South Dakota legislators are heading back into session here soon. So the discussions at home lately when the kids aren’t around, is about shared parenting and creating meaningful changes in legislation, perhaps, this year.
As the Cowboy gets more and more calls to see what people can do to get involved, or as he thinks about how he can do anything that will actually make a difference for children and families not just in our state, but anything that may have far reaching consequences, he continues to stumble across some of the other incredible advocacy happening in regard to children and families and reforming a horrendously broken system.
If you haven’t seen the following, Romeo Misses A Payment, http://theromeodocumentary.com/full-movie/ please take the time and watch. Same with #DivorceCorp, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZTOT6DKfZ8 which I wrote about the other day. And yes, I’m including the actual links here because not everyone is savvy enough to realize there’s a hyperlink there. I think these two films and the insights they allow are too important for someone to miss if they’re even remotely seeking to better understand.
If you’ve never been divorced and can’t understand what families might be going through, if you’re going through divorce and child custody discussions yourself, if you really love your kids and want to do what’s best for them versus an industry that enjoys making money off of the hurt and problems you decide to create for yourself versus resolve, if you’re a legislator and you sincerely want to educate yourself about where things are going so wrong (or if you’d prefer to continue to think you’re justified in listening to lobbyists from the State Bar Associations who only stand to gain from your apathy and inaction/you don’t want to change a very broken system with your vote because you’re prefer to remain ignorant to the actual problems current state law creates versus solves/take a phone call during the debate because you don’t know enough to intelligently participate/go to the bathroom to avoid actually having to cast a vote on the topic, don’t worry, we’re used to it) OR, if you are a member of the media and you want to go beyond the headlines of those ‘deadbeat dads’ who aren’t making their payments to take care of their children (Gasp, how could they! Did you ever stop to think about how someone making say .. maybe 25K/year could owe hundreds of thousands in back child support for two kids? How does THAT happen? Good story, but not as easy to turn and burn) and really get to some good stories about what’s wrong with this picture ..
PLEASE, take this brief look at how we are perpetuating the destruction of already damaged families and creating more and bigger problems in the process. Dig a little deeper. Think a little bigger. What is in the best interest of our kids? If that is the goal, it’s not what we’re currently often doing. Let’s figure out how to best resolve these issues together.
Conversations With a Cowboy 
Ms Wild, I am organizing a panel on fatherhood and would like to reach the producers of the films you mentioned, “Romeo Missed A Payment” and “Divorce Corp”. The forum is called “The Left Forum” and it takes place in NYC. We’ve done two of them over and believe that they are critical in raising awareness and bringing people together. I am asking for your help in reaching both or either film producer to invite them to join our panel. Of course, you are also invited to participate. You can familiarize yourself with the forum at their site, http://www.leftforum.org as for myself. You can also visit our site (www.afterdarkcatv.org) and do a search under my name, Felix Leo Campos. Thanks for your help.
Felix, I’ll do what I can to help connect you or connect with either of the producers. I believe Divorce Corp right now is screening across the country with the producers being present for Q&A. Perhaps check out the schedule and see if they might be near you anytime soon? Otherwise, what’s your twitter handle?
Ms. Wild:
Gracias, for your reply. Both films (Romeo Missed A Payment & Divorce Corp) screened in NYC but, they weren’t widely publicized. I think “Romero” & “Divorce” may have screened for at most a week & a half. With “Romeo” I happened to walk past a poster on my way to a local shopping center. Had I walked up the block rather than down the avenue, I would have missed it entirely. As for “Divorce” I heard that someone involved in the film appeared on one of the early morning news programs.
Word of mouth does work, but it takes time and a lot of it.
That said, I would like to continue to create screening and discussion opportunities for both and any film or media content project that touches on the subjects. The panel discussion at the Left Forum 2014 and the Fatherhood Image Film Festivals are examples. They both provide platforms for outreach to vested audiences.
The Dakotas are marvelous states. A lot of open land. Clear skies, something that is absent in NYC. You’re blessed. I hope you get the chance to connect us to the producers so that we can provide the service and support the cause. Oh, by the way, we have our own Dakotas, on west 72nd Street & Central Park West.
Felix Leo Campos
646 546 1901
Howdy, Carleen: It’s been a while. I found this e mail still in my in-box and decided to use it to re-aquaint ourselves. Did you get through the winter in one piece?? Ours was unusually long and equally unusually cold. Now, the summer season in upon us as is the allergy season and I can’t wait to get through the humidity. We haven’t made any contact with the “Romeo…” people yet and through another grape vine someone commented being familiar with the producer/director and the guy had children with several women, none of whom he is still with. It remains to be hearsay. On the positive note, the director of “Divorce Corp”, Joseph Sorge, attended the Left Forum in NYC this past spring and we chatted about the film and its subject. He is also screening his film this coming August 15 to 17 weekend at the 2nd Annual Fatherhood Image Film Festival taking place in NYC. So, if you’re looking to ride off into the sunrise, we’ll leave the light on for you.
Felix Leo Campos 646 546 1901
Carleen: Good evening, if that’s when you’re reading this message. We corresponded a year or two ago about a documentary on fatherhood listed below. Well, I’m just reaching out to say hello and welcome you to the new year.
Keep warm!!1 Felix Leo Campos 646 546 1901
My twitter handle (breaker, breaker) is @FelixLeoCampos
Felix, hope you heard from the producers! Made best possible connection I could at the moment but know they rec’d a direct email from a close colleague sharing your info. Let us know how it all goes!
Hey, cowgirl! I know it’s cold “up in them hills” and parairies, mountains, valleys, and plains where you are. Add another log and keep warm. I haven’t heard from the “Romeo…” producers but, thanks for keep up with us and reaching out to your network. I did, however, reach another producer of another documentary on the same subject. It’s called “Divorce Corp”. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? Anyway, we’ve chatted on a few occasions after playing phone tag. I invited them to join a panel that I’m organizing on the subject of fatherhood which is more general than their focus on divorce but, invaluable nonetheless.
What else are you working on?? We have a few festivals in the works including a literature & literacy book festival, a film festival, and a celebration honoring Latina women that we call, “HERspanic Achievement Celebration”.