Josh Hayes, the director of the documentary, “The Invisible Class”, is hosting a free screening and food drive tonight in his hometown of Twentynine Palms, at Smith’s Ranch Drive-In. Reporter Heather Clisby recently spoke to Hayes and has this report …
Growing up in Twentynine Palms, Josh Hayes was bored and looking for trouble. But at 16, he picked up a camera and at age 37, has yet to put it down. His first feature-length film, “The Invisible Class” focuses on the how and why of homelessness.
Hayes found a lack of related documentaries so he filled that void, taking 11 years to do so. “If you can’t find something, create it. And that’s where the impetus of the project came from.”
The crew quickly realized that homelessness has many faces.
“We learned that chronic homelessness, chronic homelessness, aka person searching through trash, talking to yourself, that usually has ‘dual diagnosis—mental health and drug addiction issues—makes up about 12 percent of the population, which begs the question, ‘What about the other 88 percent?’”
Hayes and his crew were shocked to find them across the country in veterans shelters, family shelters, domestic violence shelters, LBGTQ shelters, and elderly shelters. He is hoping this film will shine a light on a growing issue in our society.
The screening of “The Invisible Class” at Smiths’ Ranch Drive-In is also a food drive for the Twentynine Palms Community Food Pantry, so bring jars of peanut butter and canned meats. Screening the film at a place he enjoyed as a child, holds special meaning for Hayes.
“I think if you just have the grit and the strength from growing up in a tough place, you take that out in the world with you and appreciate the culture and the people that are out there, there’s a lot you can do in this world.”
