To Be a Woman On Skid Row (Part 3)-Caroline (fall 2025 update)

Quick Overview

Caroline, featured in the fall 2025 update of Mark Laita's "Soft White Underbelly" series, recounts a recent violent assault where a man struck her twice after she called him a racial slur, emphasizing that she will never stop using that slur against him because he is a white man from 518 San Julian Street who terrorizes others, and she expresses her fear of retaliation while showing the bruises she sustained, including one around her eye.

Key Points: Caroline was hit twice by a man after calling him a racial slur, which she states she will never stop using against him because he is white. The assault occurred after the man refused to let her into his space (likely a tent or room) following the Midnight Mission on 6th Street. Caroline claims the man and others like him terrorize people and behave like animals, destroying her belongings, including $1,000 worth of items and her new cardboard box/refrigerator box. She recounts that police came the day before the incident and told her to wrap up her activities until 6:00 PM, suggesting they were aware of the situation but didn't resolve it. Caroline mentions that she has known the interviewer since 2010 and notes that things, like the energy regime she follows, change when people are not taking care of themselves. She expresses relief that the man who assaulted her was not the person she had met previously who was involved in an alleged sexual abuse case from her childhood. The video ends with Caroline showing off a bar of Sulfur Soap she found, which she notes is very cool, and then she becomes distraught while discussing her fear of being constantly terrorized.

Context: This segment is part 3 of a series by photographer Mark Laita, titled "Soft White Underbelly," which features intimate, raw portraits and interviews with individuals living on Skid Row in Los Angeles. This specific installment focuses on a woman named Caroline, providing a fall 2025 update on her life, detailing a recent violent encounter and her ongoing struggles with the environment and the people around her, highlighting themes of violence, survival, and the search for dignity.