I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. It's disappointing to be living in LA and to know people around the area who just keep this kind of thing out of mind. It's even more disappointing when those people are my peers who respond to my concern with: "I learned that in middle school." I hope that people open their eyes to a world beyond their own, and I think this video is one way to do that.

Posted on February 21, 2008 — by ntumulac

4 comments

Excellent work Sam Slovick!

Over at Lawns to Gardens, there is another great video piece, it follows a 20-year-old around the streets of Portland, where he lived for 8 months.

Link: http://lawnstogardens.wordpress.com/2007/12/22/lawns-to-gardens-episode-4-street-living-survival-tips/

Posted on February 22, 2008 — by peakoilboy

0 comments

A work of total fiction. He is the same person who wrote an article in the LA Weekly claiming no one was triyng to get kids off Skid Row when the Union Rescue Mission was desperately working to get their place for women and children in the Valley permitted. But rather than supporting this project like many of us were doing - he choose to lie about what was happening to make a better story for himself. Again, Sam Slovick had a very clear choice in that article - either try to rally public support for a program that was getting kids off of Skid Row - or lying about what was happening to make himself look good. He is the worst type of poverty pimp who exploits - and continually lies about - the homeless for his personal financial gain.

Posted on February 22, 2008 — by bradywestwater

2 comments

http://lacowboy.blogspot.com/search?q=union+rescue

Posted on February 22, 2008 — by bradywestwater

0 comments

Finally does someone take a good look at what's going on in LA's Skid Row. Thanks you very much for this video. I am looking forwards for the rest of the series. Keep it coming!

Posted on February 22, 2008 — by wesley

0 comments

The videos are awesome cant wait for the rest. Thanks for your heart?

Posted on February 22, 2008 — by blimp-o

0 comments

CON ARTIST? WTF are you talking about? How does exposing a problem long overlooked by a corrupt City being a con artist? I know Sam and I can tell you there is nothing superficial, egotistical, selfish or self centered about him. You should check your facts before you decide to go online and defame one of the most selfless people I know. The fact still remains that there is a huge homeless problem and there's been very little don, even the mission's efforts are substantially to late in the real timeline of the homeless problem in Downtown Los Angeles. I know I've spent my 33 years on this planet in the jungles of skid row, south central and watts.
PEACE SAM! THE PROBLEM WILL NOT GO AWAY WITH SIMPLE RHETORIC!
;)

Posted on February 22, 2008 — by los2112001

0 comments

Thank you Sam for once again being the voice of the most forgotton segment of our society--homeless children. Having worked in Skid Row for several years, I see these scenes everyday. Anyone who calls this fiction should volunteer regularly in Skid Row. Sam is the only one willing to point to the fact that the solution isn't all about money, it isn't about dispersing homeless families, it's about caring.

Posted on February 23, 2008 — by mer153

0 comments

Western societies are not new to this business of putting people who had not been "succesful" in their life, on the side. We all know about this part of LA that this video depicts. We know it quite well. We just choose to put this knowledge on the side, and we go on living our " succesful" lives. We do a great job in being an original western society with the expected percentage of people who make it, and the expected percentage of people who don't make it.
Skid Row LA is for us, one more group of people who... failed. This is how we view them. As failed and lost sheep... And we have this -very western also- tendency to shade the light of sensibility to their horrible lives, and feel very content with our humanize face towards them. How nice indeed.
This video will make its round to a variety of websites, maybe even participate in some documentary film festivals, plenty of us will talk about it with friends, yet, the essense of things is that at the end, we will put it Skid Row on the side.

Posted on February 23, 2008 — by dechristo

0 comments

Well done! I look forward to the rest of the series.
Having said that, I wonder what impact this will have upon our daily choices.
I know that help can come in many forms. Compassion and empathy are a good start.
My experience is that we can help, sometimes one person at a time.
Cynics be damned, each one of us can and have made a difference, positive or negative.
Keep it up Sam!!!

Posted on February 23, 2008 — by rafa

0 comments

Informative and invokes strong questions in my mind of our society vs China, India, Bangladesh...on and on.

Posted on February 23, 2008 — by panchojoel

0 comments

This talented writer has raised my awareness to some of the harshest issues happening right now in our city. The Skid Row articles in the LA Weekly and now the Good pieces (especially this film!) have absolutely opened my eyes to what was once a cliche in a Los Angeles upbringing. Skid Row has taken on a very human face and because of Sam's work, I have volunteered several times Downtown at both the Midnight Mission and the Salvation Army. Sam's eyes report his experience on Skid Row and leave the decisions of conscience up to us.

Posted on February 23, 2008 — by raneyshock1

0 comments

I'm hooked. I will try to pay no mind to the comments left criticizing a person for exposing more of us to a problem we are all aware of as residents of both Los Angeles and the United States, but choose to ignore because we can. Thank you Sam Slovick for putting your time, talent and energy where your mouth is! I look forward to being further informed as I realize that I have allowed myself for too long to refer to Skid Row as a figment of folklore rather than facing the harsh reality of a dark shadow one can only see by turning around and facing it. Good Magazine is also a fantastic discovery for me!

Posted on February 23, 2008 — by Alchrist

0 comments

The Prophet Isa said "That which you do to the least of my creatures, so you do unto me."

America is wealthy beyond the dreams of some kings, yet we have always treated with contempt those our society failed. There is 'welfare', yes, but barely any and that only a remnant of a social measure (new deal) to keep the US from going Communist in the Great Depression.

The City of Sodom was destroyed, not so much for it's perversion but that the final straw was that for all their undeserved wealth they were contemptuous to the unfortunate. I really think if we tweaked the economy so a 'minumum wage job' would (esp with two earners) pay for basic food shelter and allow some luxuries, we'd see our 'homeless' population disappear overnight. Let those who want to work, work and let there be a reward for their efforts. Let them indeed have the opportunity to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and earn pride as they earn their keep. Then, outside of a very minimal truly disabled portion, this would leave only the criminals and the true crazies, and they would be much easier to deal with then. Charity for the former, the law the latter.

Posted on February 24, 2008 — by Greengestalt

0 comments

I remember walking a small part of Skid Row over a year ago with this man. I could feel his love and sadness for this strange horror and it's pockets of angels.
In Sam Sovick's video, the images and words have created a disturbance in my dream of human beings and their ability to evolve though city planning.
Thank you for your courage to show us all what we've created and slept though.

Palomino

Posted on February 24, 2008 — by pds

0 comments

This is terrific. And sure, people who make films have agendas. But hardly fiction.

Video like this can bring attention to important social issues.

We look at Nonprofit Video as the future for those who really want to tell their stories and rally support to their cause.

Posted on April 3, 2008 — by kazooz

0 comments