This animated short tells Tiny Gray-Garcia's heartbreaking story about growing up on the streets of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland. It is based on her children's book of the same name with illustrations by Ace Robles.
This short animated film definitely brought tears to my eyes. Written and narrated by Tiny Gray-Garcia, this is her personal story about how she and her mother were homeless and lived in their car in the Wal-Mart parking lot, shelters, and other places. The visuals, by Asian Robles, are stunningly beautiful and sad simultaneously. The background music, by Lottie Johnston, perfectly enhances the story. But the narration is really what makes this short film touch you as you learn about all the setbacks this mother and child experienced; all the evictions they faced; how everything they owned was taken from time after time; and the police threw her mom in jail and put her into a home. I commend Director Menchini for his sensitive handling of the subject and the people who experienced it. The light at the end of the tunnel is how, after growing up on the streets of Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco, Tiny and her mama Dee co-founded a poor and indigenous people led movement called POOR magazine / PrensaPobre with other poor people to help them help themselves. The film ends with a sense of hopefulness and a reminder to support poor people-led solutions in your own community.
The message of this film is about awareness of homelessness in our country and solutions for it. We can all be hopeful when we all pitch in.
I give When Mama & Me Lived Outside: One Family's Journey Through Homelessness 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. By Julie S., KIDS FIRST!
This animated short tells Tiny Gray-Garcia's heartbreaking story about growing up on the streets of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland. It is based on her children's book of the same name with illustrations by Ace Robles.
This short animated film definitely brought tears to my eyes. Written and narrated by Tiny Gray-Garcia, this is her personal story about how she and her mother were homeless and lived in their car in the Wal-Mart parking lot, shelters, and other places. The visuals, by Asian Robles, are stunningly beautiful and sad simultaneously. The background music, by Lottie Johnston, perfectly enhances the story. But the narration is really what makes this short film touch you as you learn about all the setbacks this mother and child experienced; all the evictions they faced; how everything they owned was taken from time after time; and the police threw her mom in jail and put her into a home. I commend Director Menchini for his sensitive handling of the subject and the people who experienced it. The light at the end of the tunnel is how, after growing up on the streets of Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco, Tiny and her mama Dee co-founded a poor and indigenous people led movement called POOR magazine / PrensaPobre with other poor people to help them help themselves. The film ends with a sense of hopefulness and a reminder to support poor people-led solutions in your own community.
The message of this film is about awareness of homelessness in our country and solutions for it. We can all be hopeful when we all pitch in.
I give When Mama & Me Lived Outside: One Family's Journey Through Homelessness 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. By Julie S., KIDS FIRST!
KIDS FIRST! Goes Local: Submit a review & win!
