The way I see it: A photographic exploration of housing and health among people living with HIV in Vancouver

We are Community Researchers – people living with HIV and passionate about housing research and advocacy. This project has provided us with the opportunity to share our housing successes and struggles through a method called Photovoice.

We used Photovoice to reflect on our community’s strengths and needs, engage with policymakers and work towards social change.

Our photos and narratives convey the importance of stable, safe, affordable housing. Without healthy homes we cannot live healthy lives – adhere to our medication, attend doctors appointments, and eat nutritious food.


A banner on a building reading: Homes now tent to end: Homelessness, gentrification, criminalization of poverty Homeless man sitting on the sidewalk Homeless man sitting on the sidewalk in the rain Man Pan handling on the side of the road HIV+, Hungry and Homeless, man sleeping with this note Homeless man on the side of the road on his knees, begging Old man sitting on a bench alone Old man looking at a bench in the park Sleeping in the park with a dog
Sleeping on the side of road with a push cart Sleeping in the park with a hamster pet (caged) Sleeping on the stairway to a closed shop Sleeping in front of building Sleeping on the side walk Sleeping in front of a closed church Sleeping in the side walk A group sleeping in front of a theatre with all their belongings A group sleeping in the middle of a busy street under a tree
Man keeping warm with a steam vent 2 middle fingers for the camera Homeless woman holding a mask in front of her face Sitting on the side of the road A homeless person's fort in a park An officer talking to homeless on the side walk Cart with a banner: This is not Social Housing Image of an apartment complex Mice droppings under the sink
Damaged walls and floor in an apartment Mouse trap under the sink Damaged ceiling Damaged ceiling Piping on the side of the bathroom Image of the side of a building Landscape of a few old buildings Fenced area at the back of building Graffiti on a wall
Small pathway lined with graffiti Paintings of flowers on a wall Image of a building, No barrier health care Image of some housing, Vancouver Native Health Dr. Peter Centre building AIDS Vancouver office Immunodeficiency Clinic reception Extracting blood for a blood test Vials of blood for testing
Meds/Supplements Meds laid out for each day of the week Small crosses with names and dates Inside a house Apartment view from outside Note on a rock that reads: To all the people who stayed behind the homeless, the tent people in the camp called: Broken Branch Peace's camp of the DIES

We honour all those who support this work:
The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
The Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Simon Fraser University
McLaren Housing Society
Jacob’s Well
Imaging by Marlis

Publication Date: 
2012
Location: 
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada