Unadopted Screening and Q&A

2323 Broadway,Oakland CA 94612

09 October, 2021

Description

Special Free Screening of YR Media's award-winning documentary, Unadopted. Join us for a special screening of YR Media's award-winning documentary, Unadopted. After the screening, Noel Anaya will be in conversation with journalist Niema Jordan to discuss his journey through foster care, producing the film with YR Media, and how to support foster youth. About the Film: Of the 440,000 kids in foster care in the U.S., more than a quarter are over age 12. Adoption rates for these older kids are abysmally low. What happens when you're “too old” to get adopted? After 20 years in foster care, Noel Anaya was never adopted. He was determined to investigate what went wrong, and finds the answers in his first documentary film. Unadopted starts with Anaya untangling his own unique story, which leads him to a wider examination that reveals the social welfare system’s silent but pervasive systemic bias against families of color, and teenagers aka “older youth.” While most young adults look to their parents for answers about identity and upbringing, Anaya turns to court records, social workers, and most importantly, three California teens who reveal the critical decisions they’re currently making to secure a “forever family” — or not. About Noel: Noel Anaya is a public speaker who focuses most of his energy to create awareness for people in the community. He uses multimedia as a medium to produce quality storytelling primarily about foster care and his own life. His Story “After 20 Years, Young Man Leaves Foster Care On His Own Terms,” as seen on NPR, won an Edward Murrow award, a Third Coast Festival award and an NYF Radio Award. Noel plans to receive a BA in Media Communications and wishes to keep on telling stories on social topics. About Niema: Niema Jordan is a writer, director, and producer from Oakland, Calif. The proud Medill alum received her dual master's in Public Health and Journalism from University of California, Berkeley. An award-winning documentary filmmaker, she directed and produced OASIS, which chronicles a small clinic's battle to secure Hep C treatment for its underserved patients. Jordan recently worked as a story producer on The Me You Can't See and Eyes on the Prize: Hallowed Ground.