ABOUT THE PROJECT
LOGLINE
After overcoming decades of addiction and homelessness, Del Seymour transforms his life and his San Francisco neighborhood by founding Code Tenderloin, a groundbreaking program that creates pathways to employment for society’s most vulnerable, proving that dignity and opportunity can break cycles of systemic hardship.
SYNOPSIS
The Tenderloin district of San Francisco serves as a microcosm of America’s urban challenges, where extreme poverty exists in stark contrast to tremendous wealth. In this historically challenged neighborhood, working-class residents live alongside vulnerable populations, including people experiencing homelessness, formerly incarcerated individuals, those struggling with substance use, and sex workers. This documentary examines these intersecting challenges through the transformative story of Del Seymour and Code Tenderloin, the organization he founded to create pathways to employment for those facing systemic barriers.
The film’s exploration of personal and systemic transformation is anchored in Seymour’s own journey from addiction and homelessness to community leadership, demonstrating how individual change can catalyze social impact. Through Code Tenderloin’s job training program, the documentary shows how employment can serve as a crucial stepping stone out of poverty, while addressing the systemic barriers that often prevent marginalized populations from accessing opportunities. The program’s success in building bridges between vulnerable communities and the tech sector illustrates the potential of community-based solutions to complex social problems.
The film wrestles with fundamental questions about breaking cycles of poverty and addiction in America. Through the stories of Code Tenderloin’s participants—some currently experiencing homelessness, others looking back as graduates—the documentary explores how society can better support individuals rebuilding their lives, and the role of employment in addressing homelessness and addiction. The stakes are high both for individual participants, whose success or failure can mean the difference between stability and continued hardship, and for communities seeking models to address similar challenges.
By focusing on Code Tenderloin’s practical, results-oriented approach while acknowledging the complexity of the challenges it addresses, the film offers hope without oversimplification. Through its emphasis on dignity and opportunity, it demonstrates how community-based solutions, led by those with lived experience, can create meaningful pathways to transformation and stability.
PROJECT TYPE Documentary Short
DIRECTOR Del Seymour, Steve Goldbloom
PRODUCER Steve Goldbloom, Melissa Williams
The Film Collaborative (TFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing programs and services for independent filmmakers. TFC’s federal tax ID number is 32-0295081. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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