

A man who goes by Cowboy Philippe has a drink outside of the Stardust Brothel in Ely, Nevada

Two street breakdancers show off their grillz on a corner in San Francisco before the Tyler, the Creator concert at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. The dancers perform around the Bay Area. Shot on 35mm.

Malcolm Boyd, 24, let's his hair catch sun while waiting to take the picks out of his braids at the 28th Street Barbershop. "I keep these in my hair for a hour and a half. Make sure my twist are tight than I'm off with the races with my hair until they need to get retwisted," Boyd said.

Cornel, 34, lived a life of gang violence in the South Los Angeles Area in a time when he could not walk in certain neighborhood's without being asked what street he was from and had to be cautious of what colors he wore. His arm tattoo's reveal his identity and his pain. His right side tattoo represents the 52nd Street Crips Gang, which is the street gang that brought violence into his life growing up. His left side tattoo pay's respect to a love one named Dennis, who was murdered from gang violence, the same activity that his right tattoo represents. "Now a day's people aren't throwing up their gang set like back in the day, a lot of the OG's wound up dead or in jail, or homeless drug addicts on the street. I spent my time in prison, but I made it out the system striving and I'm still here working on my album now, Mini-14 Double R," Cornel said.

Carey Shepherd lives in the underground shelters in Las Vegas that many in the homeless community call home. "Here I have my own bed, clothes, and living supplies. I have a place to call home that protects me during bad weather and that is my own," Shepherd said. The tunnels spread over 200 miles underneath the neon lights of the casinos and the Las Vegas Strip. Saturday, June 29, 2019.

Eugene Monsun, 76, smokes a cigarette before headed back home. He has lived in Bowling Green, KY for 10 years after retiring from carpentry. " My old roommate died a year ago so now I live with his son. I try not to dwell on death but I can't help but think about the inevitable since he passed away. Also doesn't help my health that I chain smoke cigarettes." Monsun said.

Vernon Hoefer, 54, waits before taking his place in line for a mattress at Courtyard Homeless Resource center on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 in Las.

Dakota Walton, 7, visited with her father the Wendy's of the deadly police shooting of Rayshard Brooks by a police officer. The location would become a place for massive protest. 

Teodoro Acosta, 52, is originally from Durango City, Mexico, but recently has been starting a new life in Texas. He was visiting near Austin in Georgetown, TX but is enjoying his life away from home.

James Gibbons, 77, smokes a cigarette outside of his house on Oak Street in the Westend of Louisville. "I always stay away from any trouble in the community. Stay away from crime, violence. I went to work and came home for the 50 years I've lived here. I'm retired, so now I can sit back watch people pass from my porch," Gibbons said.

Anthony, would not give his last name, 45, grew up as a Eight Tray Crip but now lives life with a drug addiction. “I am to old to be throwing up my gang set, but my life now is great, I’m a crackhead and I love every moment of it, until I get the next one,” Anthony said.