[Documentary\Immigration News]
Andy Myers, Senior Campaign Coordinator at Working Films: “People are standing up to the heartless attacks being perpetrated against immigrants, and Stories Beyond Borders is a resource in these efforts. We’re grateful for our local partners who are fearlessly telling their stories and connecting audiences to the timeliest actions.”
Photos: Working Films
One of the films featured in the “Stories Beyond Borders” film series is “Not a Citizen,” about Abdi Ali, a Somali immigrant who was detained by ICE.
On September 24, Working Films will release Stories Beyond Borders, a film series that shares a comprehensive picture of the current day experiences of immigrants and their communities.
This project was co-created with National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), National Domestic Workers Alliance, UndocuBlack Network, and United We Dream.
Beyond building empathy, these films lift up real stories of resilience and strength, while illustrating ways people can give their time, energy, and resources to support immigrant-led efforts for justice. Screenings kick off today in Tennessee and North Carolina, and are followed by more in Texas, Colorado, Arkansas, Georgia, and Michigan. The series is publicly available for anyone to host a screening in their community by request. Every screening is free and open to the public, and includes a discussion facilitated by those leading efforts for immigrant justice in their communities.
“People are standing up to the heartless attacks being perpetrated against immigrants, and Stories Beyond Borders is a resource in these efforts,” said Andy Myers, Senior Campaign Coordinator at Working Films. “We’re grateful for our local partners who are fearlessly telling their stories and connecting audiences to the timeliest actions.”
From news headlines to the Democratic debate stage, a fuller story of immigration needs to be told to address the harms perpetuated by immigration enforcement practices and policies that extend beyond the crisis at the border. Whether it’s through raids, people being picked up at courthouses, or being forced to live in churches – families are being separated and attacked across America.
The series also lifts up underrepresented immigrant voices and the discrepancies in how different immigrant populations are treated. One of the films in the collection, Not a Citizen, features the story of Abdi Ali, a Somali immigrant and permanent resident who was detained by ICE while meeting with his lawyer in a Portland courthouse.
“It is critical that we are aware of the ways in which many Black immigrants like Abdi are criminalized by both the immigration and the criminal justice systems,” said Nekessa Opoti, Communications Strategists for UndocuBlack Network. “‘Not a Citizen’ is one of many ways in which Black immigrants are marginalized. These stories need to be told.”
Working Films anticipates more than 200 Stories Beyond Borders screening events will take place nationwide. They will provide people and organizations with the resources to self-organize screenings in their communities. For information on how to host a Stories Beyond Borders screening in your community, visit: http://www.workingfilms.org/stories-beyond-borders/host/.
Working Films is a nonprofit organization that uses the medium of film to advocate for a more just and equitable world.
