Keep It Real, Don’t Sugar Coat It

by Cesar Rodriguez

Navigating the present:

I used to sleep here and hang out here. Not too many places you can go without the police or other people harassing you. Back then it was worse – across the street was a trap house. They tried to keep the place clean, but not like the way it is now. Now, it’s clean, there’s more people, there’s more life, it’s safer; it’s progression. This is my present.

  • A Pillow is a Privilege

    Remembering the past: Miami is a hard spot to find a place to sleep. You have to worry about your safety, stay out of the weather, and now be worried about going to jail. When you find a spot it’s never secure. I always tried to take care of my space so I could hold… (Read more)

  • Keep It Real, Don’t Sugar Coat It

    Navigating the present: I used to sleep here and hang out here. Not too many places you can go without the police or other people harassing you. Back then it was worse – across the street was a trap house. They tried to keep the place clean, but not like the way it is now.… (Read more)

  • Life’s Lessons

    Picturing the future: The center of the photo is a new building project – the present. The building on the left is the past – a historic building that was the first Black school in Miami– a lot they are preserving. The buildings in the background are the future. You have to start from the… (Read more)