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My Own Four Walls ... (c) 2007
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My Own Four Walls, Diane's first film, before she knew anything about filmmaking or RVing. In March 2007, My Own Four Walls was released. Perfect film to train school staff on the importance of the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act! Ideal for all ages. |
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Babies, Toddlers, Pre-school Kids...
Homeless?
Yes! Hundreds of thousands...
and few people know. That's why HEAR US created
Littlest Nomads,
an 11-min. video (watch on YouTube)
focusing on how to help 'the Littles.' |
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Read what was said about Littlest Nomads: I first would like to say how moved and impressed I was by the ‘Littlest Nomads’ film! I was so ecstatic to see a message that conveys the importance of recognizing these children! The film is brilliantly done and the language used, along with the video shots of the kiddos really emphasize the importance of reaching these young children at the most vulnerable times in their lives. Thank you for generating this message! Jessica Hartley Langan, MSW/LSW Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development |
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Now available! Littlest Nomads film! View on YouTube! Help audiences of all types understand how homelessness affects babies and toddlers,
Perfect McKinney-Vento training tool! HEAD START, and any early childhood programs in your community will benefit too! |
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Over 6 million children in the United States are homeless, including million+ Littlest Nomads. Babies, toddlers, pre-school kids spend their most vital developmental years in the worst possible situation--homeless. 
HEAR US has teamed up with respected national expert Sarah Benjamin to film and produce Littlest Nomads, a short film highlighting the plight of these little ones. MEDIA COVERAGE OF Littlest Nomads:
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| More resources may be found at: National Center on Homeless Education |
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Comments from those who've attended Littlest Nomad presentations:
"We have no shelter in my community and no low-income housing available. 700 people on the waiting list. Only 2 Early Head Start classes. Very few centers that take infants. Long waiting lists for subsidized child care and regular Head Start."
"Parenting support is available at the Urban Core. Support services are spotty in my suburban/rural setting."
"Support services are not always aware of homeless 0-5 yos unless there are older siblings in school."
"This group of homeless population do not have the appropriate 'voice' for their needs. They get lost in the shuffle of survival mode."
"I am embarassed by my own lack of knowledge on the services that my community offers to homeless 'little people.'"
Download the guides below (FREE)! 
My Own Four Walls Action Guide (pdf)
My Own Four Walls Discussion Guide (pdf)\
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Award-winning film, as seen on PBS!
Seven women courageously step out of America's shadow of shame, homelessness, lugging family troubles and deep-seated anxiety as they grapple to avoid returning to their nomadic existence. Their brutal honesty reveals not only the turmoil and tragedies that led to their homelessness but also their vulnerability of returning to a life of invisible struggle to survive. Their stories give new meaning to life “on the edge.” Each woman’s story is unique but there are recurring themes of trauma and abuse. They speak of the friends who tried to help them and their own desire to help others like themselves. Each woman has fought to regain her independence with a fragile support network, based on society’s ambiguous standards. They grasp tenuously to the edge of stability hoping for future lives in their own homes, or at least to avoid the return to homelessness. |
on the edge: Family Homelessness
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| on the edge NEWS, AWARDS | ||
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on the edge won the Big Muddy Film Festival, 2/24/12 |
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In April 2011, Laura Vazquez was awarded the prestigious BEA |
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AWESOME REVIEW! “After you’ve been homeless, you will do whatever is in your power to keep from being homeless again,” remarks one of the down-but-not-quite-out subjects in this heartbreaking documentary, which puts a human face on homelessness. In candid interviews, seven women share their tales of homelessness, telling about circumstances that led to their rootless existence and their attempts to find sleeping arrangements with friends or in cheap hotels and shelters, all the while trying to get themselves back on their feet. Experts address legal, social, and childdevelopment issues and present staggering statistics (a single mother of two working a minimum-wage job would have to work 120 hours a week just to afford an apartment). The film is straightforward rather than sensationalistic, making the women’s stories even more powerful. Use this in community groups and classrooms to spur discussions about this widespread problem. (Discussion Guide) — Donald Liebenson, Reviewer for the American Library Association |
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more about...
on the edge, a feature-length (58 min.) documentary film offering an intense look at realities of invisible homeless families in America, filmed and produced by Nomad Productions--Diane Nilan and Laura Vazquez. Screenings may be arranged by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Far beyond urban street corners where often-scorned and neglected homeless men and women shuffle, invisible families and teens struggle to survive homelessness and destitution. They stay in a variety of locales, in communities of all sizes and economic compositions. For numerous reasons, this sub-population of homeless denizens have been mostly ignored, and now estimates of their numbers exceeds 2 million, with some experts believing that invisible homeless families could number close to 10 million.
on the edge, featuring 7 women who lost their housing for a variety of reasons, gives a painfully intimate look at the entwined connection between poverty, housing issues, social problems, addictions, family crises, and gender-related injustices. These compelling and forthcoming experts on homelessness shine a bright, unmitigated light on systemic and personal causes of their struggles, illuminating what has been a dark corner of social inaction and concern.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
Diane Nilan, Founder/President, HEAR US Inc.
Laura Vazquez, Professor, Northern Illinois University, Department of Communication, documentary filmmaker 
Since 2006, Nilan (left) and Vazquez have completed several short films on the issue of homeless children, youth and families. Their documentary series includes My Own Four Walls, which won the 2007 NAECHY Outstanding Media Award, as well as a K-12 educator awareness series for teachers and administrators. They produced REACH: Connect Children to Education, a short training video to remove barriers to education for homeless children of incarcerated parents, and several short advocacy videos.
Nilan has worked with homeless families, intensely advocating on local, state and national levels for solutions to homelessness for over 3 decades She is in her 16th year traveling backroads of the lower 48 states chronicling homelessness as it affects families and teens. (Diane's biography)
Vazquez, an accomplished documentary filmmaker, devoted her sabbatical in the spring of 2008 (and much more) to work with Nilan on this unique film project. Her commitment to this ignored issue and her longstanding commitment to social justice contributes not only vast technical expertise, but the passion that augments this extraordinary effort.
Besides the longstanding involvement of HEAR US in projects that raise awareness of family/youth homelessness, HEAR US has flexibility to pursue projects that would otherwise take a long time for other organizations to get off the ground. When a relevant issue arises, and circumstances allow, Diane can often pursue it, either by researching and blogging about it or visiting the location and filming.
Other endeavors include Memorial Blanket Project, and various local awareness-raising events, e.g. diaper drives.
| Memorial Blanket Project | Diaper drive | Budgetel Inn in Chattanooga closed |
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Recent examples of HEAR US action include:
| Hurricane Michael, Panama City, FL 2020 | Ride It Out https://youtu.be/urzJR08pmVc |
| Family in motel during Covid, Raleigh, NC 2020 |
Capital Failure |
| Doubled up homelessness in Madison and Dane County, WI 2021 | Not Homeless Enough https://youtu.be/ZkQBSsqEcGk |
| Humanitarian crisis caused by mass eviction in Chattanooga, TN 2022 | Unexpected Upheaval https://youtu.be/KcQf59BeNPw |
