Deindustrialization. That's what economists call it. Some experts like to dispute its impact, but for James, it's not a matter of debate.
"Where I'm from, a lot of the factories have shut down," James explains matter-of-factly. "Factory work and manufacturing jobs are gone, so the work is scarce.... It's real hard back there."
High unemployment, high crime rates, neglect. Symptoms of post-industrial America.
So James, a young man getting by in Kansas City, Mo., decided to join the Army. His ticket out, so to speak. And for the next four years he served his country, working as a supply specialist and traveling from base-to-base. First Missouri. Then California, Washington, Germany, and Hawaii.
After finishing his service, he decided to stay on the West Coast, figuring there'd be more work than back home. Which was true, for a while -- until James lost his job.
"I was working at a major warehouse here. They were laying off workers, so I got laid off."
Now he sells Real Change. Definitely not ideal, but "it's pretty good," James says. "It keeps me busy, it keeps a few dollars in my pocket, and I get to know new people everyday."
He's put his work in too, earning 300-Club status at First and Marion, where you can find him selling from 2-10 p.m.
But it's not just about his personal sales. James is more concerned about the macroeconomic side of things: "Homelessness is a major problem here, like it is in most cities," he says. "Real Change is really speaking about it, they're really trying to do something about it."
To his customers he says, "Keep buying Real Change and keep supporting the paper."