Homeless tour of 50 states

24-year-old graduate plans mammoth tour to raise plight of homelessness

A 24-year-old college graduate who has been homeless for almost a year has embarked on a mission to visit 50 American states in 50 weeks.

Shayanne Kelley, a photojournalism graduate from Illinois, worked in marketing until she was made redundant last March. With no money to afford the rent, she soon found herself living on the streets of Jackson, Missouri with very little to her name. The experience inspired her to work out a way by which she could visit homeless people across the U.S.A and raise money to support them.

For the rest of 2009, Kelley worked as a waitress in a restaurant, rode a skateboard rather than using public transport and couch-surfed in order to avoid paying rent. She eventually raised enough money to buy a pick-up truck and - with her dog Zuzu - began her trip in January this year.

According to the website set up to document her journey, Kelley has set herself a goal to interview five people and create five photo-stories in two cities in each state, each week.

“I am looking for an accurate representation of the hopes and dreams, the passion and the focus of a nation that sees life through a million different lenses,” she said. “I will take pictures, write stories, record audio and video footage, and will publish at least one book when I am through.

“As I travel, I will volunteer at least ten hours of my time each week by knocking on doors collecting tinned food to donate to local charities. I will document what these Americans care about and what we can do as a national family to demonstrate love.”

Kelley began her trip with just $83 in her account but, in an interview with the Santa Cruz Sentinel this week, she said: “My philosophy in life is that you get what you give. People need so little to be happy. It’s not a cushy lifestyle but it’s your perspective that counts. Gratitude is not an emotion, it’s a way of life.”

She added that, three months into her trip, the experience had forced her to break out of her comfort zone. “Say hi to people you’ve never met before - they will change your life,” she said.

One of these was a homeless person named Trey, whose mother contacted Kelley before she left Missouri and asked her to locate her son in Santa Cruz. Kelley documented Trey’s story in one of her photo-journals.

“I truly believe that if everyone would give, we would all get, too. It has to start somewhere, and I’m starting with me,” she said.

For more information about Kelley and to follow her progress, visit www.shaykelley.com