Individuals experiencing homelessness in Kansas City are ignored or avoided every day. As rates of homelessness rise, the conversation about the issue rarely includes perspectives from those who live it. This project served as a catalyst to start those conversations and build relationships. Indisposable created an opportunity to engage staff, local organizations and library patrons in a meaningful dialogue that contributed to a stronger sense of community.

Our Coffee and Conversation program, created by our AmeriCorps VISTAs and modeled after the Dallas Public Library program, inspired staff to present Indisposable as a way to showcase the lives and talents of patrons experiencing homelessness. Community involvement and donations enabled the project team to distribute cameras, provide photography tips and ultimately establish the exhibit. Exhibition patrons interacted with the photographers, which never would have happened if not for this project.

Indisposable presented an opportunity for staff and patrons to connect with an otherwise marginalized population. The project created a more inclusive environment, added depth to the community and celebrated individuals who are rarely included. By empowering patrons experiencing homelessness to tell their stories directly to the viewers, "Indisposable" gave agency and dignity to the artists. As one photographer stated, “I hope they can see what we see through our eyes on a daily basis.”