not Quite Here, not Quite There
An empathy- to-action film campaign in response to current immigration policies and the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision to potentially end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA), which provides temporary legal status and protection from deportation for youth brought to the U.S. without legal papers when they were children.
BY: Diana Peña, Emily Ponce, & Kianna Teachout
ABOUT THE FILM:
Media representations of immigrants dehumanize the people they portray. not Quite Here, not Quite There is a visual companion to a poem written by Diana Peña, focusing on the undocumented experience.
CREATED BY: Diana Peña (16), Emily Ponce (14), Kianna Teachout (18)
SCREENING GUIDE AND CALLS TO ACTION
Pre-Film Reflection Questions:
- What are some stereotypes you’ve heard about undocumented immigrants? Do you think they’re true? What is your opinion of undocumented immigrants?
- Why do you think people become immigrants?
- What is your knowledge about the current immigration policies in this country? Do you believe they are ethical?
- Do you know what’s currently occurring in the detention camps for immigrants? Why do you think immigrants are being detained in detention facilities?
- Have you heard of DACA — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ?
Post-film Discussion Questions:
- What are some ways the writer has been affected as a result of being an immigrant?
- How can you be an ally to undocumented immigrants?
- Were you able to relate personally to any parts of the film?
- In the film the writer asks, “is soil all that makes us American?” What do you think she means by that? What do you think it means to be American?
- In the film the writer says, “and isn’t that the American Dream? we’re a huddled people yearning to breathe free.” What do you think the American Dream is?
- After watching this film do you feel more equipped to engage in constructive conversations around immigrant issues?
1. SHARE THIS FILM: Copy/paste below
On Twitter and Facebook
#notquiteherenotquitethere — Watch a short doc about #immigration by #femaleyouth and #WOC #empathytoaction #womensvoicesnow #girlsvoicesnow #defyhate #daca #immigrant #resist #protest #borders #neveragain #detentioncamps #bridgesnotborders https://bit.ly/2kwOiRF
On Instagram
Watch the #WOC made short doc #notquiteherenotquitethere a film about #immigration as told through the eyes of #femaleyouth #empathytoaction #womensvoicesnow #girlsvoicesnow #defyhate #daca #immigrant #resist #protest #borders #neveragain #detentioncamps #bridgesnotborders @Womens_Voices_Now https://bit.ly/2kwOiRF
2. HOST A SCREENING of this film using this screening guide.
3. READ THE RESOURCES provided below and take calls to action where you see them
4. SIGN PETITIONS
5. DONATE to help undocumented youth, detained individuals, and fight against family separation:
Do your homework before donating!
Make sure to verify a charity’s legitimacy is to look it up on a site such as Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Great Nonprofits. These sites rate nonprofits and allow you to find out more about the organization and how donations are spent.
Organizations we vetted
- The Supreme Court Takes up DACA Appeal- An article on what DACA is, and what is at risk should it be dismantled.
- Inside a Texas Building where the Government is holding Immigrant Children- An article in which Some of the lawyers interviewing immigrant children held in Border Patrol detention facilities were so disturbed by what they saw that they have decided to talk to the media.
- Everything We Know About the Inhumane Conditions at Migrant Detention Camps
- Know Your Rights: If you or someone you know is at risk of being targeted by the ICE raids, share these documents:
*ACLU: Know your Rights as an Immigrant, Contact Your local ACLU affiliate.
*National Immigration Law Center: Know Your Rights
*A Toolkit for Organizations Responding to Mass Worksite Immigration Raids
*Immigrant Legal Resource Center
*American Immigration Lawyers Association
This film was made in the Girls’ Voices Now (GVN) summer youth program, hosted by Women’s Voices Now (WVN). WVN is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, that promotes, produces, and shares social-change films that move audiences from empathy to action on women’s and girls’ rights issues, bridging the gap between filmmakers and agents of social change. GVN amplifies the voices of young women from underrepresented communities in Los Angeles by teaching documentary filmmaking. Over the course of five weeks, students learn how to create their own short documentary and how to use the medium of film to affect positive social-change in their communities.
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