From Family Promise of Essex County:
Family Promise of Essex County, Inc. (FPE) will host a free virtual screening of Inocente, the 2013 Academy Award® winner for Best Documentary Short on November 14 at 7 pm. The film tells the story of Inocente Izucar, a 15-year-old undocumented immigrant who has experienced homelessness for most of her life. With her determination to be an artist, and color as her personal revolution, Inocente declares on every canvas that her circumstances do not define her — her dreams do.
The Nov. 14 screening will be followed by a virtual panel discussion of homelessness, with Inocente herself participating, along with Rabbi David Greenstein of Congregation Shomrei Emunah, one of the founding congregations of FPE, and Taiisa Kelly, CEO of Monarch Housing, a leader in research, policy and action on homelessness in New Jersey.
For more than 30 years, FPE (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network of Essex County), has helped families experiencing or threatened with homelessness achieve self-sufficiency by providing emergency shelter, housing assistance and social services. This holistic approach engages the community through a network of churches and synagogues whose members provide temporary housing, meals, and personal connections.
The film is a timely portrait of child homelessness. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, there are about 1.5 million homeless youth under the age of 18 in the United States, which has more homeless women and children than any industrialized nation. In Essex County, even before the COVID pandemic began, the homeless population was rising steeply. More than 500 children were homeless in the latest county-wide count this past January.
The public is welcome at no charge, although FPE hopes that viewers will be inspired to donate to the organization’s work. Go to fpessexnj.org and click on Events to RSVP.
Inocente was directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine, Oscar® nominees for their film War/Dance, and produced by the non-profit film production company Shine Global and SALTY Features.
WHO: Family Promise of Essex County, along with Inocente Izucar
WHAT: Screening of the Academy Award-winning documentary, Inocente, followed by a panel discussion featuring Inocente herself and local voices
WHEN: Saturday, November 14 at 7 pm
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Go to fpessexnj.org and click on EVENTS.
