'the Carissa Project:' (Documentary to hit SUNDANCE) Fresno Girl (raised in hell: grew up to get a Masters in Biz/Law.)
(Reprint from MindHerd)
Hubbers:
While we're going on endlessly about rivers, downtown, the mall, (etc. etc.)
---all very telling conversations, all quite interesting, (yes, they are.)
-I happened to be at Marcel's this afternoon, (waiting on a meeting/BBQ,
-a local rogue festival was being discussed (minutes taken... here-here...)
So I'm just sitting there minding my p's and q's and he says:
'...I gotta go take a shower, I want you to see this,
I just heard about it, this is going to Sundance...'
(Here's the homepage for the project, film, blogs, etc.)
http://www.carissaproject.com/?page=home
(Marcel and I are both veterans of working with 'at risk,' populations, and
kids who are troubled.)
Suddenly I'm sitting there looking at the homepage,
-seeing this stunning young woman, then watching the trailer and sections
of the film focussing on her life.
The film is by David Sauvage,(they were both students at UCLA.)
Carissa Phelps, (the subject of the film,)
just graduated with her Masters from UCLA in Law and Biz.
(not too shabby.)
Carissa Phelps was also was dropped off unceremoniously in the lobby of a
Juvi-Hall at the age of 12,
-abandoned by her parent (who simply said 'I'm leaving my daughter with you
people,' -and left.)
She's had an extremely difficult life, (including being a prostitute from
(at least,) the age of 13, and time served for stealing a car, (again, as a
juvenile.)
(PS: Her mom is in the film as well.
-So's her former pimp.)
Why do you care?
She's a Fresno Girl.
This is about her life in Fresno.
Now,
I know already that a number of people are going to be turned off by the
subject matter.
I also know that there is this ongoing relationship with Fresno and the rest
of California,
-and Fresno with the Rest of the World
(and parts of Fresno with other parts of Fresno.)
---And we're all worked up and worried about what folks think of us,
downtown, etc... and such...
Deal with yourselves:
Brace yourselves:
This, is an excellent documentary about a young woman who:
-by all acounts?
should NOT have even made it to her sweet 16th, alive.
-And had she not?
-Most folks in Fresno wouldn't have even known, -nor cared.
Yet,
through some incredible efforts of people 'in the system,' who cared for
her, not to mention the effort and heart of the young woman herself?
She has turned completely around.
One of the quotes that really hit it for me:
(and I just saw the mini-film about the film,) was:
'...Everybody likes a story about a girl from the mean streets who turns her
life around, --this one however, is true...'
It's really true.
You are not going to like what you're going to see.
You are not going to like what this woman (starting from childhood,) went
through.
If you do like it?
There is something very-very wrong with you.
It will not sit well with you.
You will feel very good about some aspects,
-but very bad about others,
(that is until the feelings go away.)
What I (personally,) happen to think of this film (that I've seen so far?)
With this constant spectre of:
1. 'what is everybody going to think of us? (Fresno,) that seems to dictate
everything done in town, -right down to ordering a pizza?
2. The rather public answer to the problems of Fresno being:
'...There ARE no problems, (we'll just create a new Fresno further north)
--where things are good.
3. Insisting: 'there's not life downtown / we need to revitalize and
redesign it to bring (the good, the monied) people back?
-When, in fact?
Life exists.
-It's just not white, -it may be very troubled, -it may be barely making it,
-it's just not part of the 'new,' Fresno 'deliniated: 'life North of
Hearndon.')
This is a real film about a girl from the area.
And it ain't 'Pretty Woman.'
(Though she is quite beautiful.)
I personally?
In the face of a project such as this, and my own experience in working with
'at risk,' youth?
Couldn't care less what neighborhood is 'better,' or 'worse,'
-I'll leave your definition of 'nice place to live,' to your realitors,
developers, and community boards.
