"There's No Dreams Here" ~ Cigarette Man: Life on Skid Row
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- "Cigarette Man" earned his nickname by selling single cigarettes on the streets of Skid Row over a span of four decades. He was born in the back of a station wagon to a single mother; he never met his father. When he was twelve years old, his mother died, leaving him to fend for himself. Aside from some short periods in foster care and prison, Cigarette Man's been homeless for most of his life. Cigarette Man is 66 years old.
Cigarette Man gets by in Skid Row by selling cigarettes, second-hand goods, and groceries that have expired past their shelf life. He sleeps in his chair or on the ground, forgoing the trouble of setting up a tent every night, only to be forced to take it down the following morning as businesses reclaim the sidewalk.
For those who have the chance to know him, he's a reliable source of street knowledge, a storyteller who makes any stretch of sidewalk his stage. Cigarette Man's experiences have been hard-won, yet he shares them as insight into human nature.
No one should live without adequate housing. Although the streets and homelessness are all Cigarette Man has known, he needs to be inside. Otherwise, he will end up being another homeless death statistic. This is where you come in. Cigarette Man will not go into a homeless shelter. He's been outside too long to go sleep on a cot in a dormitory-type facility. We all need to advocate for more affordable housing and to get homeless people the support they need.
Produced by Adam Trunell www.idiotdream...
More from our Life in Skid Row series:
Life on Skid Row: Happy Monday • Happy Monday: Life on ...
Life on Skid Row: Panhandlers Are People Fighting to Survive Homelessness • Panhandlers Are People...
#losangeles #skidrow #homeless
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There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, childhood trauma, lack of a living wage, or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.
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"Survival starts within yourself. It doesn't start at skid row." Profound!!! So true!!!
I'm currently homeless. I have a full time job and am lucky to have it. But because of my past criminal record plus the cost, I can't find a place to lay my head .when the work day ends I watch everyone go home. I wish I could go to a home to. God bless the homeless
My condolences to you
Wish you luck.. you seem to be a very strong person mentally
I hope you find your own home someday soon, bless you!
I wish you all the very best Robert and I pray that God be with you
Me and my husband would love to try to help
Such a sad and powerful story. I worked on skid row for ten years. It's truly a nightmare like he said.
what kind of Work?
nightmares are simply part of sleep in hell
ME ALSO , 10 YEARS for free Compassion ❤️
Before they became homeless or on drugs they were someone special still are in my eyes 🙏🏾🤎💪🏿
👩👩🏻👩🏼👨🦱👨🏻🦱👨🏼🦱👩🏽👩🏾👩🏿👨🏽🦱👨🏾🦱👨🏿🦱
Just applied for a second job. Currently homeless in Minnesota. Thank you for your sentiment
That's a nice warm sentiment. I agree, and also We ARE them, and they are us. We are all ultimately and actually one. That's not a sentiment. That's fact. I didn't know that for years, and was very lost inside. 🙂💞 Wonder if he knows that or if he identifies with his circumstances?
The vast majority are not addicts alcoholics. Been homeless twice in Los Angeles.
💖
Beautiful and inspiring.
An old black man crying at the memory of a white ex-racist ex- con, loving the man’s heart.
I am humbled.
Thank you for sharing yourself Cigarette Man ❤️
Been by there a few times. The situation has gotten worse..Society is going backwards. I am still fighting to not be homeless myself.
Same here, things are going backwards
Society isn't "going backwards" .... you are.
This man is truly passionate. I see his pain on his face
Your Moms right, you are a champion! ❤️✌️
What a profound and intelligent man.
This man is one of a kind.
A poet with integrity. That's rare. His truth goes marching on.
Well this man's soul is making me cry. ❤💜💙 I love him.
You love him? Stop lying.
Me to I love him 💜 for his beautiful soul
@@depletable I'm a sensitive type of girl. I can feel his soul and it touches me. Authencity is very important. This man is genuine and I love him for it. 💛
@@JannaMarie I get it, but I'm also fully aware words are meaningless when it comes to true love. You know I'm right.
