tiny home village // vice media

Role: Editorial, Photographer, Documentary crew

Story: It was summer and I was holed up with my dog in Salida, Colorado when my documentary film partner phoned me. She asked if wanted me to support and film a group of community members who were building a tiny home village on the outskirts of River North, Denver. When I arrived, I quickly realized that this was a bigger story than the village itself. There were a number of captivating people, all coming together to build a community where they could find safety, solitude and help ease the transition back into society.

The concept of Beloved Community Village would be that every 6 months, their permit with the city would run out. So they had to make the village units mobile enough to find a new lot. So the team got to work, gaining support of neighbors and City Council members. Years of struggle, debate, and convincing ensued that this concept could even work. Eventually, with the relentless support of Denver Homeless Outloud, Urban Land Conservancy, and Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, the village surfaced. After a week of filming, people open up about their stories and their struggles.

This is where I met Jamiah. This is her story.