Working on the midterm together...

Last Sunday, March 6, Fermin and I went over to Cassie's apartment to work on our film's Outreach Campaign Plan, which was also considered to be our class's midterm assignment.  Naturally, the three of us took a long time to work on this endeavor because we spent the beginning of our time together joking around and sharing embarrassing stories with one another!  Eventually, we were able to come up with a creative yet  feasible outreach plan, which we finalized late that evening.  


I feel blessed to be in a team that plays hard but works hard, too.  :)

Pictures from our first official meeting!

Meet the Filmmakers!

Cassandra Rush

Concentration:  Mental Health
Sub-concentration:  Military Social Work 
Concentration Year Field Placement:  Volunteers of America


“Drink Water” is especially meaningful to me because I joined the Army in the hopes of one day working the mental health side.  After completing my bachelors at UC Irvine I enlisted in the Army Reserves as a Civil Affairs Specialist.  I served for a little over two years completing training at Ft. Bragg, Ft. Jackson, Ft. Lewis, March Airforce base, and Hickum Airforce base before entering the Military Social Work program at USC and switching my contract from enlisted to ROTC.  I am projected to get my commission in May and become a Social Work Officer for the Army.  My hopes for this documentary is that it can be used as a tool to help reduce mental health stigma and show Servicemembers that seeking mental health services is a sign of strength not weakness.


Maxie V. Pulliam

At Stand Down, a resource fair for homeless veterans.

Concentration:  Community Organization, Planning & Administration 
Sub-Concentration:  Military Social Work
Concentration Year Field Placement:  The Center for Veterans Advancement at Public Counsel and Volunteers of America


As the daughter of a veteran who lost his life to cancer after being exposed to Agent Orange in the Vietnam War, I was deeply affected by the immense amount of homeless veterans seeking services at the holistic homeless organization in San Francisco where I used to be an intern.  Since then, I have dedicated my life to making sure that my father’s battle buddies and the Military community at large can escape or overcome homelessness.  One of my ways of doing so is by co-creating the Just 1 Employment Placement Program with the Center for Veterans Advancement at Public Counsel.  Our employment model will give veteran participants the opportunity to receive mental health treatment in conjunction with a sustainable work environment.  Since therapy is one of the most influential factors in alleviating homelessness, I hope that, "Drink Water," will encourage service members and veterans to defeat the stigma and attend to their mental health and emotional needs; this, in turn, can eradicate homelessness all together.

It began with an elective...

During our last semester as graduate students at the USC School of Social Work, we are given the invaluable opportunity to take Professor Rafael C. Angulo's Media in Social Work elective.  The class challenges us to utilize documentary filmmaking as a medium to create social change.  Three weeks ago, each of us 25 students had to pitch our documentary ideas in front of the entire class.  Only eight could be green lighted.  One of the chosen ideas comes from Cassandra Rush.  Her idea is to explore the discrepancy of maintaining strength in the Military simply by drinking water, as suggested by drill instructors, versus seeking mental health services for combat-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Along with Cassie, Fermin Servin and I, Maxie Pulliam, also have the honor of producing this project.  We hope that our documentary can be used as a tool to encourage service members and veterans to seek mental health treatment, even if it goes against the drink water mentality.

Check our blog regularly for updates on our progress and creative processes.

Thanks again!