@@depletable you are right. But this is about my sensitive soul FEELING connected to this man, whether anyone believes me or not. :)
I was homeless from 2017 to 2021 and holy fuck this dude is powerful with all the shit he's gone through. Mother dying and being left to fend for himself. Sounds like my life when I left home at 19 to try and make it in the world. Still struggling and not homeless now but still depressed and looking for work and my will to live and keep on going.
Look to Jesus. Truth is a great guide in life.
Blessings 🙏
Dude there's jobs everywhere, because no one wants to work.. No offense you're not looking hard enough.
@@rietzhu No one wants to work in jobs that don't pay enough to live
@@rietzhu oh trust me I am. Where I'm at in Washington it's iffy for ex cons and people with little to no job history to find work that's not in fast food or retail like Walmart
@@Priority76 Any job helps, gotta remain humble. You gotta eat. Get a job than work on a better fit... smh
A lot of wisdom and hard years of life streaming from this man…
Going by skid row is truly heart breaking area to go by. When he said there are no dreams here, only nightmares. It’s like going by ur worse nightmare in that area. Sure there are bad people, but not all are bad. This place really humbles you up real quick. I really do hope the good find a place called home
I truly wish people like this man with the great soul had a better life. I wish he'd live in a small house somewhere with a loving family. It's not fair how some people have to suffer.
Like the man said we’re still people even on skid row we’re still people
He does speak street wisdom. There's a lot of truth to his words. People like him intrigue me.
What intrigues you about him?
This hits deep. So much to feel, so much to think.
This was very touching and this man, despite his suffering in this world, maintains compassion and forgiveness in his heart; there are many gifts, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, etc. he is blessed with more than one; yeah if I were to come across him I would say 'Brother, what do you smoke' and buy him 2 packs of whatever he likes. It's a small thing, but sometimes small things can carry someone a long way.
He might be homeless but has the deepest thoughts I’ve ever heard. So much wisdom coming from the streets. They might be homeless but so wise beyond their years. There is programs that help you remove hate tattoos for free.
A person can't eat or shelter themselves with "deep thoughts".
I've never understood how so many people live a life of opulence, where they want for nothing, and it's been that way their entire existence, their entire lives. And then there are unfortunate souls like Cigarette Man who seems to have never gotten a shot at life. It's so unfair. Yet he survives, invisible, as most of us refuse to see him or acknowledge his very existence.
you right..
There are those with mental/psychological issues that go untreated. Too many of them are self medicating, and way too many are on the streets. Other homeless are fully capable of getting off the streets. There are many programs to assist them in doing that.
I ended up homeless. I can cite all the normal litany of woes: physical abuse, sexual abuse, drugs and alcohol abuse, divorce, etc. It's all bullshit. I made bad decisions knowing I was making bad decisions. I decided to stop making bad decisions. Retired at 50 from a six figure salary with a Fortune 500 company. 401k etc. Too many people living on the streets are choosing that life. Choose something different.
The is a man who is real he knows a lot. Very smart and telling the truth about being out there in the streets. No one wants that kind of life. Not knowing one day from another if your going to have food clean clothes or being able to take a shower. Sleeping were rats are running around you at night. Praying that you get to one day have a home. Much love my friend.
Cigarette Man.
"You don't have to get rid of tattoos your heart will tell us everything and I love ya."
As Above, So Below.
Thank you Cigarette Man. 🙏☮♥
Look at the book he’s reading. He is in the light. What a beautiful soul. ❤️
Yes so very beautiful 🥰
Heartbreaking, beautiful soul 💔❤
“There are no dreams here, only nightmares”!
He's been homeless since I was 1 year old!!!!
God bless his humble heart ❤️🙏
I Hope he gets The Biggest Mansion in heaven 🙌🙏🙌🙏💖
Lots of things brother teaches the biggest university’s can’t teach thanks brother 😢
This brought me to tears 😢 we can learn so much from the homeless.
