Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

---

Soft White Underbelly interview and portrait of Mercedes and Lobes, a Skid Row couple who are addicted to fentanyl.

00:00 Mercedes & Loes Introduction
00:52 Born in Prison and Raised by Her Grandmother
03:22 Drugs, Family Trauma, and Childhood Abuse
08:13 Depression, Addiction, and Looking for Validation
10:49 Surviving on the Streets of Los Angeles
12:32 Can Life Change?
15:11 Losing Sight in One Eye
16:49 Housing, Sobriety, and Future Goals
19:05 The Reality of Life on the Streets
20:40 Two Years Sober and a Corporate Job
22:02 Lessons Learned and Hopes for the Future

For full-length, ad-free and uncensored videos please subscribe to the Soft White Underbelly subscription channel at softwhiteunderbelly.com. It's $10 a month and watchable on Apple and Android mobile apps, Roku TV, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.

Here's how to purchase the Soft White Underbelly books and merch: softwhiteunderbelly.org

#swu #softwhiteunderbelly #documentary #marklaita #homeless #streetlife #losangeles #fentanyl #drugcrisis #depression #lifestyle