Lost Angels Skid Row Is My Home Assignment PDF

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Essay on documentary on homeless...

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Writing Assignment #2 Lost Angels: Skid Row Is My Home is a documentary that shows the daily lifestyles of people living on the streets and the reasons why and how they ended up there. Throughout the film it follows some individuals who have ended up in skid row because of drugs, mental illnesses, abandonment, crimes, loss of jobs, and loss of family. Although, the film also shows the strong relationships and kindness amongst the people living on skid row. The loss of low cost housing units and closing of mental institutions is the main factor of many homeless in the city of Los Angeles. In this film they also document certain police who take advantage of the homeless people because since LA no longer has institutions or hospitals to keep them, they're being criminalized for their behavior in the streets. Within the film it shows us the incredible lives many people had before ending up in skid row. For example, Danny Harris, an Olympic silver medalist who sadly couldn't compete no more because of his drug addiction but fortunately enough he got himself sober and now has a job. I believe this film was made to better educate us of the understanding of humanity and the struggles that everyone goes through. Most importantly, awakening us by giving and helping back the homeless community. Before watching the documentary I would think of the homeless of just being a bunch of lazy people and drug addicts. Although, I always did have sympathy for them and I would give them money every once in awhile or offer any food but when it comes to giving them money it is difficult because you're not sure whether or not they will spend it on drugs. Even just looking at them sadens me and I wish the city of Los Angeles can do something to keep them off the streets into a housing unit. After watching the documentary it made me realize that not every homeless person is a drug addict and a lazy person. The documentary helped me come to noticed that each and every single one

of them before had a succesful life or trouble life but because of personal demons they had no other place to go but skid row. Skid row for them is like a getaway from all responsibilities but most importantly it seems to help them out with their personal demons. The city of Los Angeles is trying to make the community safer for them and those who live around there. Although, the way they do this is by picking on the homeless who are really in the need of medication. If the city was really trying to make it safer and take care of the homeless then they should start investing in opening up more institutions and housing units for them instead of arresting them, eventually they would go back to skid row. One thing I liked about the documentary is that they showed the strong realationships that the people of skid row have with one another which is something no one comes to realize. Before the film I would just think that they would ignore each other and get in fights with one another. I found it fasinating to find out more about the realtionships they had with one another. One story I enjoyed in the film was about an old lady called Lee Anne Leven and a man named Kevin Cohen who met when Kevin saw Lee Anne getting bothered by another man. Kevin then went to help Lee Anne from the guy who was bothering her and since then they have been each others companion. Lee Anne eventually would adopt Kevin has her fiance. Sadly Kevin was mudered in a skid row housing lodge going to show us the dangers lurking within the streets. That is why I wished that LA would do more to help them out. More people need to come to pay attention and get to know more about the people of skid row then just simply ignore them. They’re all human beings like us, just that they need more help. They need someone to hear them out and have a conversation with. I enjoyed how this film didn’t show so much about the violence and dangers within skid row but show the daily basises and obstacles these people go through to survive....