2005 Campus-Community Partnerships
Casa Libre/Freedom House:
A Model Practice for Homeless Immigrant Children
| Awardee: | Chon Noriega, Professor |
| Partner: | Center for Human Rights and |
Abstract:
Immigrant noncitizens now account for one-third of the Los Angeles population (32.47%). This population is predominantly Mexican and Latin American in origin; and it is a younger demographic.
Established in 1997, Casa Libre/Freedom House a project of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, Inc. (CHRCL) represents a model comprehensive program addressing the unique challenges and risks facing immigrant minors in Los Angeles. The proposed partnership builds upon a three-year working relationship between Professor Chon Noriega and CHRCL President and Executive Director Peter Schey.
The partnership has three major goals that will be met through the creation of a modular DVD with documentary segments and oral histories:
- To inform the public and relevant agencies about the issues facing this at-risk population
- To present Casa Libre and its programs (the only such programs in the nation) as a potential model for other shelters in the area and beyond
- To engage Casa Libre's residents in a significant media project that can provide hands-on experience as well as contribute to the shelter's eventual goal of creating an on-site media center serving the Pico-Union area. Finally, the oral histories and transcripts will be archived at UCLA for future research.
