Questions for Reflection

As you view Susan Cornelis’s portraits and read the unique personal stories of the women who depend on The Living Room’s services, consider the following questions:

• When you hear the phrase “typical homeless person,” what do you visualize?
• How do the artist’s portraits of the women change your perception(s) of a “typical homeless person”?
• What feelings or experiences expressed or described in the portrait stories generate the most empathy or feelings of understanding in you?
• If you could meet one of the featured women, what might you say to her after hearing her story?
• If asked to write your own brief story about an unforgettable or particularly difficult experience during the pandemic, what details would you include? What would you leave out, and why?
• What do all the women share in common? What do we have in common with the women?