AUGUST 1, 2010
We have been screening films as part of the Indocumentales series since 5 de Mayo here in New York and I feel a growing community around this issue every day. We couldn’t have timed it better if we had planned it. The proposed laws in Arizona, the hate crimes in Staten Island and a pressing need for solutions have increased the urgency around immigration. People seem interested and open to dialogue. Many seem confused, some have very strong opinions which are not always rational, some are somewhat misinformed or need more information to form an opinion. The premise of Indocumentales is that if information is available and people can learn more about the situations that create “the immigration problem,” then they will eventually be more educated and prepared if and when they have to weigh in on the matter.
Last Wednesday we had an inspiring workshop at Make The Road in Jackson Heights Queens. We held a screening of Alex Rivera’s The Sixth Section and then we had a discussion and workshop session with the students who were all incredibly energetic and full of ideas. I could see how these students were preparing themselves to go out into the world and change the way that people think and I’m certain that they will.