It seems this world is inverted. Those with love and big hearts are homeless and the ones killing people have many mansions.
It's an upside down world cause Satan ruling it for the moment.
My heart is broken. Just broken. I wish I could hug this man and just say I love you.
I totally agree I pray no hurt harm or danger comes near him in Jesus name 🙏
You just did and he loves you too ❤️
My mom died on skid row in 2016.. I send love to all the lost souls
What a beautiful man. My heart breaks!!!
Me toooo he is just so wonderful ❤️
This was so moving, touching and powerful! 🥺
I’ve been commenting under a Christian pastor video where he is chastising a homeless man and you should see the amount of “Christians” that condemn homeless people 😱. Most Christians are a joke to me anyway, but even I was shocked at read the lack of compassion! So please continue to make these videos to help educate people about the realities of homelessness and thank you fir your amazing thus far.
"Your heart will tell us everything, and I love you." "Skid row is part of God's world."--Cigarette Man
This man is truly a gift from God to everyone ❤
If people lived in unity and harmony there would never be homelessness. He’s an inspiration
Cigarette man is my favorite!!! He is to smart to be homeless this long. I think he is a blessing to everyone on skid row.
Thank goodness he’s in Housing now💜
It takes a different kind of spirit to follow their heart , even though theirs has been broken ...
MAY THE CREATOR CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU AND THE UNIVERSE SUPPLY ALL OF YOUR NEEDS .
Love to you Poppa Cigarette Man ❤️🇬🇧
@I Coroa
Your entitled to your opinion . If you read my comment I said THE CREATOR . The lower case god you speak on is sadly how you write it and I assume think & believe SMALL !!!!
My opinion & Knowing is that we are an extention of from which we began therefore we are a creation & extension of that .... From which Poppa Cigarette Man in himself from belief & faith in THE CREATOR is continually & consistently creating ways & means to get through each day . Regarding his needs being met , I'm not stating there the OBVIOUS of a need for a home etc. I'm sending him from my mind & heart the intension of whatever he may need to get through each day he will be given that . Wether that be physical , emotional or spiritual for his mind , body & soul . I was taught from my grandmother that when we think our life is hard , there's ALWAYS someone who has it harder. Aswell if we can't DO something to make it better then we should at least SAY something to encourage or uplift otherwise say nothing at all . The intentions & acts of the heart is powerful so I will end by saying to ALL....... Whatever your situation or circumstances
STRENGTH , LOVE &GUIDANCE ❤️
He's a very beautiful person ❤️
He is absolutely
Good to see Cigarette man still alive, genuinely wish him the best
There was an extensive interview of Cigarette Man approx. 1 yr. or so on Soft White Underbelly which had me captivated. He had haunting & resonating messages I will never forget.
5:46 sometimes- not always, but sometimes the best advice is given by the people with the most problems.
This is shredding my heart.
@@sarbantz you don't have a clue what you're talking about.
Many years ago I was homeless for a brief period of time, it's part of me forever
You're never the same again.
Thank you
@@Imbrokeaswell Sadly, your right! Street life rewires the brain. It's been 30 odd years since I first went on the street. Been mostly housed since. But it does stay with you!
The nightmares have mostly gone away now. But that 9 months on the street in salt lake at 23 is still with me. It really doesn't go away completely.
One of your best videos ever. Very profound.
Reading Eckhart Tolle, that's dope...
He is so right, you're character is taken by other people 😭😭😭😭
Two things many people fail to realize is one: no one who is healthy perfectly normal and ok say you know what I feel ok and life is good, but that's not enough for me bc I'm greedy and amoral, so I think I'll go do drugs. People who chose to do drugs are not greedy or amoral, they are unhealthy and have trauma in some shape or form, if not many forms. And two: consciousness and the human psyche is predictable and acts largely the same in same circumstances (including biological factors and environmental factors) meaning if you had the same biological predispositions and experienced the same trauma, your brain would more than likely behave the exact same way and make the same choices. These people are not the problem with society. Our treatment of them is our problem from their parents and traumatizers to all of us. We are all humans with much more in common than not and I would hope no matter what my illness, health, status or ability that other humans would treat me with love respect and common decency. I love all humans and wish a good life for all of us, bc we all deserve it, and those who have experienced so much pain and hurt, maybe even more so than most of society.
