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NOT FAR FROM DOWNTOWN THE
BRIGHT LIGHTS A HOMELESS CAMP
LINGERING IN THE SHADOW OF THE
CITY, MINNEAPOLIS IF YOU HAVE
DRIVEN BY YOU MAY HAVE WONDERED
HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN OUR OWN
BACKYARD?
TONIGHT WE ASKED SOME OF THE
200 MEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN
STILL LIVING THERE.
PHOTOJOURNALIST TOM STAYED THE
NIGHT TO TAKE US BEHIND THE
TARGETS AND INSIDE THE CRISIS
INTENSITY. A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE SO MANY AMAZING GIFTS, BUT
THEY DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO FIND
THEIR OPPORTUNITY.
I LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY, I SEE
PEOPLE THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE
THAN MYSELF.
I AM HELPING MY PEOPLE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT FEEL
LIKE THEY ARE CARED ABOUT.
WHY DID I COME HERE?
I HAVE BEEN HOMELESS SINCE I
WAS 15.
I HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL, BUT
SOMETIMES I DOUBT THAT.
THE INSECURE EMPTY FEELING THAT
I GET, YOU KNOW?
I WANT TO CHANGE.
BUT I AM NOT GIVING UP,
SOMETIMES I WANT TO.
I REALLY DO. VOLUNTEER, HELP
OUT, THAT IS WHAT THIS
COMMUNITY NEEDS.
TERRIBLE EVENTS HAVE PUT
PEOPLE HERE.
MENTAL ILLNESS, PEOPLE'S
WEAKNESSES, PEOPLE ARE HURT,
AND IT SUCKS BECAUSE THERE ARE
PEOPLE THAT ARE SELLING POISON,
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN
HERE WHO SHOULD NOT BE IN HERE.
I AM AN ADDICT, I HAVE BEEN
USING FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU DO
NOT HAVE AN ANSWER?
YOU NOMINATE OUT, EVERYTHING
HAPPENED HERE.
I HAVE AN EMPTY HOLE IN MY
HEART AND THE ONLY WAY I CAN
FILL THAT, IS CONSUMING HEROIN.
NARCAN, 13 PEOPLE, THE LAST
TWO PEOPLE DIED.
MY MOM ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING
TO GIVE TO EVERYONE, THEY FOUND
HER FACE DOWN IN HER TENT.
HELPED TRY TO SAVE HER.
EVERYONE SAYS IT WAS
FENTANYL, THE PERCENTAGE WAS SO
SMALL, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW
THAT LITTLE BOUT CAN KILL
PEOPLE. MAYBE I DO NOT WANT
TO HELP, MAYBE I DO, I DO NOT
KNOW.
IT IS A BATTLE I GUESS. I'M
SICK OF LIVING HERE.
THERE IS NOT MUCH TO BE
POSITIVE ABOUT WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF HAVING SOMEPLACE
SAFE AND COMFORTABLE TO SLEEP,
THIS COMPLETELY DISRUPTS THAT.
VICTIM VULNERABILITY, ADULTS,
SHE WAS RAPED,
WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
SUPPORTING EACH OTHER AND
HELPING EACH OTHER.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE TRYING TO
KEEP PEOPLE WARM AND SAFE.
I THINK THAT THE POLITICIANS
ARE FULL OF SHIFT, AND THAT IS
TYPICAL, FALSE PROMISES, FALSE
HOPE.
I AM TOLD THAT PEOPLE
DESERVE HOUSING, THERE ARE
BABIES THAT NEED HOMES.
A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON AROUND
US, PEOPLE SHOULD PAY MORE
ATTENTION TO.
SOMETIMES WE COME DOWN HERE,
AND WE JUST GIVE BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU
HELP OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE LIKE
MY GRANDMOTHER SAID YOU NEVER
KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE
IN LIFE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I AM A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER,
AND IF I CAN PLAY A ROLE IN
HELPING OUT YOU CAN IMAGINE
WITH SOMEONE WITH A LOT MORE
MONEY AND POWER CAN DO.
FOR THESE PEOPLE.
IT MEANS A LOT WHEN SOMEBODY
STOPS, AND COMES IN AND SAYS
HELLO.
WHEN THEY SMILE, SHAKE YOUR
HAND, THAT MEANS MORE THAN
ANYTHING.
THAT IS HUMANITY.
A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TOLD
US THAT HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICE WORKERS HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE AT THE
CAMP, DAILY CONNECTING THE
HOMELESS WITH HEALTHCARE,
ADDICTION MEDICATION, AND
SHELTER.
THE CITY PLANS TO OPEN A
NAVIGATION CENTER IN DECEMBER,
THE COUNTY WILL HELP STAFF THAT