“Lost in America,” the shocking documentary casting a light on the harsh realities of homelessness affecting more than four million youths each year in America.
Rotimi Rainwater, being a former homeless youth, had decided it was time to share not only his but other’s stories of homelessness in this heartbreaking documentary. His mission was to show people the truth of living on the streets through real stories of young people all over the country. He introduces us to several youths all coming from different circumstances that have led them to a shared path of homelessness. Throughout the film, it focuses on four topics of interest that seem to be catalysts for becoming homeless: failure of the foster care system, sex trafficking, LGBTQ, and the stigma/rejection of our homeless youth.
The film is peppered with small testimonials from celebrities that also suffered some form of homelessness in their life. The small testimonials not only draw interest from unassuming viewers but exemplify a source of potential and success in anyone, no matter where they come from. Although it seemed to be counterproductive to talk about reform or solutions when the data presented at the beginning of this documentary was so inaccurate. Before the passing of Senator Leahy’s bill for research and funding for homeless youths, the statistics stated that the number of homeless youths ran between 48,000 and 2 million. After a years-long battle and the passing of a renewed Runaway Youth and Homeless Act, studies confirmed that the actual number ranged more towards 4 million youths (13-25) experience some form of homelessness within a year. This is just the beginning since now they have accurate data to work off of to better design action plans and discuss a strategy to tackle the issue.
The statistics are not all that hinders the movement. There are social stigmas associated with homelessness that gives way to regular citizens or the family of these struggling youths to ignore them. One of the main issues deals with the rejection of the LGBTQ community. It is said in the film that approx. 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ and this is one of the reasons they’ve parted ways with their loved ones, some by force. A multitude of interviews from various youths explain how their family and loved ones abandoned or kicked them out for being LGBTQ. A lack of support and acceptance really weighs on people let alone a young person still figuring out life. Through a series of on the street interviews, the stigma of homelessness seems to go hand in hand with drug use as well. Most who were interviewed expressed their thoughts on how most homeless people are there by choice or for freedom to use drugs. On the contrary, some of the youths presented in this documentary are not drug users at all but people who have fallen on some real hard times financially or socially. Not to say that some do in fact have drug issues but anyone with experience in addiction knows it’s close to impossible to recover without love and support.
One of the scariest realizations is that most if not all homeless youths (especially females) come in contact or have some experience being trafficked for sex. Some suffered from very young and others fall victim to the trappings of predators. Sex trafficking is a whole other problem in and of itself, but this cannot be ignored like so many other issues that cause or relate to this specific problem of homelessness are. For example, the foster care system set in place to help these youths is under-budgeted, unregulated, and insufficient in their care. Some of these victims of sex trafficking suffered at the hands of their foster parents who were set in place to aid them, not use them for personal gain. Pennies a day are budgeted out to help children in the foster care system and fail them because the system fails itself.
Support is a great first step that anyone can take to help fight this pandemic. Everyday citizens can offer their support through donations and greeting/ helping those they see in their own streets. Government officials can support bills and laws to continue the fight for them and help them rise from the struggles they’ve faced to get to where they are. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of bringing hope and maintaining it for all who are struggling with their homelessness. This film shows you the sorrow and pain a few of these youth deal with but also leaves you with a sign of hope. Hope that this problem has a solution and that it could start with just one act of kindness. With us looking past ourselves and looking out for each other. Rainwater forces us to do just that by using these select youths to give us a face to associate with this problem we have ignored for so long.
Now available on DVD and Digital
