LOS ANGELES, CA – Painting on a canvas is just one of the many art forms Stephanie Morton-Millstein can be found doing at her home studio as a multi-media artist.
- Parents raising money to show others a documentary
- Backpack Full of Cash addresses the L.A. teachers' strike
- Hoping to get people to see the film
“I have always needed to make things, to express myself,” said Morton-Millstein.
The latest way Morton expresses herself, is by being an activist parent since she saw the documentary Backpack Full of Cash in December about the teacher’s strike.
“I was inspired by these moms, these two women that made this film, and to stand up for what’s going on across America, this is not just California,” said Morton-Millstein.
The film addresses the growth of charter schools which fueled the Los Angeles teacher’s strike where the district loses money every time a student chooses to enroll in a charter school. California has the most charter schools in the nation and Los Angeles has the most in the state.
Initially, teachers at Canyon Elementary paid to screen Backpack Full of Cash. Then parents of the West Side school came together to raise the funds themselves to organize screenings of the film to show other parents. Their efforts are already making an impact with first-time viewers.
“Seeing this film was shocking, to see what was going on in these school districts and across the country and how much misinformation is out there,” said Leiauna Anderson, a parent and Booster Club President of Canyon Elementary.
For Morton-Millstein she knows they are lucky to be from an affluent area in L.A. However, for those in areas of L.A who can’t afford to buy a copy themselves, Morton-Millstein’s next step is to show it to them.
“We’re going to pay it forward to schools in Los Angeles that cannot afford to rent and buy this film to screen,” said Morton-Millstein.
The goal is to get as many as possible parents on board to see what the fight is about.