Self-Governing Off the Grid Squatters Paradise - Slab City’s Story

Situated in the Sonoran Desert, Slab City sits in an unincorporated area of Imperial County, CA. For decades, Slab City has been self-proclaimed as, “the last free place on earth.“ A squatters encampment from it’s inception, Slab City attracts a wide array of people from a variety of backgrounds. With a seasonal population that can swell into the thousands each winter, the harsh summer causes this number to dwindle to a couple hundred. Basic services such as electricity, running water, and waste pickup are not provided to Slab City residents, nor is rent or property taxes. However, free isn’t just measured in a financial sense. Locals, known as slabbers, prefer to self-govern. Some are transient, there for a few days or a few months. While others have lived there for over a decade. Spanned over a multi-day visit, this mini documentary goes inside the homes and minds of several Slab City residents. Chapters: Intro A 0:00 Intro B 3:50 OS Intro 7:14 Dot 7:30 Pete 11:55 Jack 17:21 History 25:11 Military Bunkers 30:00 Luis 34:30 Anonymous 37:21 JD 39:41 Charlie 41:37 Interlude 45:45 Spyder 47:10 Tall Paul 53:37 Rob 55:10 Queen Booty 56:26 Conclusion 57:18 I’m Jeff, the founder of Our Story. Since a young age I’d been intrigued by other peoples life lessons, ups and downs, triumphs and failures, and the simple reality that we’re all human. Our Story is a tale of people - Of mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s sad, sometimes it’s uplifting, and other times it’s shocking. But in the end, this is not fiction. This is about real people, many of which I personally approach on a sidewalk, at a park, on the sand, or wherever. Because every single human on this planet has a story - and I’m here to provide a platform for them to share it. Follow Our Story Elsewhere: Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - @ourstory_tv?lang=en