Lafayette Screens Student Documentaries on Poverty and Teen Parenting
Donations benefit Easton Area Neighborhood Center programs
Two documentary films produced by Lafayette students highlighting the reality of teen parenthood and poverty in Easton will be screened as a fundraiser for the Easton Area Neighborhood Center’s ASPIRE Program and “Roofover Shelter” at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 in the college’s Limburg Theater.
This one-hour event, which includes a Q&A with the student filmmakers, is free and open to the public but donations are appreciated. Limburg Theater is located on the lower level of Farinon College Center.
“A Roof Over Our Heads,” a film produced by Fredy Flores ’14, Alec Golini ’15, Brandon Turner ’14, and Deja Washington ’14, tells the real stories of several families who resided in the EANC’s homeless shelter. Supervised by Debbie Byrd, professor of English and Women’s and Gender Studies, the film is part of a special seminar sponsored by Lafayette’s new IDEAL Center (Center for Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership).
“Beyond Judgment,'” created by Ayesha Nadarajah ’14, Brittany Santagata ’14, and Alyson Shumeyko ’14, aims to debunk the stereotypes of teen parents through the personal narratives of three young parents who have taken part in the EANC’s ASPIRE program. The ASPIRE program is a teen parent mentoring program which, in addition to emotional and group support, provides individuals with resources including diapers and formula. The film was made for film and media studies Prof. Andy Smith’s documentary film course and won a “Best Paper” Award at the International Organization of Social Sciences and Behavioral Research (IOSSBR) event in Atlantic City, NJ.
The event is hosted by Lafayette College’s IDEAL Center, Center for Community Engagement, and Athlete’s C.A.R.E (Creating Abundant Relief Effort), a non-profit organization founded by Golini, which engages athletes and young people in the community, in its mission of providing food, clothes, necessities, care, and compassion to the needy, hungry, and homeless.
If unable to attend, donations can be made online at getoutandcare.org/donate.
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Photo courtesy of Lafayette College.
Kathleen Parrish
Associate Director of Media Relations
Lafayette College
Communications Division
Easton, PA 18042
parrishk@lafayette.edu
www.lafayette.edu