In A Compassionate Way

Lately I have been carrying with me my GoPro Hero action camera during my photo walks, trying to experiment with the different camera settings.

A couple of days ago, I was waiting for the bus in the corner of Kensington and Allegheny Avenue when I took this picture. 

Learned recently that this area was the location for the Philadelphia Nativist Riots in the 19th century. According to Wikipedia: 

"The Philadelphia nativist riots also known as the Philadelphia Prayer Riots, the Bible Riots and the Native American Riots were a series of riots that took place on May 6–8 and July 6–7, 1844. The riots were a result of rising anti-Catholic sentiment at the growing population of Irish Catholic immigrants. The government brought in over a thousand militia, they confronted the nativist mobs and killed and wounded hundreds".

This was also the birthplace of the K&A Gang, (an Irish American organized crime association known for their distribution of methamphetamine) currently known as the Northeast Philly Irish Mob.

Unfortunately, Kensington and Allegheny is now famous for being the epicenter of the opioid epidemic. Even the pandemic has not slowed down the drug supply around this area where drug is used openly on the streets. 

I don't feel comfortable taking pictures of drug users, but if you are interested to see more, search for "Jeffrey Stockbridge, Opioid Crisis: Photographing Addicts in a Compassionate Way"