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Territorial Dispatch

Documentary Film by Shon Harris Highlights Struggles of Unhoused Population

Jun 27, 2024 04:08PM ● By Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture News Release

The documentary will focus on the unhoused population of Yuba-Sutter and their journey to a better future. Photo courtesy of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture


MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - The Road to Resilience is a documentary film by Shon Harris about the Yuba-Sutter homeless population as they struggle to survive their journey toward a sustainable life on their own.  A free screening of the film will be held on Sunday, June 30 at 1 p.m. at the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts, 754 Plumas Street in Yuba City.

“Every statistic has a name, and a face.  By sharing their stories, I hope to inspire action using human compassion as the catalyst, not mere numbers,” said director Harris. “We interviewed several dozen homeless people over the last year. Ten of them were comfortable with being on camera.  Their collective struggle is a cross-section of hope, despair, desperation, success, failure, and even triumph,” he added.  

Funding for this project came through a grant from the Upstate California Creative Corps program. Grantees were all part of a media, outreach, and engagement campaign designed to increase awareness for issues such as public health, social justice, community engagement, water and energy conservation, and relief, and recovery. The California Arts Council views the California Creative Corps program as a job creation and human infrastructure development opportunity as well.  Funded projects often serve the most vulnerable communities, identified via the California Healthy Places Index and other valuable local data sources.

Other local recipients included Dr. Marc Flacks for his stage play adaptation of the film Salt of the Earth about workers’ rights and female empowerment, Tom Galvin’s Heroes and Victims song cycle about local history, Pam Nowak’s art classes teaching environmental science through art and the Yuba Sutter Rotary Night Club’s Mural Marathon, Art & Health Festival.

Following his retirement from the California Highway Patrol, Shon hasn’t let up. His second career as a filmmaker has shown his aptitude for the art form and he has won several local film festivals including the Yuba Sutter Flash Film Festival. He is also a selfless volunteer for a variety of youth support programs and currently serves as Mayor of Yuba City.

Shon Harris director homelessness

 Director Shon Harris interviews a person experiencing homelessness for the film. Photo courtesy of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture


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