East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story

“Public housing has always been a financial proposition and a moral one...It’s a way of understanding the level of compassion there is for those who do need some assistance.” – Lawrence Vale, Urban Planning Historian, MIT

In East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story, filmmakers Sarah Burns and David McMahon (The Central Park Five, Jackie Robinson) tell the personal stories of the families who called East Lake Meadows home. Opened in 1970, the 650-unite public housing community on the outskirts of Atlanta became home to many thousands of low-income Atlantans, mostly African Americans. Praised at first for the spacious units and new construction, the community soon became known as "Little Vietnam," a moniker that was intended to denote the rampant crime and violence that overwhelmed the community.

"East Lake Meadows, like many public housing projects across the country," notes director McMahon, "was designed to house those with the greatest needs. But the story reflects the racial bias that allowed society to neglect the housing and the community and then blame the residents for the poor conditions that arose from that disinvestment. Residents shared with us their stories of resilience, trauma, hard work, and finding joy despite the challenging conditions."

On Monday January 13, join New America NYC at Betaworks Studios for a special preview screening and a conversation led by five-time Emmy-Award-winning investigative reporter Monica Morales–the country's only reporter dedicated to the public housing beat–that asks how we as a nation have created concentrated poverty and limited housing opportunities and what can be done about it.

East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story is executive-produced by Ken Burns.

PARTICIPANTS

Sarah Burns @sarah_l_burns
Director + Producer, East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story

David McMahon @DavidMMcMahon
Director + Producer, East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story

Monica Morales @monicamoralestv
Broadcast Journalist, PIX11

Nikita Stewart @kitastew
New York Times Reporter, Social Services

Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors will open to a reception at 6:00 p.m., with the screening beginning promptly at 6:30 p.m..

Follow the conversation online with #EastLakeFilmProject and @NewAmericaNYC.