BOSJ — Joseph Ciembroniewicz

A Day With Batman of San Jose

Batman of San Jose (BOSJ) is a recent college graduate and was completing his degree when this work was made. During his free time BOSJ brings resources to the unhoused population while dressed as Batman. He began this practice in his home city, San Jose, Calif. “San Jose was hiding a lot of social issues from me,” he says “for a long time.” He began to realize a “massive wealth disparity” during high school, and decided he needed to do something. He started with more traditional outreach work, bringing resources and emotional support to those in need. He found that individuals were often percieved as problems, not people, and he states that he “needed something really big- distracting- to pull that attention and force it onto the community.” In order to get attention on the housing crisis, he began to wear the Batman suit as he did his outreach work.

Batman of San Jose stands for a portrait in his living room after a day of outreach on Nov. 12, 2023, in Rochester, N.Y.

Batman of San Jose stands in line to purchase socks to distribute to unhoused individuals on Nov. 12, 2023, in Rochester, N.Y.

“T” films Batman of San Jose (BOSJ) outside of 819 Clinton Grocery as BOSJ moves south down North Clinton ave. looking for individuals in need, on Oct. 22, 2023, in Rochester, N.Y.

Batman of San Jose distributes food and soft goods to individuals in need on North Clinton Ave., May 16, 2024 in Rochester, N.Y.

An unhoused woman holds socks and toothbrushes that Batman of San Jose brought to distribute during a day of outreach in Rochester, N.Y. on May 16, 2024.

Kelly, an unhoused woman that met Batman of San as he gave out food and softgoods in Rochester, N.Y. leads him towards an unhoused person in need on Nov. 12, 2023.

Batman of San Jose stands near a used hypodermic needle during outreach on May 16, 2024, in Rochester, N.Y. He wears snake boots with his suit, a measure intended to prevent injury by needles and other sharp objects he may encounter.

Batman of San Jose (BOSJ) slowly approaches a man who is overdosing on North Clinton ave, Rochester, N.Y. on Oct. 22, 2023. BOSJ initially decided not to dose the man with Narcan, a decision later called “kind of shortsighted,” stating “I should’ve just administered Narcan immediately.” Moments later members with the outreach group ‘Hope Dealers,’ arrived and asked BOSJ whether they should give the man Narcan. He told them yes. After two doses, the man revived. Since then, BOSJ has administered lifesaving narcan to an individual who was overdosing.

Batman of San Jose lies on his bed after a long day of outreach in Rochester N.Y. and scrolls through comments on a TikTok of his that recently went viral. He states, “Social media’s exhausting. Like I hate that it’s so useful. It’s annoying.” BOSJ uses social media to raise funds, connect with community members, and spread his message about the necessity for housing justice.

A prototype of his mask sits in front of his sewing machine on Batman of San Jose’s desk at his home in Monroe County, N.Y. on Oct. 22, 2023.