I hope he finds permanent safe clean housing soon.💔😢
One of the best videos of this type of subject i have seen in a very long time
What a lovely man when he tears starting flowing i could feel pain homeless for most his life i was homeless for a couple of years i swear I wouldn't wish it on no 1 god bless him may he find contentment and happiness in the rest of his life
Been homeless for 23yrs this is life..
For real? Tell more man
@@xhcgamerx7602 born on the Eastside of Detroit 1981..2 bedroom shack,mother was on crack,only seen my father 2 or 3 times,raised by my grandmother till I was 18,all my siblings got put up for adoption, neva had a birthday party or Christmas we was too poor,grandmother was getting ssi,start doing drugs at 16 I drop out of school,been to jail over 100 times,living in a tent in Houston..I neva stood a chance at being successful I'm black living in America..this is my story..it go take 2 or 3 movies just to show what I been thru smh
@@BLACKJESUS713 Life in this world is short. Put all your trust in God. Believe in yourself. When God calls you Home, you will never have to worry about anything. May God bless your beautiful soul.
I’m crying my brother thanks for just being you
Him crying broke my heart 🥺
Love this man❤
Cigarette man has a deep soul touching this problem is an epidemic everywhere
This man and all the down trodden that mean NO HARM ... Will see the Kingdom of YAH ❣️
God help this man
I remember growing up with this whole American Dream Story still very strong. What I have seen, especially in LA is rather an American Nightmare where few have it all and the rest is suffering. I feel very sorry for a society that doesn’t want to have any form of solidarity and social safety net, helping the less fortunate.
It is disgraceful how these people have to live like this in such a wealthy country . What a wonderful man and so wise
It's republican crony capitalism. Bernie and AOC are 100% right. The richer you are in America the less to no taxes you pay. Inequality = Homelessness
When I turned 30 and was homeless I changed! Dropped my family traditions of drug and alcohol abuse! I was born with medical problems that did not like substance abuse either! Dropped the family tradition of adultery while married to! Either use protection or do not fool around! I remember sitting in a club on a night off after a promotion in a college town and thinking my grandfather plus both parents would go to bars to fool around even though they where married plus thought to myself would you want your daughter to be pic up a boyfriend that way! NO! So I finished drinking and left! Would go out once in a while with male coworkers to drink a little play pool and would ignore the women wether too young or divorced! Grew up a stepchild lived with other relatives also! Went to 11 different school districts with no one else I knew and lived in 33 different homes since relatives moved a lot for cheap rent! Now just trying to finish fixing what medical I can get done with surgery!
I pray he has peace and security in the future. Under his reading glasses is book we should all read.
God bless you. 🙏🏼❤
I lived down there 40 years,woke up in my 60s and been free every since.No longer residing on the curb.
Cigarette Man, those of us who have been homeless know where you're coming from. You're doing the best you can as any homeless person does. The homeless can't be put in one category, there are the mentally ill, addicts, and people with just bad luck who have zero support from their families of origin for whatever reason. But we're all human and we just keep up appearances no matter where we are in life. Keep your head high, Cigarette Man.
Ooohhh... man, this is touching
Very smart man. More insightful and willing to share than most people I know. Amazing gentleman and my heart hurt watching this video.
This should be mandatory viewing
These are the life lessons that should be taught in schools to foster compassion and understanding.
WOW this brother is inspiring! Bless🙌
Your a great man .God bless and thank you
God so loves these people, I pray they love and know Him too, if so they have far more than the rich men on this cruel and miserable earth. There is no reason, other than power, control and greed of those in control, that anyone on this earth should be hungry and homeless.
