WASHINGTON, DC – Member of Congress John Conyers Jr. (D-MI 13th District) and the Homeless Caucus will host a briefing on the epidemic of violence against the homeless on June 25, 2014. Susan Sarandon will brief congress on the issue and preview Storied Streets, a new film by Reframed Pictures provides a unique perspective of homelessness in the United States. David Pirtle, a victim of violence against the homeless, will share his personal story.
The National Coalition for the Homeless is gathering support in the House for bill H.R. 1136, the Violence Against the Homeless Accountability Act that will amend the Hate Crime Statistics Act to include crimes against homeless individuals. Committing acts of violence against those who are homeless is a hate crime in three states: Maryland, Maine, Florida as well as the District of Columbia. Sarandon and others seek to make this violence a hate crime in all 50 states. Though most go unreported, more than 100 reported incidents of violence against the homeless occurred in 2012; eighteen resulted in death.
The briefing will be followed by a Q&A session including Sarandon, Pirtle, documentary filmmaker Thomas Morgan of Reframed Pictures and Michael Stoops of the National Coalition for the Homeless. In conjunction with this briefing, the Coalition will release 2013 figures on violence against the homeless.
Reframed Pictures aims to create and support films that raise awareness about human rights and social justice issues. Thomas Morgan of Reframed Pictures said, “Storied Streets provides a window into the struggles of the homeless, questions stereotypes and will change the way you feel about homelessness.” Reframed Pictures is a member of Creative Visions Foundation’s Creative Activist Program. Learn more: www.creativevisions.org.
Briefing details:
June 25, 2014
2:00-3:30 p.m.
Rayburn House Office Building
Room 2237
Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
For additional information, please contact Vanessa Kromer at Nederlander Concerts at (323) 817-6108 or at ssmfmedia@nederlander.com.
Source: http://www.ballantinespr.com/News/MEDIA_ALERTS/homelessness.html