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Don’t Give Up On Me Now
Alwa Gordon meets with unhoused musician Sonny Lopez and with housed Santa Cruz Chief Of Police Bernie Escalante. He’s surprised to find so much commonality.
Alwa Gordon grew up in Santa Cruz and was unhoused for portions of his childhood. He has had to move more than a dozen times. Police Chief Bernie Escalante grew up in Santa Cruz and rents his home. Musician Sonny Lopez grew up in Gilroy and moved to Santa Cruz fifteen years ago. He has been unhoused for six years.
Alwa is joined by singer Alexandra the Author and they perform the new song for Sonny and Bernie, "Don't Give Up On Me Now." The conversation that unfolds is intimate and a bit surprising.
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Heart In The Middle: How Art Transforms Pain
Artists Josefina Rocha and Carmen Leon converse and make art with participants Liz and Luna. Watch what happens when Liz and Luna see the new paintings by Josefina and Carmen that are reflections of each of their lives.
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You And I Are A Work Of Art
Artist Amy Allen walks across the street from her place of work to converse with unhoused participant Thomas who is busking with his dog Oswald. Thomas’s struggles and his desire to help others are equally profound. Next Amy meets with housed participant Beth. Beth too has struggled and gets through it by helping others. In this emotional portrait, the three gather and hold pain and possibility through the power of art making.
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Ben Dorfan Project: In the Silence
Musician Ben Dorfan meets with Hydie and her 15 year old son Isaac. Both have been unhoused and have strong creative practices. Hydie makes visual art and poetry. Isaac plays the saxophone. Housed participant Lydia is a violinist, a former paramedic and a mom of teenagers. Ben is struck by the profound interruptions in life and uses Hydie’s poem, “In the Silence” as a starting off point for his new composition by the same name. You can listen to it here.
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Michael Gabriel Project
Artist and musician Micheal Gabriel gets to know Tyler who identifies more as an animal than a person. Tyler chooses to live outside out of his care for our planet. In the winter life is harder for Tyler as he works two jobs and sometimes when he takes shelter from the rain in an urban spot, he is moved along by cops. Bob is a retired lawyer who has a dedicated art making practice. Watch what happens as Bob challenges Tyler to have a ‘better’ life and Michael sees the dignity in those of us who are unhoused.
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Edward Weingold: A Crack in the Earth
There was a huge encampment for the unhoused at the Benchlands at San Lorenzo Park in Santa Cruz. This is where octogenarian playwright Edward Weingold facilitated a conversation with unhoused playwright, Sunshine who is in her early 40s and housed participant Mikaila who is in her early twenties. Sunshine empathizes with Mikaila’s struggles to care for her mom and pay rent.
The resulting play , “A Crack in the Earth” stems from this interaction, the colorful encampment and the city.politics that affect those who live outside.
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Angela Gleason: Cyanotype and Universal Values
Artist Angela Gleason works with Kian, an Iraq war veteran and Walter a Vietnam veteran. Angela introduces them to cyanotype printma king and they each create relief prints inspired by their values about housing.
Angela created little tents and a tent lamp, a RV lamp and a house lamp.
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Joy Schendledecker: Bridging Differences with Crochet
Artist, Community Organizer Joy Schendledecker has provided mutual aid at encampments for the unhoused. Joy was a candidate for Mayor of Santa Cruz at the time of this production. She conversed and taught crochet separately with unhoused participant Greg, who is also an artist and an activist and with housed participant Fred who was also a candidate for Mayor.
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Linda Cover: Better Tents and Homes
Multimedia Artist and Photographer, Linda worked with unhoused participant Robin who works for the Downtown Streets Team and housed participant Nancy who is moving from downtown Santa Cruz due to the big buildings being constructed and not feeling safe with some unhoused neighbors.
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Cynthia Strauss and Saki: Dance as a Reflection of Resilience
Dancers Saki and Cynthia Strauss got to know and moved with unhoused participant and veteran Michelle and her son Grim. And then they conversed and created with housed participant Patrick and his son Niall. When the dancers brought everyone together for an improv game: Sit Stand, Lie Down, the conversation got deeper. Michelle notes how her experience in the military was much more safe than her experience of being unhoused.
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Michael Levy: Songs of Home
Michael met with housed participants Danny and Shemeika and unhoused participants Jason and Angie separately. Each couple explores the sounds and meaning of home. For Danny and Shemeika it’s the sound of their daughters footsteps. For Jason and Angie it’s being out of the rain.
