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“People end up in homelessness for various reasons, “said Threatt. “Any one of us could end up homeless for the same reasons," said Winter Shelter System Manager Brenda Threatt.
“This festival is about films and entertainment and I’m
delighted to be on this panel to talk about homelessness,” said Manager Brenda
Threatt, Winter Shelter System for the Los
Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). . Threat was among a half dozen panelist for the
Hollywood Film Festival
(Oct. 16-19). “Homelessness is not entertainment; it is a serious crisis in our country and community. I think is extraordinary that people in this industry and the Hollywood film Festival have come together to bring light to this issue,” explained Threatt.
(Oct. 16-19). “Homelessness is not entertainment; it is a serious crisis in our country and community. I think is extraordinary that people in this industry and the Hollywood film Festival have come together to bring light to this issue,” explained Threatt.
The 90-minute panel
on homelessness was moderated by Executive Director John Maceri,
Ocean Park Community Center. In addition to LAHSA’s Brenda Threatt and John
Maceri, the featured, distinguished
speakers included: Katie Stagliano, activist, The Starfish Throwers;
Jacquelyn Aluotto, director and producer of the Nimby Experience and Evvy
Shapero and Kara Fox, co-founders of Glamour Project.
“People end up in homelessness for various reasons, “said
Threatt. “Any one of us could end up homeless for the same reasons. They are no
different from us, they are people trying to live,” she said.
LAHSA, which will be counting the homeless in January, is seeking 5,000 volunteers to help in the Greater LA Homeless Count 2015. The last count showed 39,000 men, women and children in the City of LA have no place to call home. And in L.A. County homelessness amounts to around 58,000 over a 4,000 square mile area.
When asked “what can an individual do to help a homeless
person,” she said, “We had several suggestions and the most basic one is to ‘care
about them as people, to not step over them, not to ignore them, but to see
them as human beings’. We should talk to our policymakers and make them accountable to these human beings who represent all of us,” explained Threatt.
Other highlights of the film
festival on through tonight (Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014) included the debut showing
of, “From
Gangs to Gardens, Rap DJ
Cavem Moetavation along with his midwife educates youth on eating healthier
via organic garden (www.djcavem.com). D.J
Cavem said, “We need to educate our youth to reduce obesity in schools and my
music and this film is doing just that.”
And finally, during a break of the dozens of films on
everything from homelessness to human trafficking, Film Festival Owner Brad Parks, COO, of CineCause
He says it’s similar to
DropBox, but more powerful in how social impact filmmakers produce, share and
manage their film properties. The
Hollywood Film Festival ends Sunday night.
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