-Having worked with kids from (both) homes that have mancured lawns?,
-as well as those who had to sleep nightly in a playground, (where the dirt
itself was toxic?)
---I understand that both poor and rich can come up in 'hellholes,'
(Street Address does not dictate a decent or human environment at home.)
Blowing past ALL of that, and into the real truth? Is this film:
In this (current,) Fresno:
-There are kids who live in poverty,
-There are kids who are underraged prostitutes,
-There are people who sell them, (her former pimp is also interviewed, as
well as (I think,) former 'street-walkers,')
-There are people who buy them,
-For the most part? not many people really care.
-There are embarrisingly few and thin programs,
these programs are constantly at risk, and, even in the documentary, Carissa
comments, '...when I was coming into this program, it was going from
'cells,' to dorm rooms, -and now it's going back to cells,' (barracks and
cells.)
(She is one of only 3 females, allowed into the program, -the rest in the
program were male.
The BAD part to this?
This is a real side of Fresno that STILL exists
-that a lot of people either don't want to deal with,
-don't know about,
-and sure as hell don't want it to be discussed, (let alone become the chief
issue and a significant entrant in the Sundance Film Festival.)
-So, yeah, Fresno?
-part of what you don't want to be seen,' -is about to be shown.
(And she's a very Fresno Girl.)
The GOOD part?
-A stunningly beautiful and intelligent young woman (I think she's mixed
race, I believe she is part latina, and has strong Nat. American accents in
her facial structure, not sure, actually...)
-Goes from being a 13 year old prostitute
-to graduate from UCLA school of Biz/Law,
(And she's a very Fresno Girl.)
Hence?
A lot of people are going to want to see this film, because it's important
and it documents a (still) pertainant life and lifestyle --and somebody
comes out 'good in the end.'
And:
A lot of people are going to want to NOT see the film,
-probably ignore it,
and (worse,) Aren't going to want it shown
-(because it documents a STILL relevant life and livestyle,
---and whether somebody comes out 'good,' in the end (or not)
is NOT the issue for them,
---it's going to be:
'...we don't HAVE that problem in Fresno, we don't TALK about that issue in
Fresno
And besides, --that's not 'our,' Fresno,
that's Downtown... -with THOSE people.'
MORE BAD PART?
For every 'Carissa,' in Fresno (or Clovis, or: -pick an area,)
There are hundreds if not thousands who do NOT end up like this,
-who do NOT make it past age 13, (or if they do?, wish that they hadn't.)
-and anyone who has lived life for a while?
Understands that kids in general can be at severe risk, (-not just the
pretty ones.)
-There is no such thing as: 'those people,'
(or) 'those who are affected? 'have earned their own hell / karma / have
Jesus to look after them...'
-That there is no permissable excuse in this town nor the world, where
'...that's just how it goes for folks down on that side of the tracks.'
(-This can be anyone, -and that it already IS a LOT of folks in this area.)
There is a lot of talk about the 'history of Fresno,'
the 'beautification of Fresno,'
'documenting the Fresno Life,'
or
'what is Authentic Fresno.'
(...All noble pursuits and issues... -and that's all great.)
But:
Here's a young woman who was paid to be abused, in motels and areas that are
still in operation,
-(as a minor,)
-as recently as ten? fifteen? years ago,
-Who says that she: '...came back here really wanting to see things having
changed for the better, -but how she sees 'same,' or 'worse...'
I haven't seen the whole thing. But I am looking forward to it.
My gut on the issue, and how the town will receive it?
Three responses:
1. -People will be deeply stirred and want to see this really understood and
dealt with, (IE: helping these kids, REALLY helping and addressing the
problem.)
2. -Ignoring it: Saying 'it's just another black eye on Fresno,' -and trying
to find some way to discredit the situation, compartmentalize it, (thereby
making it 'not such a big deal.')
3. -Conversation: controversy, endless talk about it, a few good ideas and
strong opinion?
and then:
nothing changes, nothing happens.
Either way?
