Cathedral Beauford has been homeless for over 41 years. Her granddaughter took the picture she’s standing next to. It shows Beauford in the passenger seat of a car. There’s a man lying down on the sidewalk under an overpass. Cathedral’s face is blank.
Gary Allen is seen softly smiling, holding a cage with a single egg within. The egg is facing a door-less entry-way. The egg, once hatched, has every opportunity to leave, yet remains hesitant within the copper bounds of the cage.
In 2014, Allen found himself living under a bridge. He needed to find the purpose to get him out of his own cage.
“I knew help was coming, I didn’t know how exactly it would come,” said Allen. “It was like I was being pushed into my purpose because I didn’t want anything less than my purpose and to live my potential in life.”
Later that year, Allen found himself working in the art therapy room at Camillus House, a full-service homeless shelter near Downtown Miami. He calls the room the heart room; it’s a place where people can be free, and live a life of purpose through their art.
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