In the play Bethany, on stage through May 4 at Seattle's ACT Theatre, the protagonist has lost her home and her daughter, and finds herself at the edge of a precipice. Her desperate struggle to reunite her family – while keeping up appearances – eats away at her hope, judgment and sense of self. Hannah Hunthausen from Seattle University’s Faith & Family Homelessness Project reflects on drama that unfolds in the play, and relates it to the reality of family homelessness in Washington state.
Culture Watch
Culture Watch: Jump Into the Mini Cooper for a Journey Across the American Economic Landscape With “Inequality for All”
If economic fairness isn’t on the forefront of your mind, it will be after you watch former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich narrate Inequality for All. The documentary took guest blogger Haley Jo Lewis's breath away with its creative, dynamic data visualizations of income inequality, and its heart-wrenching portrayal of a working mom with $25 in her checking account. Read on for takeaways from the film -- and a few rays of hope.
Culture Watch: “My So-Called Life” and, like, the homeless teens Christmas episode
Looking to supplement your usual go-to holiday movies with something different this year? Catherine Hinrichsen from Seattle University’s Project on Family Homelessness takes us back to the mid 90's and her favorite Christmas episode of any show ever: the "So-Called Angels” episode of “My So-Called Life.” This powerful episode takes us on a journey contrasting a middle-class family’s Christmas splendor with the harsh life of teens living in homelessness. And as Catherine discovers, the fictional story actually mirrors the real life story of a key actor, making the message even more poignant.
Culture Watch: Lou Reed and the Soundtrack of Family Homelessness
Lou Reed’s 1989 album “New York” told some harsh truths about the policies that mired families in homelessness.
On the surface, Lou Reed's "Dirty Blvd." seems like a song about extreme poverty and the hopelessness it engenders. But there’s much more to it than another sad story. Reed is railing against the policy that got those children into poverty and trapped them there. Catherine Hinrichsen from Seattle University’s Project on Family Homelessness remembers Reed, who died a few days ago, and reflects on the social injustices he so eloquently confronted.
Culture Watch: “Inocente”: A Young Artist’s Journey Through Homelessness
The Academy Award-winning documentary "Inocente" introduces you to a 15-year-old painter at a moment in her life when everything is about to change. Not only is she moving out of her mother’s care and into a homeless shelter for teens, but she is also preparing for her first art exhibition. The artist featured in the film, Inocente Izucar, will visit Seattle for a screening event at Seattle Art Museum Friday night, Sept. 27. Community counseling graduate student Perry Firth previews the Seattle screening event and reflects on the film's themes of homelessness, immigration and domestic violence in today's "Culture Watch" post.