Screening of documentary film: STRENGTH Documenting the Asylum Seeker

Free virtual screening on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (PDT)

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

The film illustrates truths of asylum seekers coming from Central America to the U.S. through interviews with mothers and fathers escaping violence from their home countries.
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"STRENGTH Documenting the Asylum Seeker" sheds light on the asylum seeker coming from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to the United States. The film provides a platform for these immigrants to tell their stories and share their motives for migration.

The free screening will be held virtually on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (PDT). Register here: bit.ly/BABRSTRENGTH

The program will include a panel discussion with Q&A immediately following the 28-minute film. Chantal da Silva, chief correspondent for Newsweek, will moderate. She is a Canadian-British born journalist focused on immigration, human rights and politics.

Panelists:

Oscar Guerra is an Emmy award-winning director, researcher, and educator. He is an Assistant Professor of Film and Video at the University of Connecticut.

Sr. Norma Seni Pimentel, Executive Director of Catholic Charities Rio Grande Valley, chose as one of THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE OF 2020, Time Magazine.

Dr. Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga is Faculty Coordinator for the Masters In Counseling, Marriage & Family Therapy program at the University of San Francisco , founder of Ayudando Latinos a Soñar (ALAS) and Co-Founder of Bay Area Border Relief.

Rodrigo Cervantes is KJZZ Bureau Chief in Mexico City, an Arizona NPR members station, where he was born and raised.

The stories in the film provide an opportunity for a wider audience to understand not only the social and political situation behind immigration, but also the reasons why these immigrants leave their country, family, and culture to embark on a perilous journey in order to provide better, yet uncertain, futures for their kids. The main goal of this film is to document, understand, and legitimize the immigrant's voice.

The director, Oscar Guerra, presents the content from the perspective of immigrants who want to share their experience with a wider, non-Latino audience. Guerra does not expect that all viewers will be familiar with the economic conditions and sociopolitical atmosphere of Central America. For that reason, he starts the piece by providing background information about Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

For the film trailer and to register for the free virtual event: bit.ly/BABRSTRENGTH

The event is hosted by Bay Area Border Relief (BABR). BABR is a humanitarian non-profit organization that serves and advocates for children and families seeking their human right to asylum in the U.S. The organization extends special thanks and appreciation to sponsors Kathy & Richard Klein and Bill McIver.

Follow BABR on Twitter for updates at @borderrelief.

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