In the winter of 2025, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council engaged five lived-experience leaders in Nashville to explore challenges people experiencing homelessness face when trying to reduce or quit tobacco usage.
Over this four-session project, facilitated by NHCHC’s Consumer Engagement Coordinator Sandra Mooney, participants reflected on the struggles they have faced by capturing their experiences through photographs and writing narratives that conveyed the stories behind the images. The project participants are active in the Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) that informs the work of Nashville-Davidson County’s Continuum of Care. (NHCHC is headquartered in Nashville.)
Each week, participants Kennetha Patterson, Traveion Jackson, April Burns-Norris, Nefertiri Rollins, and Robert Knight received a prompt encouraging them to reflect on a specific aspect of their journey. They then ventured into the community to capture images that represented their experiences. Upon returning, participants shared their photos, discussed their significance, and wrote narratives to convey the deeper meaning behind their images. These conversations cultivated a sense of connection and understanding, creating a space where individuals felt heard and valued.
The final session focused on curating an exhibition at the Pruitt Branch of the Nashville Public Library, a space chosen by participants for its role as a vital community hub. Beyond its wealth of resources, the library serves as a lifeline, offering weekly food distributions to more than 500 individuals and families, free haircuts, and programs designed to empower the community.
Through their photographs and narratives, project participants share a powerful and personal glimpse into their journeys, and they invite everyone to engage with their work and reflect on their experiences. The photos will be shared with a national audience at the National Health Care for the Homeless Council’s 2026 conference in Orlando, Fla.
See the Exhibit in Nashville
The Photovoice project will be on display at Pruitt Library in Nashville through March 31, 2025.
More on Tobacco Cessation
- Healing Hands Publication: Supporting People Experiencing Homelessness in Smoking Cessation (June 2024)
- Webinar replay: Tobacco Cessation from Evidence to Practice (December 2023)