((PKG)) HOMELESSNESS IN LA ((Russian Service))
((Banner: On The Street))
((Reporter: Angelina Bagdasaryan))
((Camera: Vazgen Varzhabetyan))
((MAP: Los Angeles, California))
((BANNER: More than 500,000 people are homeless in the United States – 60,000 in Los Angeles alone))
((BANNER: The “She Does” campaign highlights the plight of homeless women in the city))
((BANNER: Residents set up tents in solidarity))
((WOMAN, “She Does” PARTICIPANT))
I brought a tent, a sleeping bag, and a pillow. And a bottle of water.
((NATS))
((MEL TILLEKERATNE, #SHEDOES ORGANIZER))
One of the biggest things we want to do with this action is, first off, bring the attention of the council members, the mayor. If we keep leaving this without a crisis response, this is what you’re going to see on every city block in L.A.
((ANGELA, #SHEDOES PARTICIPANT))
I used to be homeless for nine and a half years, and that was not something I decided. It is something that I experienced because the system failed me. And so, trying to get off of the street, I was what they called ‘chronically homeless.’ I was violated while I was on the street. I was violated while I was in the shelters. I was very traumatized by a lot of things that happened. A lot of people took advantage of me, because, you know, when you are traumatized like that, being a female, and on the street, who do you go to? You can’t go to the cops. When you go to the cops, they don’t believe you.
((NATS))
((MEL TILLEKERATNE, #SHEDOES ORGANIZER))
Past couple of years, we saw a huge explosion in the number of homeless people in Los Angeles.
((NATS))
((MEL TILLEKERATNE, #SHEDOES ORGANIZER))
Unofficially, there are 6,800 women living outside of shelters. Unofficially, you are looking at over 30,000 women sleeping out of shelters. What we want through the ‘She Does’ movement is for the city of L.A. to rapidly shelter as many of these woman as possible. ((WOMAN, “She Does” PARTICIPANT))
She does, she does deserve shelter. She does deserve respect. She does deserve a home. She does deserve dignity, respect.
((ANGELA, #SHEDOES PARTICIPANT))
She deserves protection, love, a home.
((NATS))
((ERIC GARCETTI, LOS ANGELES MAYOR))
((COURTESY: City of Los Angeles))
Here in this city, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a homeless family. We need to stand up emergency shelters fast, and we need to do it now. Shelters that serve as a rest stop on the path to permanent housing.
((BANNER: Los Angeles has allocated $20 million for new shelters. Some residents oppose the expense.))