This is a film that needs to be seen, that needs to be understood,
-and needs to bring on significant change.
(...I'm not going to say '...but it probably won't,' --but I'm going to
think it.)
And I'm going to pray, really hard, that it will serve as a catalyst, and
help raise awareness, and galvanize (not just,) the plight of this young
woman, but of everybody similarly effected,
-most of which will never read these lines,
-may never be near a computer,
-who I don't even know,
and never will.
(And Carissa?
Just in case you read MindHub?
Nice going, sweetheart.
You've done amazing things, and may you continue to do so.
(I'd like so much to think that some of the girls, ANY of the ones I used to
take care of, in foster care settings, special schools, drop in centers,
(etc,) would've come out half as great as you have.
(I know some did okay, I know a lot didn't.)
Thanks for letting them make this film about your life.
That took mad huge guts.
(thanks as well to the filmmaker,)
-and please know that I'm praying for both you and your mom.)
-If we are an artistic community that cares not just about 'creativity,'
-but if we care about others and life in Fresno at all?
We may not just need to SEE this film, but earnestly support it, and address
the issues it brings up.
(If we care.)
-Eric Field
You cant even see the river.
the river's about 3 miles away, its just a name, a marketing ploy
slow down there a bit, Fresno ain't the problem, the problem is the movers & shakers only move in incestuous circles (when's the last time you rubbed shoulders with Alan Autry, Cliff Tutelian, Ed Kashian, Sharon Levy, the Coomes, Jensens, Smittcamps & all the rest?), you make due with where you're planted, change it for the better if you can, this was a desert, set in a marsh (Tulare Lake, vernal pools), that got canal'ed for ag, this city should have stayed a small farm town, but like me, 100's of thousands of people came by, said it looked like home & settled here, I've met people from NY City, NY state, Philly, Detroit, Chicago, Kansas, LA-LA Land, Bay Area, living here, then there's immigrants from 120 diff countries.
when Armenians, Hmong & Mexicans all say the same thing, it must be true
having lived in LA-LA Land for 21 years; in 3 parts of the eastside & 4 suburbs, I don't want BH here, or any other part of L.A., it took going to FSU to live in a place I could call home & then see that, yes, "L.A. is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there"
who wants wall to wall city, traffic jams, 3.8 million people, its bad enough Fresno swallowed Pinedale, Calwa, Malaga, & a host of smaller villages, like Lone Star, West Park, Biola Junction, Herndon, Sunnyside, Muscatel, etc...
if Clovis didn't have a good school system, & quick annexers, it too would have been "fresnosized" or at least surrounded like the Fig Garden county island
Great Post
We call it River Pork with an "O" because of how snooty and fake it is.
But I like your interpetation.
It fits.
Your not "cool" or "high society" if you dont hang out or shop "The stores at River Pork".
You cant even see the river.
Call it what you want its still Fresno.
It will never be Beverly Hills.
A pig in a silk dress with make up is still a pig.
But in Fresno they'd give it a snooty name like Le Swine de Rouge de Northpointe`
Merci`
3 meanings of "kids at River Pork"
"triple entendre", I'm thinking you meant to spell park that way, clever
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_entendre
1) in a fake elegant setting (I hear it use to be a land-fill, thus a pig-sty)
2) kids having sex (to pork someone)
3) with fat old men (thats obvious, oink, oink)
this implies that the kids are the ones that are making the 1st moves, is that what you meant?
sad tale of society at the frayed edges, where the ends justify the means, parents not raising their kids, kids making adult decisions before they are ready to take responsibility for their actions, adults taking advantage of kids & the money & time that they can lavish on desperate teens
sounds like the vampires come out at night, good name for a movie, a sequel to Star Wars or Blade
"Show the Dark Side"
"The Dark Side of River Park"
"River Park after Dark"
I have reported it to the Mall and the police
Im sure Kashian doesn't want any negitive publicity for River Pork.