Thankyou for showing these individual stories that show each individual as the special people they are.
May Gods' blessing and guidance be upon this man and all of his fellow 'neighbours' 💔❤️
🙏😒🙏 for all of skid row
Cigarette Man speaks from Spirit.
How can I help him? Is there some way to send him some money? I would just like to do something nice for him :/ Can you at least hug him for me if you ever see him again?
The ones who judge those who are in bad predicaments, who are poor, disabled, addicted, in jail, homeless. those are the real villains, the ones who are classist, who judge, they’re the real villains of the story. My heart goes out to him.❤❤❤
Los Angeles waiting list is 53 months for your voucher! I live where it is 7 months! Then you have to find someone to take it! I live in a privately owned apartment who gets a tax credit for having a percentage of section 8 renters! All utilities are paid but expect one day they will make us pay that! Notice a lot of the mountain and pacific time zones require some or all utilities for renters to pay!
Wow welcome to the world… things cost money. Everyone has to feed the machine or they end up in a tent. Hundreds of millions of Americans have to pay for rent and utilities, plus insurance and car payments.
You Are a true 🏆 champion.MAN KNOWS WHATS UP.GOD BLESS ALL OUT THERE SUFFERING IN THAT OR ANYWAY.SENDING A HUG AND LOVE💯❤TO ALL IN NEED.
Thank you for this video. Its so easy to slip and feel sorry for myself because....thank you.
So tragic. I cannot help but admire their courage and resilience. I now think of them before I whinge about anything! Their wealthy government should do something to help cater to their most basic necessity, a roof- just modest tiny houses/apartments would do. Give them some dignity as human beings.
Lol you found this dude? Wasn’t he the one that made that hour long awesome ramble on Soft White Underbelly
God blessed this man 🙏
Someone get him a home, he's habitat for Humanity
This man seems to be a good person. As so many on skid row he doesn't have a family.
What a powerful message
This man is a great actor. There is no way he has been through the things he has all of his life and so emotional. I do believe its possible he has been through all he says he has but he actually feels nothing except emotional pain. Its an act. He’s truly numb and faking the emotions
Omg I didn't know me and cigarette had the same birthday!! Love him from following Ms Shirley God Bless CG 💕💕
Cigarette Man. I've seen him on another channel. Hope he's doing well
Look at the wisdom in this older man. Life is funny like that. Up one day but can be down tomorrow based on one wrong decisions. It doesn’t take all we can do, It takes God to be with us because there is no real equality in this world!💯
We the good always suffer but God as plan for us we keep the faith 🙏
Tough place, skid row. I passed through there when I was visiting LA from Australia. It was mind blowing such a place could exist in a "first world" country. So many lost souls wracked with the pain of the past and their current situation.
You're loved, brother.
A very good and instructive story that he tells. Unfortunately, homelessness is increasing in the world and it is terrible how difficult it is with this situation. Homelessness is something that can happen to anyone. god bless and take care hugs❤️❤️🩹🙏🙏🙏
何処の国々でも、様々な理由で家の無い人々がいます
。勿論、日本にも。人を助けるという事は大変難しいことです。中途半端な思いでは中々出来ないものです
。自分の生活プラス相手の生活を両立させなければなりません。だから人の面倒を見るという事は最後まで手を差しのべなければならない。本当に難しい問題ですね😖。
Vous avez bien raison 🇨🇦
That's my bday too CM! God bless you
"Survival starts within yourself"...
aw i haven't seen cigarette man in a long time. he's not forgotten.
He sounds like he has alot of knowledge to spread!! Best of luck 🤞🏼. Newark NewJersey ❤❤
I'm from Newark Nottinghamshire Uk🙏
Amazing how much can be learned from this gentleman.
Despite his choices and consequences of them, he remains more human than ever and merits compassion and empathy, God bless him.
@California Nationalist why no empathy?.
God bless this man I hope one day he has a home