The magic bus of the Let’s Be Better Humans project will be back on the road again in support of the homeless communities and other movements in Arizona as well as the greater western United States.
Originally conceived from a photographic exhibition entitled “I Have A Name,” founder Jon Linton wanted to pay tribute to a friend who died while homeless, which in turn gave rise to a large platform that could give the homeless a voice.
Linton’s use of the praise “Let’s Be Better Humans” on social media or on the bus is not meant to be a slap in the face but an invitation to embrace a higher self that we all strive to reach for.
“It’s a humble initiative that reminds us of a simple word that we oftentimes overlook, that being humanity, humanity for our fellow brethren who are in need.”
For more than a decade, Linton has captured the lives of the homeless and other communities and causes through his photography and helping those in need with food and other supplies through his magic bus.
Through initial shirt sales, Linton was able to procure a bus to put his message on that he now uses weekly to serve the needs of the homeless here in Phoenix along with supporting other causes and communities
“I’ve used the bus in support of the LGBT community, indigenous people in Arizona, we’ve used the bus as a rally cry for sensible gun legislation, the Red for Ed movement, the women’s march.”
Linton has taken the bus all around Phoenix and many major cities in the western U.S., including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Portland, Reno, Las Vegas, and even going south of the border to Mexico.
Along his travels, Linton has found support from other organizations like Bombas, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A and, most recently, Grand Avenue Pizza Company, who have been able to provide food and other essentials to the project to give to those in need.
Austin Davis heads the Arizona Jews For Justice’s unsheltered outreach program, AZ Hugs For The Houseless and a close partner with Let’s Be Better Humans, as he and Linton have embarked on various deliveries and trips together.
“We are a campaign of love, empathy and compassion. The Let’s Be Better Humans project is an agent for hope and unity. The homeless are human, valuable and necessary and as citizens of this Earth, it is our duty to be there for one another.”
Linton will soon be back on the bus on a summer settlers trip, first stopping in Boulder, Colorado, where the recent mass shooting at King Soopers supermarket took place, then he’ll make his way up to Minnesota, then back to Phoenix, hitting many major cities along his route.
Davis is looking forward to being back on the road to spread the love and care in Phoenix to more and more and in new cities across the country and beyond with the magic bus.
“The bus is a symbol for hope, solidarity, and togetherness. The whole interior of the bus is filled with art and signatures and messages from those who’ve been on the bus. On the Let’s Be Better Humans bus, you can feel the energy of our shared humanity all around you.”
Linton hopes to continue to help spread his message on the complex issues faced in our country, not to necessarily figure out the long-term issues to solve these problems but to at the very least remind those suffering that they are still wanted and are human.
“What I’m doing is simply providing people a small measure of humanity one person at a time, that’s what I do, and it demonstrates that when this bus pulls up, people are happy to see that there’s somebody who cares and hope still exists.”
Contact the reporter at jaross16@asu.edu.
