America’s National Day of Writing left its mark on Moorpark’s campus with presentations by David Langness and Joanna Miller on Oct. 20.
Langness, former writer for Rolling Stone Magazine, visited Moorpark’s campus to give a lecture on the importance of homelessness in America. Langness also co-produced the documentary “The Chorus,” which focuses on real life characters living without homes.
In addition to writing for Rolling Stone Magazine and co-producing “The Chorus,”
Langness also helped write the book “Saving Grace,” which was proclaimed to be the best photography book of 2008.
Aside from the seminar given by Langness, there were other activities students could partake in during the National Day of Writing. There was a writing wall, which provided students an opportunity to express themselves. At the end of the day, there were many drawings, quotes and names on the wall to represent Moorpark College.
On top of this, Sandra Hunter hosted a special reading for the National Day of Writing.
Langness stated many facts about the homeless people he has met in the process of his works that students would not normally expect out of homeless people living on Skid Row.
“I enjoyed the seminar because I didn’t know that a lot of the homeless people there were once successful, I thought they were all addicted to drugs,” said 18-year-old EMT major, Cody Melamed, “And I didn’t know that people could actually come out of that, I thought they were stuck there once they got there.”
Following the book “Finding Grace,” Langness plans on collaborating with photographer Lynn Blodgett to publish a book of pictures and stories on homeless veterans in America.
“What he’s doing is key to [Moorpark’s Year of Service] because you know David had the opportunity to not be of service to others, to instead do the Hollywood thing…he has found a way to take his talents and put them to use to people,” Year of Service Organizer Kathryn Adams said.
Not only has Langness written books on the social problems in America, but he has also helped Proposition 36 get to where it is today. Prop 36, The Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, had little supporters before the election.
According to Langness, no politicians or organizations would back up Prop 36 because they claimed it would make them seem too light on drugs.
Once Prop 36 was passed on Nov. 7, 2000, an estimated 12,000 prisoners who were put in jail for homelessness or drug use were emitted into treatment. It costs 25,000 dollars to house a prisoner and only 8,000 dollars to put a criminal through treatment. Although not everyone who has been through treatment has succeeded, it has helped a significant number of drug-addicts as well as helped our tax dollars go elsewhere.
“Internally every person has a great need to, I think, be of service to others…I think as adults that if we lose that and we’re self-centered and only think about ourselves, we lose the opportunity to have enormous joy from helping others,” Langness said.
The way Langness spoke of poverty and other social problems in America really inspired students to make a difference, especially for 17-year-old undecided major Cameron Kolkey.
“I think that it would definitely motivate me to help more because I see that it can actually make a difference…it’s not just a waste of time,” said Kolkey.
Hunter will tie in story telling with the Year of Service on Nov. 15 at noon in the film studio. John Horton will also be in the forum to speak of the inner game of service on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.
Kathryn Adams, one of the organizers for the National Day of Writing, putting up one of the cardbaord sheets that make up the writing wall. (Photo by Jake Henderson)
