‘Among the Discarded,’ a documentary about the plight of the homeless, will premiere at The Farm beginning at 7:30 p.m., Saturday.
The film, hosted by Cultural Crossroads, is being premiered in cooperation with St. Rest Baptist Church and Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church. It will be shown on the large outdoor movie screen. Admission is $5 and/or socks and small toiletries. Soup and bread will be offered at concessions as another way to donate. A question and answer session will follow the film.
The film is documented by artist and Ruston native, Trent Dion Soto, who spent 30 days on Skid Row in Los Angeles chronicling the lives of those who are homeless. He experienced homelessness on a whole new level during his time there, he says.
“I know the basics of homelessness,” he said during a previous interview with the Press-Herald. “Homelessness is an epidemic in one of the richest countries in the world. There are many reasons behind it, but there’s a lot we can do.
“It is a place where people were discarded,” he continued. “It is something you see on TV you would figure would be in a third world country. You felt for them, and I felt helpless knowing that I couldn’t help everyone.”
Today, in his travels, he makes sure to connect with the homeless in the area. He takes care packages that include hygiene products, clothes and other much needed items. He also takes the time to sit and visit with them.
In the film, he only scratched the surface of the many issues that face the homeless, but the group that touched him the most is those of homeless veterans.
“I think it is a great travesty that men and women serve our country and they’re truly discarded,” he said. “They suffer the highest suicide rate of any other social group that exists – 22 suicides a day.”
Because of his experiences, he says he’s here to be a voice for them.
“My journey will continue and it will be lifelong,” he said.
