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Joy

A group gave 105 homeless people disposable cameras. These are the photos they took.

See life through someone else's eyes 👀

homeless, disposable cameras, photos
Photo by Jackie Cook/MyLondon Photography Contest.

Many locks of bright, pink hair peek around the corner of the stairwell.

This article originally appeared on 08.17.16


A group of 105 homeless people gathered at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

Each of them was given a disposable camera and told to take pictures that represent "my London."

The photos were entered in an annual contest run by London-based nonprofit Cafe Art, which gives homeless artists the chance to have their work displayed around the city and, for some of the photographers who participate in the yearly challenge, in a print calendar.


"Some people have had experience, and others have never picked up a camera before," said Paul Ryan, co-director of Cafe Art.

The program, Ryan explained, includes mentorship and training from professional volunteers at the Royal Photographic Society, including winners of the contest from previous years, many of whom are ultimately inducted into the society.

contest, London, social circles, job market

A "Drivers Wanted" sign in the window from the MyLondon Photography Contest.

Photo by Richard Fletcher/MyLondon Photography Contest. All photos used with permission.

The goal of the challenge is to help participants gain the confidence to get back on the job market, search for housing, re-engage with their social circles, or even activate dormant skills.

"I really enjoyed it. And I started to get involved in my art again, which I'd left for years," a 2015 participant said in a video for the organization's Kickstarter campaign.

These are 11 of the top vote-getters from this year's contest:

1. Ella Sullivan — "Heart Bike Rack"

bike rack, photography, hearts, charity

A heart shaped bike rack.

Photo by Ella Sullivan/MyLondon Photography Contest

2. Alana Del Valle — "London Bus with Sculpture"

double-decker-bus, sculpture, contest

A red-double-decker-bus behind a mirrored sculpture.

Photo by Alana Del Valle/MyLondon Photography Contest

3. Beatrice — "Out of the Blue"

shadows, hands, artist, art

A hand shadow reaches up the wall toward a water container.

Photo by Beatrice/MyLondon Photography Contest

4. Laz Ozerden — "What Now?"

charity, donations, pan handling

Open hands accepting donations.

Photo by Laz Ozerden/MyLondon Photography Contest

5. Leo Shaul — "The Coffee Roaster"

coffee, roasters, model

A long coat hugs “The Coffee Roaster."

Photo by Leo Shaul/MyLondon Photography Contest

6. Christopher McTavish — "St. Paul's in Reflection"

St. Paul\u2019s, historic buildings, government

St. Paul’s cast a reflection against a blue shoe in a puddle.

Photo by Christopher McTavish/MyLondon Photography Contest

7. Hugh Gary — "London Calling"

phone booth, red kiosk, iconic

London calling.

Photo by Hugh Gary/MyLondon Photography Contest

8. Keith Norris — "Watching Mannequin"

mannequin, window display, reflections

Rolling your eyes at a mannequin.

Photo by Keith Norris/MyLondon Photography Contest

9. Siliana — "After the Rain"

tourism, tour boats, bridges, rain

A boat cruises under the bridge after a rainy day.

Photo by Siliana/MyLondon Photography Contest

10. Saffron Saidi — "Graffiti Area"

street art, graffiti, Dalmatians

Life reflecting art.

Photo by Saffron Saidi/MyLondon Photography Contest

11. Jackie Cook — "Underground Exit"

transportation, walking, stairwell, hide-n-seek

Who’s that in the stairwell?

Photo by Jackie Cook/MyLondon Photography Contest

Ryan, who has been developing the program for seven years, said that while there's no one-size-fits-all solution for individuals who are homeless, for some who are too used to being "knocked back," the experience of seeing their work on display or in print — and of success — can be invaluable.

"Everyone is helped in a different way, to get up to the next step in whatever way they need to."

Bob Weide's obituary for his wife Linda is a beautiful tribute to a beautiful love story.

Everyone appreciates a story of true love that stands the test of time, even when it ends in loss. Emmy-winning screenwriter, director and producer Robert Weide has captured people's hearts with a love story for the ages—one that just happens to be his own.

