NEWS

A vastly disproportionate of young homeless people are LGBT, many thrown out by their families after coming out or having run away from the pressures of homes. However it’s a subject that’s often ignored. Documentarian Cal Skaggs hopes to change that with Road To Home, and he’s turned to Kickstarter to raise the funding to get the film in the can.

Here’s some more info from the Kickstarter page: ‘As closets have opened to more fruitful lives for LGBT adults in the past decade, the most vulnerable in our society are being left behind. Emboldened by the increasing acceptance experienced by LGBT adults, more and more young people are coming out to their friends and families—and getting kicked out—younger and younger. Many parents claim their religion will not allow them to shelter an LGBT child in their homes. So they kick their children out, or treat them so badly they can no longer live at home. In fact, recent studies indicate that approximately 25% of LGBT teens wind up on the streets and in public shelters after coming out to their parents.

‘In cities across America, hundreds of thousands of LGBT young people wander the streets without a place to call home. In New York City, from Times Square to the streets of Harlem, from the Chelsea Piers to the FDR Drive overpass, thousands of them take shelter wherever they can in hopes that they’ll make it through the night. Though they all may not look homeless, some even blending into the crowd as ordinary teenagers, many of these young people face the real dangers that come with living on the streets: addiction, exploitation, imprisonment, hunger, and even death. In the midst of this crisis, however, there are glimmers of hope—the resilience and spark of youth who have not yet been lost to perils of street life, and the determination of activists dedicated to making a difference.

‘Road to Home will follow a half dozen young LGBT people who turned to the streets after being rejected by their families. Having been in production for the last year, we have met a number of people who have allowed us into their lives and have agreed to be filmed. Through the use of observational footage, we will intimately trace their journeys as they traverse the street life—from the blistering heat of summer to the frigid nights of winter—moving from shelter to shelter and fighting just to survive.

‘However, our goal is not to simply wring our hands at a social problem. Throughout production, we worked closely with the Ali Forney Center, a NYC organization tasked with helping LGBT homeless youth. By using the Ali Forney Center as a springboard into this complex world, we have been able to work with people dedicated to making a difference. It is our goal not only to tell a powerful dramatic story, but also to create a film that will motivate people to do something about a critical social problem.

‘And this is where you come in, Kickstarter. We’re at a crucial point right now. We’ve completed 95% of production, and we hope to get into the editing room this summer. But we need your help to get there. If we reach our goal, we will be able to start editing and get the film to a rough cut. So please, take a look at all the materials here and the rewards and consider a contribution. Your help will go a long way in getting this important film made. You can make sure this important story gets told.’

Take a look at the pitch vid below and then head over to Kickstarter to help. [Read more…]