‘Evicting’ film study kicks off to spur Presbyterians to organize and advocate
Discussion on housing justice issues continues throughout February
LOUISVILLE — Nearly 180 people turned out for the first session of a weekly study inspired by “Evicting the American Dream,” a documentary that highlights the systemic issues that contribute to many families and children losing their residences.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) film study is being offered on Mondays throughout the month of February to discuss, debrief and provide resources on issues such as homelessness, eviction and redlining that relate to the film, which was released last year and is now available for streaming.
“It’s an amazing film, but it's also a very sobering film, and as you all can attest, as you watch it, you recognize the issues that come to the surface in our society,” said the Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson, who manages the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People.
Johnson was joined by other representatives from the national office of the Interim Unified Agency (IUA) of the PC(USA) for the Feb. 2 study. The session served as an introduction to the series and provided participants with information on U.S. policies related to housing and homelessness.
“We made a promise to the families that we worked with over the years on this project — and the organizations we worked with — that we would share this and amplify these voices and these stories as far as we could go. And so this is another step in that process tonight and I’m grateful for this opportunity,” said David Barnhart, who wrote and directed the Counter Stories Productions film.
Barnhart noted that the film, which has been part of grassroots screenings in various parts of the country, was shaped by community conversations and is intended to be an educational tool to spawn discussions by groups and individuals desiring to effect positive change.
This and other films by Counter Stories Productions are “resources to gather around story, to engage people, to invite organizations that are working on the issues to these screenings, so when people watch a film and they're angry and they want to do something, you can immediately connect” with organizations (or people) that are similarly inclined, Barnhart said.
In other words, “it’s not a passive watch. It’s an active and engaged gathering, and I think that’s really, really important,” Barnhart said. "We all bring so much, so many stories and connections, into the room.”
Participants got a chance to discuss some of their connections and thoughts in breakout rooms near the close of the Monday gathering.
They also heard from the Rev. Christina Cosby, Representative for Domestic and Environmental Policy Concerns for the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C.
“I believe that it's clear after watching this first segment of ‘Evicting the American Dream,’ and as we continue to watch it together over the next month, that we are and will continue to be reminded that housing policy is not theoretical. It is lived,” Cosby said. “It's the stories of eviction, of instability and of survival we just witnessed in this film. They are not anomalies. They are predictable outcomes of our policy choices in the United States.”
Cosby updated participants on topics and legislation, such as continuum of care grants, housing choice vouchers, the ROAD to Housing Act and the Yes in God’s Backyard Act. She also explained why advocacy on housing issues is important to Presbyterians.
“Housing is a matter of faith and public witness,” she said. “The Presbyterian Church has long affirmed through General Assembly policy that adequate housing is a human right and a cornerstone of dignity, health and community and stability. Homelessness, as the film makes clear, is not inevitable. It's shaped by systems, by budgets, by laws, by regulations and by whose voices are included in the decision-making process.”
The Rev. Rebecca Barnes, manager of the Presbyterian Hunger Program, said that in future sessions participants will hear about models of action to possibly adopt in their own communities.
“There are a lot of great models,” Barnes said. “There are podcast stories out there, written articles out there. We'll share some of those as we get towards the end of the series. But there are really inspiring things happening across the U.S. with Presbyterian churches and others.”
The film study is being offered by various IUA ministries, such as Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, SDOP, PHP and Global Ecumenical Partnerships; the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program (PILP); as well as PC(USA) mid council and congregational leaders on systemic poverty.
For more information about the series or to register, go here.
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