Angie McCartney – Filming in Watts, CA.
For her upcoming documentary “Here’s a Story” featuring strong and powerful women who make an impact on society, we filmed at The Watts Coffee House interviewing Sweet Alice Harris, re-living the Watts Riots of the 60′ and what changed in the community. (Martin Nethercutt, Director)
Dr. Angie McCartney:
“Mid March saw us meeting with some wonderful people at The Watts Coffee House in Los Angeles.
Sgt. Jack Richter of LAPD set the wheels in motion, and it was coordinated by Hannah Levian of Coro Southern California.
I had prepared a script of 9 questions to put to Sweet Alice Harris, Executive Director of “Parents of Watts.” After the first question – script be damned! I abandoned it when I saw that Sweet Alice was on a roll. Her tales of her experiences were incredible. She is a much honored lady who lived through the Watts riots, and formed her non profit organization, which is thriving today, providing shelter, food, clothing, educational opportunities, mentoring, and a million other benefits to the people of Watts.
Her Thanksgiving and Christmas parties are legendary, when doles out turkeys to families, toys and even bicycles to children in the community.
She is much respected by the Community, and has even been on board Air Force One and visited the Mint and many other prominent American monuments. She was ably assisted by her daughter Linda Harris-Forster and grand daughter Jonetta Woods, and we could have shot an entire movie around Sweet Alice alone.
Donations can be made via the website: parentsofwatts.org.
Jack Richter also introduced us to two ladies from “His Sheltering Arms” charity, which specializes in providing services revolving around behavioral healthcare systems, parenting guidance, life skills, help with substance abuse etc, where nobody is ever turned away due to race or religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability etc. In fact, just about any human being that comes to their doors.
Rhoen Moore and Fannie Upshaw were two vibrant ladies who told us of some of their experiences, and we were delighted to be able to hand over several large quantities of women’s and children’s clothing which had been donated by our dear friends and neighbors, Fred and Mitra Nourpour, who run a clothing business in Down Town Los Angeles.
Donations can be made via the website: hisarmsinc.org.
Fred and Mitra had previously donated huge amounts of clothing for the Farrah Fawcett Foundation Christmas party for families and children whose lives have been touched by cancer. Truly, there are some good people in the world, but we just don’t hear enough about them.
It was a truly uplifting day, and it brings home the fact that we are so fortunate, while others who have so little, give so much to their fellow humans.
