A Huntington Beach father whose neighbor called police after mistaking him as a homeless man is using his art to change the conversation around homelessness and parenthood.
Chapman Hamborg drew attention last month after posting a video clip on social media, showing his interaction with police following a walk with his new infant daughter, Florence.
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WATCH HEREThe artist with a man bun and baggy clothes was on his second walk of the morning with Florence in the baby wrap carrier when someone followed him and called police.
“Were you going for a walk? Is this baby or something? Your neighbors saw you and thought you were homeless,” Hamborg recalled the officers’ questions after they knocked on his door. “Nope, not homeless. Just a tired dad.”
Hamborg, the dad of four, was surprised his neighbors didn't recognize him as he goes on a walk with the baby multiple times a day.
“Apparently, I need to work on my appearance,” Hamborg said, adding the lady who called the police thought he had stolen a baby. “I guess being an artist or a tired tad isn’t a valid excuse.”
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As the social media video was viewed nearly 50 million times, other users chimed in, questioning the neighbor's decision to report a man to police for appearing to be unhoused.
“So many people in the comments were saying, ‘What the heck? What if you were homeless? Is it illegal to walk and have a baby and be homeless?’”
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SIGN UP Instead of getting upset, Hamborg decided to use the experience as a teachable moment to educate people about homelessness with his art. He reached out to the United Way of Orange County to sell limited edition prints of his painting “Unseen Path,” in which the artist himself is carrying two of his children, with 20% of the proceeds going toward helping the unhoused.
“Being able to provide accurate info about what homelessness is – in April alone, 371 families reached out for assistance, saying ‘I’m at risk right now with my children,”” said Becks Heyhoe-Khalil from Orange County United Way to End Homelessness.
While teaching his own children about homelessness and encouraging them to show compassion, Hamborg said he would like to meet the neighbor who called the police.
“I would love to get to know her, not to shame her or anything, but to thank her for being vigilant and keeping an eye out,” Hamborg said.
Some of 80 limited edition prints of the painting have been sold. It also can be purchased here.
