a full life
Everyone has a beautiful story to share. a full life is a collection of inspirational videos featuring the individuals supported by Lifehouse telling their own stories and truths as they learn and grow within the community. It is our hope that viewers will be able to “meet” residents through their likes, dislikes, struggles, and triumphs presented in these profiles.
Amy Chun
Meet Amy- She is an outgoing 36-year-old living in Marin County and has been supported by Lifehouse for 14 years. Amy has no shortage of hobbies which include performance arts, drawing and participating in multiple sports in the Special Olympics. She and her roommates at Laurel Place are a tight knit group of friends that support and care for one another like family. Amy’s drive for independence is encouraged by the Lifehouse staff who work with her on a daily basis to help her with tasks like cooking, laundry, and budgeting. These skills will help her reach her goal of one day having her own apartment.
Please consider a donation to Lifehouse today to ensure that we are able to continue providing high quality support services to individuals like Amy in our community.
Filmed and produced by Humans Being Media
Stacey Bowen
Meet Stacey! There is nothing quite like the confidence that Stacy brings to the table. Being born with a disability comes with obstacles that many of us could never imagine but Stacy is a firm believer in manifesting ones dreams and taking your life into your own hands, even if that means you need a little help getting there along the way. This self-determination has led her to make several positive changes in her life this last year including her health and taking first steps to starting her own jewelry making business. She recently made her first sale of earrings at the new Lifehouse offices!
Filmed and Produced by Chikara Motomura
Dante Mazzolini
Meet Dante- He is a kind and determined individual living on his own for five and a half years with the help of Lifehouse. At Santa Rosa Junior College, Dante worked hard and received a Technical Degree through C2C (College to Career). He now works full time as a courtesy clerk at Safeway, but hopes someday to fulfill his lifelong dream of working with animals. Dante believes that everyone should hang in there and follow their dreams.
Filmed and Produced by Chikara Motomura
Filmed and Produced by Chikara Motomura
Peter Elias
Peter has been a Lifehouse resident for 18 years and lives in Comito House with this best friend Greg and four young men. Peter has a great sense of humor, loves to work with his hands and is an avid sports enthusiast. Baseball or Basketball fan? Then you and Peter will get along just fine, but you better be a Giants or Warriors fan.
Chloe Pollock
Meet Chloe- A lovely, talented, confident young woman, and a Lifehouse resident for the past six years. Chloe has had a strong creative drive since she was a young girl and a beautiful collection of her drawings that fill the halls of Hamilton Place where she lives. Chloe’s other interests include fashion, theater, health, and dance. You can see her rocking her dance moves in the Lifehouse performance at the annual Great Chefs & Wineries!
Filmed and Produced by Chikara Motomura
Filmed and Produced by Chikara Motomura
Breton Kaiser Taylor
Meet Breton- He is a true example of what creativity, a strong attitude, and determination can bring. Fresh off releasing his first book The Dragon of Emerhill, Breton is already dreaming up a sequel and maybe even a trilogy. His love for the arts paints him a true renaissance man with an enthusiasm for the classics in poetry, love of theater, and an incredible skill for drawing and painting.
Sallie Harrison
Meet Sallie- She has a sweet demeanor and a great sense of humor. Some of her favorite activities include, listening to music, hanging out with friends, and playing table tennis. Her favorite thing about Lifehouse is the community that she now considers family.
Filmed and Produced by Chikara Motomura
Filmed and Produced by Chikara Motomura
Tamsin Kearns
Meet Tamsin, the young Lifehouse Resident who is striving to improve Special Education system for young children with developmental disabilities. She volunteers three times a week at an elementary school in Sonoma helping children with their language arts skills and hopes to eventually earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education Teaching. When she isn’t studying or helping others you find Tamsin signing her heart out at the local Karaoke night.
Cindy “Angel” Watkins
Meet “Angel”a charismatic and joyful woman with a strong drive for creativity. She truly believes that everything in life happens for a reason and that we should take the time to look at what’s on the inside instead of the outside.
Filmed and Produced by Chikara Motomura
Filmed and Produced by Chikara Motomura
Corey Slatton
Meet Lifehouse resident Corey! As a young man with Asperger’s, he struggled to find his place in the world and feel comfortable in his own skin. In a candid interview, Corey says “good-bye” to letting stigmas narrate his life. With the support of Lifehouse staff,Corey sets goals for himself and embraces the camaraderie and positivity that our community offers. He wants others with developmental disabilities to know it’s okay to step outside of their comfort zone and not let their disability define them.
The Filmmakers
Humans Being Media, Inc. is a North Bay video production agency. They are a mission-first company creating artful, heartful, and socially enterprising films that make a powerfully positive impact on our communities and our planet. They offer the benefit of two and a half decades of filmmaking experience, professional speed, insight, and intuitive storytelling. They provide exceptional value, creating fair budgets and offering nimble production solutions. Their content is emotionally stirring and visually impactful.
A Japanese native, Chikara has spent nearly 35 years in New York, Hawaii, and in the San Francisco Bay area as a freelance Director, Cinematographer, and Editor for various Japanese television networks, including NHK, Japan’s public television. Chikara also was a principal collaborator on 14 independent films with Rob Nilsson, a Berkeley-based Sundance/Cannes award-winning filmmaker.
Since 2011, Chikara has partnered with Paul Zehrer for PotentialSF — working as Co-Producer, Cinematographer, and Co-Editor on numerous award-winning films including “Why Waldorf?”, “Preparing for Life”, and “Being Seen”. Recently Chikara was a Co-Cinematographer for “The Test and The Art of Thinking,” a documentary feature about the SAT exam.
