My Role: Solo Creator (writer, producer, cinematographer, and editor)

Genre: Documentary Short Film

Stand/Down is a documentary short about the Arizona Housing Coalition’s annual Homeless Veteran StandDown event in Maricopa County (Phoenix area).

The term “stand down” comes from the military, where it refers to a safe period when combat troops withdraw from battle to rest and recover. In this civilian context, it means offering veterans a break from the challenges of homelessness to access help in a welcoming, one-stop setting.

The Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance (AVSA), established in 2013, is a program of the Arizona Housing Coalition that holds annual events and resource fairs in 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties, including the nation’s largest of its kind, the annual Maricopa County StandDown. These events allow veterans and their families who are experiencing housing instability and homelessness to get and stay connected to housing and supportive services.