The Fourth is based on the countless footage we see on the news of young men of color who experience police stops, for those who don't make it home after a police or traffic stop. I can see it even in some parts, and it's a story based on my own experiences of being a man of color. And what it can feel like when you don't feel free to express your voice. Writing it required truth and vulnerability that was, quite frankly, frightening to expose. Though it's common to see another police shooting an armed black man, people, and when I mean people who aren't black or considered the other in the United States, don't know what's it like to experience being stopped. The anxiety of not knowing if this minor stop will escalate into something severe. We always if you only knew how it feels to be in a situation.

The Fourth

By My Side is an intimate portrait of three veterans suffering from the invisible wound of PTSD. It is the most prevalent and unhealed wound experienced by veterans. Approximately 20% of those who served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars are still haunted by visions, chased by enemies they can never outrun, and tortured by the fear that they are now the enemy. These debilitating psychic scars have proven very difficult to heal. Twenty veterans commit suicide every day. It is very rare for veterans to admit they feel pain or need help. Even worse is accepting the pain they’ve brought back into their families. Set in northern California, three veterans opened their homes and hearts to filmmakers Vicki Topaz and Wynn Padula, with their continued spirit of service. These families bravely share their pain, fear, and the difficult realization they’ve lost time and love that they may never get back again. Their lack of faith in themselves and others, left these veterans isolated. Standard treatments failed, filling them with despair. All three found hope where no one had looked—in the heart of a faithful service dog. The families of these veterans, eloquently and poignantly share how frightened and confused they were by loved ones that looked the same but were unrecognizable. They were battling demons they couldn’t see or love away. They were being sucked into the deadly undertow of secondary PTSD. And then came the service dogs. Once the veterans were partnered with service dogs, their smiles returned. Their fear subsided. They could navigate the world again because of service dogs at their side. The dogs, effortlessly, became a joyful bridge to their children and their spouses. The dogs were the key to everyone’s heart. The healing could begin.

By My Side

After the 2019 Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill in Hong Kong, a young Hongkonger left her hometown and made her way to Seattle. The decision to relocate marked a pivotal turning point in her life.

The Outlanders - From HKG to SEA

After the 2019 Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill in Hong Kong, a young Hongkonger left her hometown and made her way to Seattle. The decision to relocate marked a pivotal turning point in her life.

The short film tells, through the testimonies of CISL operators and delegates from all over the Veneto region, the value of social commitment, the meaning of daily commitment in favor of others, and more particularly, the added value of the personal choice to commit oneself in favor of Workers and the community by contributing, through their daily commitment to the union, to build a better world.

Impegnarsi perché si avveri - La CISL, il Sindacato (Engage to make it happen – CISL, the union)

This film, made by CISL Veneto, documents the journey into the social commitment in the Labor Union among the young and old, all together, in order to build a better world.

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, and a historic summer of unprecedented unrest, leaders across the country were confronted with public pressure to defund police and contend with a history of police violence and community fear. This moment in time was underscored by the declaration of racism as a threat to public health and the acknowledgment of the relationship between public safety and health equity. In response, a coalition of multiple cities in North Carolina began researching solutions grounded in the reality that police alone cannot meet every crisis response need. After an RTI study revealed that many of the 9-1-1 calls coming into Durham’s emergency dispatch system were for nonviolent incidents, the City of Durham decided to pilot the Durham Community Safety Department (DCSD), an alternative crisis response program. Better known locally as HEART - the Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Team is the city's first public safety unit to be staffed with mental health clinicians, peer support specialists, and EMTs. HEART: Serving Our Neighbors in Crisis, is a documentary that details the pilot process and explores the deep collaboration needed for police officers, mental health clinicians, and peer specialists to work together in responding to community needs with care.

HEART: Serving Our Neighbors in Crisis

Lux has been homeless since she was 16. Growing up, her mother was critically ill, so Lux lived with her stepdad. He would kick her out randomly when he was drinking. "I wouldn't know where to go," she said. "Eventually, it got to the point where I didn't want to go back." Lux is now 19. She has lived in her RV for three years and has been forced to move about 20 times. Seattle's controversial RV homeless sweeps have been a source of contention among advocates, residents, and city officials alike. By forcibly removing vehicle residents from their makeshift mobile homes, these sweeps not only displace vulnerable individuals but also often leave them with no alternative shelter. This policy, aimed at addressing the visible impact of homelessness in the city, has been criticized for exacerbating the issue by further marginalizing those who already face significant challenges. Lux receives help from Vehicle Residency Outreach in Seattle. "Joe and Jonah have been visiting me quite often," she said, bringing her food and to Goodwill for clothes. They also let her know when sweeps will happen, so she doesn't lose her van. "I really appreciate them."

Where Do They Go? The Painful Reality of Seattle's RV Homeless Sweeps

Seattle's RV homeless sweeps face criticism for displacing vulnerable residents without offering alternative shelter, exacerbating homelessness.

When wild souls from different worlds come together, they give each other a chance at a better life. Inmates rebuild their lives by participating in a rehabilitation program training wild horses for adoption.

Mustang Moments

When wild souls from different worlds come together, they give each other a chance at a better life. Inmates rebuild their lives by participating in a rehabilitation program training wild horses for adoption.

Race is one of the burning issues of the day, but does your family talk about it? The topic is uncomfortable and complicated. Yet the conversations need to happen. Young people are entering an increasingly diverse world. To thrive, they must be prepared to work with people who look different or come from different backgrounds. The film Roosevelt High School: Beyond Black &amp; White is a production of Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity (RARE), a Seattle non-profit formed to promote racial equity, with a focus on schools and their communities. RARE offers scholarships, this film, and monthly Open Discussions. Its newest initiative is Connections, a program to bring together students of different backgrounds for fun, meaningful experiences outside of school.

Beyond Black & White

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Social Justice Film Insititute7511 Greenwood Ave N#506Seattle, WA 98103EIN: 86-1781669

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