Even as a photographer living in the city for 25 years, I had been reluctant to visit. But after spending a few days in the area known to Angelenos as Skid Row, I realized that some of the men and women living there are eager to have their stories seen and heard.

William J. Perkins III, also known as GSTA, says he has been living on the streets since May 2015. "I never was homeless," he says. "Me and my wife moved from Philadelphia 'cause they had treatment for her out here here in Los Angeles. She had lung cancer. Stage Four. So the medical expenses were a little cheaper. So when we came here, they gave me temporary housing in a drug-infested zone over there by San Julian Street. We stayed three months." His wife passed away last year and he plans to move out of the area. "You never really thought that in America, the most powerful country, we'll be doing that. I fought for this country. Look where I live at. They don't take our lives seriously when we put our life on the line for this country."