Los Angeles Invisible People Chapter and Film Festival

Invisible People connects people to the face of homelessness in a direct and meaningful way that humanizes the subject and builds empathy in the viewer. This is way more important and impactful than simple awareness and has caused communities to rethink their policies on homelessness. We have traveled to over a hundred cities in six different countries empowering our homeless friends to have a voice, while sharing the stories of people who are giving their all to end homelessness.

Since its launch in November 2008, Invisible People has leveraged the power of video and the massive reach of social media to share the compelling, gritty, and unfiltered stories of homeless people from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. The vlog (video blog) gets up close and personal with veterans, mothers, children, layoff victims and others who have been forced onto the streets by a variety of circumstances. Each week, their on InvisiblePeople.tv, and high traffic sites such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, proving to a global audience that while they may often be ignored, they are far from invisible.

Invisible People goes beyond the rhetoric, statistics, political debates, and limitations of social services to examine poverty in America via a medium that audiences of all ages can understand, and can’t ignore. The vlog puts into context one of our nation’s most troubling and prevalent issues through personal stories captured by the lens of Mark Horvath - its founder - and brings into focus the pain, hardship and hopelessness that millions face each day. One story at a time, videos posted on InvisiblePeople.t shatter the stereotypes of America’s homeless, force shifts in perception and deliver a call to action that is being answered by national brands, nonprofit organizations and everyday citizens now committed to opening their eyes and their hearts to those too often forgotten.

In an effort to capitalize on the leadership, collaboration, and civic engagement successes we’ve enjoyed, IP is refocusing its lens to a hyper-local model. This means we plan to open Invisible People chapters in strategic regions across the nation over the coming months so that local homeless population issues can be addressed community by community. We are proposing to open our first chapter in the greater Los Angeles area serving all of Los Angeles County

In large metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, where the wealthy often share space and resources with the poor, it is particularly important to establish social ties across socio-economic groups capable of increasing connections between the public and the homeless.

Different from the main Invisible People, the hyper-local Los Angeles Invisible People will focus only on stories of people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. Additionally, the Los Angeles Invisible People will not only engage people to take action, this local chapter will become a two-way interactive guide for people to connect to political actions or volunteer opportunities.

LOS ANGELES INVISIBLE PEOPLE FILM FESTIVAL

Today’s youth are our best asset to ending homelessness in Los Angeles. Studies conducted by DoSomething.org, show that homelessness is the 3rd most important cause to kids today. Young adults are creative and media savvy. The Los Angeles Invisible People Film Festival will help train and encourage LA’s youth to produce short documentaries about homelessness and solutions to ending homelessness. This will be the first ever event of it’s kind. Media created for the Los Angeles Invisible People Film Festival will communicate hope and creativity about a social crisis that will help change Los Angeles and maybe the world.

The City of Angels is known as the film capital of the world. Los Angeles is also known as the homeless capital of America. Our goal is to produce a socially-conscious film festival engaging today’s youth to help change tomorrow!