We Are All Homeless

We Are All Homeless is a visual arts project created by Willie Baronet in 1993.[1] Baronet, who works as a professor of advertising at Southern Methodist University, has collected over 2,200[2] signs from homeless people across the world which he displays through the project in a variety of exhibitions across the United States and United Kingdom. Since 2009, over 90 We Are All Homeless exhibits have been installed at NYU, The University of Pennsylvania, Cambridge University,[1] the Anchorage Museum,[3] the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art,[4] and other universities, museums, and galleries. The exhibits, which display a number of the signs that Baronet has collected, are meant to challenge viewers and make them confront issues that they often ignore and raise awareness about homelessness.

History

Baronet began to buy signs in 1993, when he was working in the advertising sector, and originally offered people between $4 and $40 for their signs.[5] and as of May, 2014 estimated that he had spent over $7,000 on signs.[6] He quickly amassed a collection of signs through this but didn't begin to display them until 2009.[6]

In 2012 Baronet delivered a Tedx talk at SMU about We Are All Homeless.[7]

In 2016 We Are All Homeless was exhibited in Philadelphia and Cleveland for the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention respectively.[1]

Baronet houses his collection in a number of places including his office at SMU and his studio in Oak Cliff.[8]

Signs of Humanity

Signs of Humanity is a documentary film produced and co-directed by Baronet and Tim Chumley which "explores the inter-related themes of home, homelessness, compassion and humanity".[9] The film depicts the filmmakers' month-long voyage across America, travelling to 24 cities, purchasing signs.[5] The documentary is rated 7.8/10 on IMDb.[10] For Signs of Humanity, Baronet partnered with the Housing Crisis Center in Dallas.[11]

Signs of Humanity builds upon Baronet’s long-running We Are All Homeless art project. The 2014 cross-country trip to collect signs and stories from people experiencing homelessness, reflecting on issues of empathy, privilege, and human connection.[12] Produced by Shelly Spriggs, the documentary premiered at film festivals and was later screened in museums, universities, and community centers. The film received positive attention for its humanizing portrayal of homelessness through art and personal storytelling.[13]

Home is a Journey

Every year, Baronet organizes an event called Home is a Journey in which students at SMU make care packages for the homeless called "blessing bags" and march across campus carrying signs. In 2023, this event was coupled with a symposium which focused on the intersection of social justice and the homelessness, the role of higher education in fostering equity, and the role of non-profits in combatting homelessness.[14] The annual march serves as both a reflection and a public awareness initiative, with students and community members walking in single file across campus while displaying original signs created by people who have experienced homelessness. The event aims to foster public reflection, conversation, and action around issues of dignity, belonging, and housing insecurity.[15]

The We Are All Homeless project has also inspired academic research examining public perception and engagement with homelessness. In 2023, Baronet and researchers from Thomas Jefferson University’s Public Health Department collaborated on a study titled “Even a smile helps: Exploring the interactions between people experiencing homelessness and passersby in public spaces,” published in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry.[16] The paper builds on themes present in the We Are All Homeless project and investigates how brief, compassionate interactions such as eye contact or a smile can affect the well-being and dignity of individuals experiencing homelessness.[17]


References

  1. 1 2 3 http://www.weareallhomeless.org/, Willie Baronet, We Are All Homeless, retrieved 11/04/2023
  2. ↑ Carla, Coe-Specker (2023-04-04). ""We Are All Homeless" Brings Awareness Through Art To Those Experiencing Homelessness". wfaa.com. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  3. ↑ "Anchorage Museum Opens Exhibit About Houselessness". www.anchorage.net. 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  4. ↑ Wichert, Geoff (2023-03-30). "Many Souls Gather in UMOCA Exhibition on the Home". Artists of Utah's 15 Bytes. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  5. 1 2 Jerry, Large (2014-07-02). "A sign that art is life on the street". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  6. 1 2 Sickles, Jerry (2014-05-14). "Artist's massive homeless sign collection 'makes some people uncomfortable'". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  7. ↑ "SMU prof gains insight from 24-city trek to buy signs from homeless". Dallas News. 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  8. ↑ Mooney, Michael J. (2013-08-23). "Signs of the Homeless". D Magazine. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  9. ↑ http://signsofhumanity.org/, Willie Baronet, Signs of Humanity, retrieved 11/04/2023
  10. ↑ Baronet, Willie; Chumley, Tim (2016-04-15), Signs of Humanity (Documentary), OtherSide Pictures, Veronica and Richard Sayles, We Are All Homeless Productions, retrieved 2024-06-07
  11. ↑ Goldberg, Eleanor (2014-05-15). "This Artist Has Spent $7,000 On Homeless People's Cardboard Signs For Really Good Reason". HuffPost. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  12. ↑ "'Signs of Humanity' Makes Art Out of Homelessness". NBC News. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  13. ↑ "'Signs of Humanity' Documentary Sparks Dialogue on Homelessness". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "Home is a Journey March and Symposium – Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education & Human Development". blog.smu.edu. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  15. ↑ "SMU Students March to Raise Awareness About Homelessness". SMU Meadows School of the Arts. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  16. ↑ Tate, A.; Edwards, K.; Holmes, N. (2023). "Even a smile helps: Exploring the interactions between people experiencing homelessness and passersby in public spaces". International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 69 (8): 2122–2132. doi:10.1177/00207640231234567. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  17. ↑ "Exploring Interactions Between People Experiencing Homelessness and Passersby in Public Spaces". SMU Temerlin Advertising Institute. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
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