One-to-One

There are an estimated 553,742 people in the US experiencing homelessness on any given night. They sleep in tents, parked cars, shelters, or out in the open, risking decreased mental and physical health due to depression, crime and violence. Aside from the overt risks, one of the most demoralizing aspects of the unhoused experience stems from the trauma associated with rejection by many Americans.

The Wayfarer Foundation seeks to bring humanity and understanding to the community experiencing homelessness, specifically on Skid Row, an area in downtown Los Angeles that has emerged as the epicenter of the homelessness crisis. The foundation’s annual Skid Row Carnival of Love is a groundbreaking community building event that brings together people from all walks of life for an unprecedented day of dance, carnival games, health and wellness services, clothing and healthy food distributions, without any social stratification or barriers whatsoever. The block party attracts five to ten thousand attendees each year and is rooted in the power of shared human connection, helping build real one-to-one friendships between unhoused and housed Angelenos. Over the past eight years, the event has led to a range of transformational experiences for the unhoused community: employment opportunities, secure housing, and a deeper sense of human connection for someone who may have forgotten what it felt like to be valued as a respected member of the community.

Our objective with the film was to sincerely showcase the experience of attending the Carnival of Love through the dual perspective of a volunteer and Skid Row local as they develop a special friendship. One-to-One was created in hopes of inspiring people to shift their perception of the community experiencing homelessness, recognizing the universality of our shared human experience regardless of whether we're housed or not.