I reported it to Council Dwarf Coffee Calhoun's and Dwarf Duncan's offices.
I also reported it to the "HB" that two of his "HF's" hang out there and are known for chasing teen boys.
"what's the issue here, missing dads so much in their lives, that they'll do anything for love & attention?"
Thats exactly what it is in most cases.
They lack dads love and attention and know they can use old guys that will pay and spend time with them.
How about a video of these kids at River Pork
showing them hanging out and picking up old guys.
Follow them as the old guys buy beer.
Then confront them.
Then interview the kids and tell the kids story.
Show the Dark side of River Park after Dark.
then report this to the police
you see this happening, get your camera phone working
zoom it to police
if your a kid, man get your "yuk factor" on, tell your friends how gross it is to have sex with old pervs just for beer. what's the issue here, missing dads so much in their lives, that they'll do anything for love & attention?
if your an adult, then step up to the plate, tell police to set up sting, or report to Mall management, remember that they wanted to close Mall to "abandoned" tweens, this will give them ammo for the cause
This stuff still happens daily in Fresno
You have teenagers mainly boys and a few girls that hang out at River Park on Friday and Saturday nights. Especially when schools out looking for older guys to get them beer and drugs in exchange for sex. These teens know what they are doing and the old pervets use them.
Why hsn't the police sent under cover minors out to do a sting?
This a real shame you would
This a real shame you would me and my son in something we know nothin about. You should be ashamed of yourself.REAL FAKE FICTION FILM
Very real
This is very real. It's sad that most people ignore these issues and pretend they dont exist and tend to want to live in their little bubble.
Dear Carissa
thanks for that note.
It's okay that it's personal here on Fresno Famous... (I'm an old performance artist at heart, and don't mind public honesty...)
Marcel was quite passionate about this film, (it was at his place that he showed me the vignette.)
I thought you may want to know this as well:
A local woman, (pretty well heeled, pretty involved in her church, does okay for herself, pretty respectable type,) who happens to read my stuff on Mindhub
(poor thing, I hope she packs a lunch,)
-Wrote me this evening and said that your film really struck a chord,
-and that (also,) in her Church that they had started up a group or ministry of sorts in efforts to help out people who had been through situations similar to those we're familiar with, -and what you talk about so honestly in the film.
-She (the woman,) thought that perhaps it would have been a group that would have been kind of cooly recieved, (as you know, this is kind of a conservative town and environment, -not a lot of hearts on sleeves...)
-The pastor's wife was absolutely stoked about the ministry, -and about the opportunity for folks to be able to deal with these things, ----and it has been met with great support.
---(The woman read my posting on MindHub about the film, and thought it was excellent, ---and that these subjects needed to be really voiced, cared for, healed, addressed, -whole nine.)
Times like this? I hate the english language.
because use of the word 'subject,' just takes the personal truth out of it, and makes it clinical.
-that these 'people,' that these 'persons,' these girls, these boys, these individuals, -these 'us,' these 'me,' and 'you,' --finally would be heard, in their own voices, speaking truths, -maybe for the first time, ever, -and finally airing the wound, and healing.
Reclaiming their lives and their dignity.
(It's a big thing with me... big thing.)
Regarding your Mom?
Please understand that the comment about her giving you up at an early age, -was not meant as a slam towards her.
(I found it really warming that she's in the film with you.)
I'm sure she would have wanted different.
I'm sure she felt boxed in, and that there was no other choice.
What's nice about it?
You and she are still (obviously,) close, -and are as close as you can be.
(It takes time, but some things are just 'there,' ya know? it goes deeper than the DNA... and I'm glad that the two of you can still be in each other's lives.)
Overall?
Fresno is not my town.
(I'm a transplanted newyorker... I came here for only one reason, and that didn't last more than three weeks... pretty much two years ago, (to the day,) that all fell apart.)
But I'm still here.
I've always deeply love people.
I've been a sucker for them in general since a baby.
