DAY ONE: Students Share Their Experience

The events began with a screening of the documentary Venice Neverland: Street Kids of Venice Beach, written, directed, and filmed by Victoria Peralto Cruz. A graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Cruz provides a closer look at the teenagers who make up her street family, how they ended up on the streets of Venice, California, and their hopes for the future.

After the screening, a panel of USC students shared why they care and how they are involved. The panel members included filmmaker Cruz, Alex Vandenberg, a volunteer working to stop food insecurity, Abigail Leung, a volunteer founder of a student homeless shelter, and Irena Preda, a volunteer using music to brighten the lives of people on Skid Row. Preda, a graduate student at USC’s Thornton School of Music, participated in a weeklong workshop that allowed music students and homeless persons to create and perform music together. “It was heartwarming to share music with people who are experiencing homelessness, an experience I normally wouldn’t have had,” she said.

DAY TWO: Housing Affordability and Special Photography Exhibit

The second event featured a demonstration about housing affordability. During the demonstration, participants were asked to select a red sticker, symbolizing hard to afford items, a yellow sticker meaning neutral, and green meaning easy to afford. After selecting a sticker, they were asked to write their housing type (for example, one bedroom/one bathroom), as well as their monthly rent payment. The stickers were then posted on a wooden board displayed near Tommy Trojan. This paved the way for a conversation about the difficulties and insecurities people face regarding affordable housing. In addition, USC Alumnus and professional photographer, Barry Shaffer, shared several beautiful photos with stories highlighting women who attend programs with the Downtown Women’s Center (a service and advocacy agency in Skid Row, Los Angeles). Each of the women pictured have experienced homelessness and tell their stories openly to help reduce the stigma associated with being houseless. Barry spent several months working at the site to build relationships. He learned the women’s stories and used his art to capture their essence. Attendees had the opportunity to view these wonderful photographs and marveled at the strength, character, warmth, and wisdom portrayed.