Issue date: 9/10/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Claire Elise Padgett Neil Mac Lean views one of the photos at the Children of the Wind gallery. [Click to enlarge]

Shooting a photo of lasagna and making it look appealing is very different from shooting a photo of a teenager who doesn't know where he or she going to sleep that night. Kent Lacin, a commercial photographer has experience doing both.

Beginning on Friday, Sept. 5 through Oct. 4, Lacin will be displaying a photo exhibit called "Children of the WIND" at the Sacramento State Library Art Gallery.

"At the gallery, we really try to bring social and political awareness through the various departments on campus," said Phil Hitchcock, the director of the University Library Art Gallery.

Lacin has a large collection of photos on display, some in black and white, some in color - all of them tell a story.

Lacin became involved with the WIND Youth program. An organization that offers assistance to homeless teens.

"I have spent two to three hours with some of these kids in the evenings. I usually always leave feeling bad," says Lacin. "I want people to know there are lots of homeless children, most are really sweet and most are just ordinary people."

Lacin was asked to take a photo at the WIND Center, which at the time was located near Loaves and Fishes, a homeless shelter in Sacramento. There he met Tasha Norris, the WIND Youth Services executive director and Bob Eckstrom, the previous executive director.

"I really like the organization," Lacin said. "They care about the well-being of the kids. They have very engaging personalities and their hearts are in the right place."

It took Lacin a week to figure out how he could contribute to the WIND Center.

"I thought I should just offer my services in any way I can help them. Then I came up with the idea of shooting photos of homeless teenagers."

When Lacin started shooting the photos, he asked some of the teens how they ended up "being outside," the phrase they prefer over stating they are homeless.

He asked the "outsiders" what their plans for the future. Lacin said many of them answered with their hopes and dreams to live in a house, one wants to be an underwater welder.

"These teens really need parental support and concern," Lacin said.

'The major problem area is how difficult it is to track homeless youth. They move frequently, many couch-hop from one friend's home to another. It's important to make the public aware of this," said J.D. Rudometkin, who works at the WIND Youth Center.

Lacin had to explore many areas where they might be living. Many of the teens live in their own communities. They set up camp under tunnels, on the streets, in parks. They have no money, no ID, just some old sleeping bags.

"Some have hard luck stories that seem sort of rehearsed," Lacin said.

Lacin said he has come to know a set of twins who moved out of their house because their mother had a boyfriend who didn't like them.

"One mom gave her son marijuana to keep him quiet," he said. "He was diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome."

Lacin said they all do what is known as "spange," asking for spare change. He said some of the girls have relationships for male protection; some intentionally become pregnant in order to receive health care.

"They need human support from normal, stable people," he said. "They need someone to teach them manners, help them with schoolwork, and give them hope for their future. These kids only have each other."

For more information on "Children of the WIND", contact Leslie Winter at riversls@csus.edu or call (916) 278-4189.



Sally King can be reached at sking@statehornet.com.

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