Featured This Week:
Exploring America's mental health crisis.
Alexey Navalny reflects on life in a Russian prison.
Join CNN Films for an exclusive screening.
|
VIDEO: 'Craziness took over me': Woman shares how she became homeless |
Exploring America's mental health crisis |
Nine out of 10 American adults believe the United States is experiencing a mental health crisis, according to a CNN survey last month. Recent spikes in suicide rates, opioid-related deaths and other public health threats have further validated Americans' growing concern.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, both drug overdose deaths and suicide rates reached record levels in 2021 during the height of the pandemic. This nationwide epidemic is impacting Lisa Ling's beloved home city of Los Angeles especially hard. Out of the 1 in 25 adults in America who have a mental illness, Los Angeles' homeless populations represent a staggering 30% of those cases.
"It's an emergency and it's an emergency across the spectrum," said Dr. Jonathan Sherin, a psychiatrist in Los Angeles. "We don't have enough housing. We don't have enough jobs or supported employment and we certainly don't have enough treatment."
In this Sunday’s episode of This is Life with Lisa Ling, Ling and her crew ride along with the LA Sheriff's Department and the city's Mental Health Evaluation team to speak with communities of homeless people directly impacted by the ongoing mental health crisis.
For more information on America's mental health crisis, check out:
|
|
|
VIDEO: Watch the trailer for award-winning CNN film Navalny |
Russian dissident, Alexey Navalny, reportedly moved to solitary confinement in efforts to silence him |
In a recent thread of tweets, the world learned that Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was moved to solitary confinement in an effort to "shut him up."
Cell-type rooms are used as punishment or to separate the most dangerous offenders in the Russian penitentiary system. Inmates in Russian penal colonies are typically housed in barracks instead of cells, according to a report by Poland-based think tank the Centre for Eastern Studies.
This punishment comes just two years after the Russian dissident was poisoned with a nerve agent that many Western officials and Navalny himself believe was an attack by the Kremlin.
In his isolation, Navalny said that he is allowed just two books and can use prison commissary, “albeit with a very limited budget.”
But the “real indescribable bestiality, very characteristic of the Kremlin, which manually controls my entire incarceration,” is the blocking of visits, he said. His parents, children, and wife were due to visit, but he will no longer get to see them, Navalny wrote.
Want to learn more about Navalny's life? Tune in this Saturday at 9 p.m. ET for a special rebroadcast of the award-winning CNN Film, Navalny. You can also stream the film now on HBO Max.
|
|
|
Join CNN Films for an exclusive screening
|
CNN Films is hosting an advance screening of the documentary Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over.
In her legendary velvet-toned voice, Dionne Warwick recaps the story of her music and life, exploring six decades of her transformational career and her lasting cultural and creative legacies. The film also includes the backstories behind her blockbuster hits: “That’s What Friends Are For,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” and many more. The six-time Grammy-winner also remains an advocate for racial equality, women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights.
"Her trailblazing, humanitarian legacy extends beyond her exquisite songbook, and she’s had a lasting cultural influence,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president at CNN.
The special virtual event will take place on Wednesday, December 14, at 7 p.m. ET, with opening remarks from the music legend herself.
|
|
|
CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute airs this Sunday |
This Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, co-hosted by Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa, honors ten extraordinary people who are changing the world. The 2022 CNN Hero of the Year will be revealed during the live ceremony.
Here are the top 10 CNN Heroes:
-
Carie Broecker, Peace of Mind Dog Rescue – Pacific Grove, CA
When aging dog owners struggle to care for their pets, Carie Broecker steps in, providing volunteer services that allow them to stay together or find these beloved family members' new forever homes.
-
Richard Casper, CreatiVets – Nashville, TN
Haunted by his experiences in Iraq, Marine veteran Richard Casper discovered the therapeutic power of creating art and music. Now, his immersive visual art and songwriting programs help fellow combat veterans heal by sharing their stories and working through their pain.
-
Nelly Cheboi, TechLit Africa – Mogotio, Kenya & Shabbona, IL
After growing up in poverty in Kenya, Nelly Cheboi found her passion in computer science. Today, she is upcycling computers to teach tech skills and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty for a new generation.
-
Nora El-Khouri Spencer, Hope Renovations – Carrboro, NC
Nora El-Khouri Spencer trains women in North Carolina for well-paying careers in construction while providing free modifications that enable seniors to age safely in their homes.
-
Tyrique Glasgow, Young Chances Foundation – Philadelphia, PA
After spending five years in prison on drug charges, Tyrique Glasgow returned to his South Philadelphia neighborhood – long challenged by poverty and gun violence — and became a force for good. Now, he provides safety and opportunity for his entire community.
-
Teresa Gray, Mobile Medics International – Anchorage, AK
A paramedic and nurse from Alaska, Teresa Gray leads teams of volunteer medics into natural and humanitarian disasters, delivering vital care and support to those in need.
-
Meymuna Hussein-Cattan, The Tiyya Foundation – Santa Ana, CA
Meymuna Hussein-Cattan provides critical resources and support that helps refugees and immigrants successfully transition to life in the US, while her restaurant shares their culture with the greater Los Angeles area.
-
Aidan Reilly, The Farmlink Project – Santa Ana, CA
Aidan Reilly brought together a nationwide network of young volunteers to tackle food waste and insecurity – rescuing tons of excess produce from farms and distributing it to people in need across the US.
-
Debra Vines, The Answer Inc. – Maywood, IL
Debra Vines struggled to find support and resources when her son Jason was diagnosed with autism. Now, she provides African American families in underserved Chicago-area communities with the services, community and education they need to thrive.
-
Bobby Wilson, Metro Atlanta Urban Farm – Atlanta, GA
Bobby Wilson is feeding and healing his urban community by teaching thousands of people how to plant, grow, and prepare their own healthy food.
Each CNN hero will be awarded $10,000, and the Hero of the Year will receive an additional $100,000.
|
|
|
CNN's Little Richard documentary premiering at Sundance |
The CNN Film about Little Richard— the screaming, preening, scene-stealing wild man of early rock ‘n’ roll— will premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
Richard Penniman, also known as “Little Richard,” lived a life as large as his dreams, breaking barriers and becoming a global music superstar. He was a key architect of rock and roll. His unique sound, performance, and bravado launched a fresh and exciting new genre.
He was the creative genius behind “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally,” and even “The Magic School Bus Theme.”
"This magnificent rock n’ roll icon changed the world for all of us – Black and white, straight and gay, everyday people and stars. His story is the history of rock n’ roll: musical genius mixed with the sheer audacity to morph and change at will, seeking permission from no one. The film is called I Am Everything because that was Little Richard’s triumph: transcending all categories and expectations to be everything he dreamed,” said director Lisa Cortés.
Click here to learn more about the film.
|
|
|
This edition was written and edited by Alexis Garfield and Janelle Davis. |
|
|
|
