Culture Watch

Social Media Advocacy: Whose Story Is It Anyway?

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Social media is in a unique position to advocate for ending homelessness in the information age, and many organizations have begun to use this opportunity. But there’s a right and wrong way to do it. Paige McAdam from the Seattle University Project on Family Homelessness thinks the Mean Tweets video produced by the Canadian organization Raise the Roof is the wrong way. She explains why, and also points to work by Facing Homelessness and other organizations that are advocating effectively in partnership with people who are experiencing homelessness.

Mad Men, ACEs and Child Homelessness – Escaping the Past Is Not So Easy

Don Draper giving his most famous new business pitch, just before revealing a shocking secret from his past about a Hershey bar. Photo from AMC.
Don Draper giving his most famous new business pitch, just before revealing a shocking secret from his past about a Hershey bar. Photo from AMC.
"You can’t write about Don Draper without addressing his terrible childhood, which crops up throughout the series." In the week leading up to Mad Men's finale, Catherine Hinrichsen and Perry Firth examine the traumatic events that shaped Don through the lens of recent psychological research. Catherine also has a little bit of fun speculating on how the series will end.

Culture Watch: Inside the Epidemic of Veteran Suicide With “Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1”

 This image captures the intensity of the crisis responders at the Veterans Crisis Hotline as they do everything they can to steer callers away from suicide. Image from <a href="http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/crisis-hotline-veterans-press-1#/" target="_blank">HBO</a>.
This image captures the intensity of the crisis responders at the Veterans Crisis Hotline as they do everything they can to steer callers away from suicide. Image from HBO.
The Oscar-winning documentary "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1" really hit home for guest blogger Perry Firth. She was once a responder at a local crisis line, and the film brought back memories of the people she spoke with who were contemplating taking their own lives. In this moving post, she reflects on the film, what she learned as a crisis responder, and the connections between military service, suicide and homelessness.

Culture Watch: “@home,” Mark Horvath and Three Wishes for Solving Homelessness

The many faces of Mark Horvath and his good friend, social media, as shown in the new film "@home." Original art by Haley Jo Lewis.
The many faces of Mark Horvath and his good friend, social media, as shown in the new film "@home." Original art by Haley Jo Lewis.
Equipped with a video camera, a big online following, and endless compassion, Mark Horvath documents and shares stories of people who are experiencing homelessness. The new documentary "@home" follows Mark on an 11,000-mile road trip across the United States, and introduces us to the homeless men, women, and children he connects with. Haley Jo Lewis from Seattle University’s Project on Family Homelessness reviews the film and invites you to its May 2 Seattle premiere.
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