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.