Weide is best known for directing and producing the first five seasons of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," but he is currently in the spotlight for a more personal reason. His beloved wife, Linda, passed away in December 2022, and the obituary he wrote for her has gone viral for its pure love and charm.

Weide published the obituary in the Los Angeles Times, but also shared it on Twitter after other people started sharing it.

From the first line, we start to get a picture of the woman Weide was married to for 25 years.

"Linda Weide, my remarkable wife, believed everybody's age was nobody's business. Let's just say she was ageless and timeless. She had a kind of elegance from another era," he wrote.

Weide shared that she had been diagnosed with a rare, fatal neurological disease called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy in 2018. She died at home on Christmas Day, peacefully, in Weide's arms.

"If you must die, try to do it in the arms of someone who loves you," he wrote. "It helps."

He described how they met on September 30, 1994. "I walked into Café Aroma in Studio City, and there she was," he wrote. "She had it all—beauty, style, grace, intelligence, wit, a great laugh, a blinding smile and (can I say this in 2023?) legs that demanded to be shown off, and were."

He said he wrote in his journal that night, "I think I may be in big trouble." Thus began their 28-year-long relationship that included a 25-year marriage.

"She was remarkably low maintenance," he continued. "We both appreciated the occasional meal in a fine restaurant and traveling abroad, but some years I'd ask what she wanted for her birthday and she would answer, 'a grilled cheese sandwich.' Typical. She was generous to a fault, always putting others' needs before her own."

Weide shared that his wife had a particular "soft spot" for animals in need. "Our own animals were all rescues, and friends would tell her, 'If I can come back in another life, I want to be one of your animals.'" he wrote.

Linda was an actress and Weide shared some of her most memorable roles, but it's clear her role as the leading lady in his life meant the most to him.

"What a team we made," Weide wrote. "She was Gracie to my George. After we purchased side-by-side cemetery plots years ago, I asked her what she wanted her marker to say. She answered, 'I'm with Stupid.' (That request will not be honored.) Oh dear—what am I ever supposed to do without her?"

It can't be easy to wrap up a tribute to the love of your life after they pass, but Weide did it beautifully.

"They say, 'Nothing lasts forever,' but they didn't know about my love for her," he wrote. "28 years wasn't nearly long enough. Still, I may just be the luckiest SOB who ever lived. Rest well, Bunnie. I hope we'll be together again."

And finally, the perfect last line:

"For those who never knew her, I'm sorry for your loss."

Weide has been "surprised and a bit overwhelmed" by how people have responded to the obituary, but he's thrilled that so many people are getting a glimpse of

"I love that total strangers are confessing to tears and saying they can tell what a beautiful person Linda was. The fact that so many are getting a small taste of what I blessed with for 28 years is so moving," he wrote on Twitter. "Many of the comments have made me cry, some make me laugh...Others make me shout, 'Yes, yes!'"

"Anyway, my deepest appreciation to everyone who's taken the time to read or ❤️ or comment on the tribute," he continued. "You have made this new widower feel a little less lonely. And I know Linda sends her love, too.”

Thank you, Bob Weide, for sharing your love story with the world. It seems you were right—we all would have loved Linda.

Read Weide's obituary in full here. And if this story compels you to do something to honor Linda's life, Weide suggests making a donation to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, her favorite animal shelter.


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@jmattttt

Enough is Enough. #spartanstrong #sandyhookstrong I hope you stand with me in putting an end to this horrific epidemic of gun violence.

Matthews wasn't the only MSU student who experienced their second school shooting on February 13. At least two students who had survived the Oxford High School shooting in Michigan in 2021 were also on campus that night.

Emma Riddle wrote on Twitter, "14 months ago I had to evacuate from Oxford High Schol [sic] when a fifteen year old opened fire and killed four of my classmates and injured seven more. Tonight, I am sitting under my desk at Michigan State Univeristy [sic], once again texting everyone 'I love you.'"

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Riddle's father shared her tweet, writing, "This is my daughter Emma. Her safety and sense of peace has been ripped away twice in 14 months because America continues to choose guns over kids."

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