And I often see and experience so much of Fresno, and it's quite overwhelming, (a lot of pray about, a lot to yell about, a lot to cry about, ---and a lot of good too.)
Being a large, rather direct, white guy in his mid forties? It gets interesting sometimes.
(...once I actually freaked out my attorney, I didn't even know it was possible TO freak out an attorney...)
But, in all this?
I often, as I've gotten older just find myself like some old prophet,
walking up to the altar,
laying out this picture of what is going on and saying to God
'...I'm not gonna say anything, but this is what is happening, I just thought you should know, -whatever you want me to do, okay,,, I just wanted you to know...'
(There was an old priest in the Old Testament who did this, actually... smart guy.)
I saw the sections of your film, and everything ignited, was opened, was stomped, and acknowledged at once.
-This is what is needed.
Reality is always what is needed.
And for every girl, -every kid, (guy or girl,) who sees this thing, -and realizes that there is life past what they are currently in? (and that somebody has made it?)
-That's hope.
Without putting you on a pedestal, or 'hyping' -I really think that this work is going to change a lot of lives, (seriously.)
Personally, I hate to say it, but I've forgotten a lot of the names of so many of the kids I've worked with through the years who have come up through so much (it's been over twenty years, and probably hundreds of situations.)
I've just given up on 'formal prayer,' anymore, if I remember a situation, a face, anything, I just ask God to be with them, and hold them close...
(It's funny, how life after a while removes so much formality.)
I also spend more time listening than telling Him what I want...
I realize that the pressure on you may be pretty severe, in terms of the film.
You have my prayers (as well as your mom, those in the film, and the filmmaker.)
The exposure is going to be a bit wild, I can assure you.
Remember these things:
-Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.
-God is always mindful of us, because He knows that we are but dust.
-We are only starting to comprehend the love of the one who has apprehended us fully,(and who will not let us go, ever.)
-And that all who are found in Christ, are not just friends, but brothers and sisters, adored and washed clean, but Christ, -and seen as equal children by God Himself, -and loved (perhaps,) even more.
-And though you walk through the valley of the shadow of (anything,) God is with you, -and His Spirit goes ahead of you, along side, and behind you, always, (as well as resides within.
-That there is not a hair that falls from your head, that God is not aware of, -and that his thoughts for you are like the stars.
-And, as the Psalmist has said. Every tear he has saved in a bottle, -and written them down in his book.
(...the rest of Fresno Famous land can find the references to those verses if they'd like..
(I'll look them up for you if you want... right now, I'm kinda bushed...)
Thanks for writing me your note, Carissa.
Thanks for doing this film.
Sweet dreams, sweetheart, (your mom, friends, other loved ones too.)
Eric L. Field
a very personal response
Hi Eric Field,
Thanks for viewing the footage. (I hope you get this b/c it's not posted to MindHub.)
Wanted to say thanks for your support and the post. Great point that it is a 1 in 3 chance that something will get done about the problem. Not the best odds, so it's a good thing I like to beat odds!
My bet is that Fresno has quite a few residents who are ready to unlock their own potential. My hope, ever since I was a little girl roaming the streets, was that the grown ups just didn't know where I was. In my young mind all they needed was some direction!
Now I'll show them where the kids are and have faith that they will do the rest.
Please keep the prayers going! We submit the film to Sundance this week. If we're in it will mean a wider audience faster. If we're not I have to believe that we'll hit an even wider audience and maybe even faster!!!
On a very personal note, thanks for mentioning my mom. I know she cares and wishes things could have just been different.
Grateful for the support and thoughts,
Carissa, Fresno's daughter!
Looks interesting...
Kinda weird (in a good way) how these types of documentaries start to show up as Fresno grows into itself.
I've noticed all types of new things in Fresno, that didn't use to happen in our "small city".
This film is one of them. I look forward to seeing it.
~Rell www.myspace.com/559rell www.myspace.com/trellthareallamane (music production)