The director of the Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies and teens from the AIDS Brigade are planning to film a feature-length documentary about homelessness in Albuquerque.
Beverly Singer, director of the center, will direct "Waking Up On Central." The film will be co-produced by Paul Smyth, director of the New Mexico Chapter of the National AIDS Brigade. Fourteen youths, ages 15 to 18, will each contribute five-minute segments about homelessness for the film.
Singer said she hopes the piece will bring attention to homelessness in the area and will prevent youths from falling into the trap that east Central Avenue represents.
"This area of Central is characterized by seedy residential motels, drug dealing, prostitution and transients," she said in a news release. "Alienated, diverse-cultural people have washed up on Central where they are drunk, hung-over and emptied of their humanity."
Singer gave some tips about how students should treat homeless people.
"When homeless people ask for money, students should look them in the eye and tell them that they don't have any," she said. "People shouldn't treat them with repulsion; they are part of humanity too. Students can't forget that part of the educational process is what else is going on in the world."
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The teenagers working on the project are familiar with the area, recognize the signs of dysfunction and know how homelessness can be prevented, Singer said. She added that they will attend workshops to learn how to use a digital camera and conduct interviews properly.
Singer said that people from Chicago who have worked on similar projects will come to Albuquerque to share their experiences and assist the teenagers with their projects.
The youth will present their work at the Maxwell Museum Sept. 13 from 7-9 p.m. The event will feature music, poetry and discussions about AIDS.
Singer said "Waking Up On Central," will begin filming in February and should be finished by September 2002.
