Ashanti Talks Fighting Homelessness In Her New Film 'No Address'

Ashanti Discusses How No Address Helps The Audience Fight Homelessness With Each Ticket: “They’re Struggling And We Have To Do Something”

Few events highlighted the reality that homelessness could happen to anyone like the recent wildfires. The historic natural disaster left thousands of the most famous and wealthy people in California escaping with nothing but their lives, while dozens of others weren’t that lucky.

The country united to help the victims of the worst wildfires in U.S. history. Hollywood continues to dedicate awards shows to rebuilding more than 16,000 destroyed structures and $250 billion in damages. However, when it comes to millions of everyday people across the country who lost everything, they’re too often treated like “trash” to clean up. Ashanti credited No Address with fighting dehumanizing stereotypes about homelessness.

Source: No Address Movie / Courtesy

“People categorize homelessness as being lazy or a drug addict or not wanting to work. These are everyday people struggling to pay bills. You might fall one or two bills behind and find yourself living on the streets,” she told BOSSIP.

“This really put it in perspective that you could be doing everything right… and one lost payment could change your life. And not to judge because… it could happen to anybody.”

Even the organizations fighting to end homelessness struggle to secure and provide enough resources for people who need it most. Earlier this month in Detroit, two children died while their family slept in a van. The 2-year-old and 9-year-old weren’t breathing after the heat stopped working in the frigid temperatures overnight. Their mother, Tateona Williams, called the city for help with housing throughout the past year but only received assistance after the devastating loss.

Ashanti is proud that the film helps by raising awareness while raising funds with 50% of the net profits pledged to organizations that fight homelessness.

“That’s what makes this film so dope!” she said. “When you go and buy your tickets, not only are you supporting an amazing film but you’re also directly giving back.”

The film covers solutions to homelessness from government policies and programs to communities leaning on each other. Ashanti explains what it means to “break the No Address cycle.”

“Get out and do something if you can, to not judge… give back a little if you can,” she explained. “These are people’s stories and they’re struggling and we have to do something to change that. It does not make sense to have trillionaires living in NYC and someone who can’t afford a cup of juice up the block.”

Check out the full version of Ashanti’s song “Bonafide Survivor” from the No Address soundtrack below.

Get your tickets to see the No Address in theaters on Feb. 28 and find out how you can break the No Address cycle at www.NoAddressMovie.com.