Mary Ellen Mark is dead

[AgingAmerican]

Last edited Thu May 28, 2015, 01:19 AM - Edit history (1)

Mary Ellen was a photographer who did an article in Time Magazine about us in the early 80s when I was a homeless teenager in Seattle. Mary Ellen stayed in touch with many of us over the years, we are very sad to see her pass.

The article was called, Streets of the lost, and did much to shine light on the plight of homeless street youth in America.



She brought light to many difficult subjects. She was one of a kind.

The article led to a movie, 'Streetwise', which came out in 1984 and was nominated for an Academy award. A bunch of my friends were in the movie.



A bunch of us have since found each other again on the internet, and we are having a reunion August 8th. We were hoping Mary Ellen could attend, but now it isn't possible.

[Suich]

1. Glad you were able to reconnect with some old friends.

RIP Mary Ellen Mark

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Hugs

we try to keep in contact with some folks after a story as well. It is not easy, But the connections are there,.

[niyad]

3. so sorry for the loss of this remarkable woman, but glad that you have

been able to reconnect with old friends.

you know that she will be there in spirit for the reunion.

[niyad]

4. when I clicked on the "streets of the lost" article, got a "not found" message.

[hunter]

6. Try this:

https://web.archive.org/web/20150428042556/http://www.maryellenmark.com/text/magazines/life/905W-000-021.html

and if you have a few bucks to spare, archive.org provides a valuable service.

[AgingAmerican]

10. It's fixed

Thanks.

[WillyT]

5. K & R !!!

[Luminous Animal]

7. Extraordinary compassionate photographer. It must feel incredible to have known her

and so sorry that she is no longer around to reconnect.

[AgingAmerican]

11. I met her and her husband Martin

...the first day they were in Seattle for the article sometime in 1982. They were on 'The Blade' handing out egg salad sandwiches to homeless kids and talking to them. My friend Butch and I went to a park with them and talked about what it's like living on the street while Butch and I drank beer. Back then there were hundreds of us living on the streets downtown. It was a wild time.

My wife knows everything, but my kids have no idea how I lived back then, I shielded them from it growing up. Some day I will sit them down and tell them everything (they are in their 20s now).

[lovemydog]

8. She was a phenomenal photographer and her documentary

Streetwise is well worth seeing. Amazing that you knew a lot of those folks who were in it, AgingAmerican.

Here's her obituary from the NY Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/arts/design/mary-ellen-mark-photographer-who-documented-difficult-subjects-dies-at-75.html?_r=0

[mountain grammy]

9. She did amazing work and seemed to have connected with you.

I'm sorry for your loss.

[AgingAmerican]

13. She was nice to us and did not judge us

Hard to believe all that happened over 30 years ago.

[hunter]

15. God, that's so important: "She was nice to us and did not judge us."

I was pretty messed up those same years as you. The people who got me through the dark were nice and did not judge me.

The first thing anyone needs is a safe place to be.

A place where others stand in judgement of you is not a safe place to be.

[mountain grammy]

16. I remember the stories and pictures of homeless youth and runaways

in the early eighties. My oldest son had just hit his teen years and, with a drunk for a dad and dysfunctional me, he was, of course, troubled. He threatened often to run, and I was terrified he would. Things settled down a bit when I ditched the drunk and only had my son to deal with. What a terrible time that was for teenagers. I couldn't afford counseling, so my son and I volunteered at a local shelter. It made us both better people.

[AgingAmerican]

12. The movie 'Streetwise' can be seen here

[PeaceNikki]

14. K&R and bookmarking to read more in depth later.

Such powerful work.