By Christine Joy Ferrer
I am first-generation American born. I am the daughter of Filipino immigrant parents who came to the United States in their 20s. My father served our country in the U.S. Navy and later became a naturalized American citizen. This is why I am an American.
It’s easy to forget that within our own personal histories and ancestries we have all, at some point, crossed oceans and borders to migrate to the U.S. from other countries. But, we must not forget that about 13,000 years ago this land’s first people derived from those of indigenous and native blood.
“Migration is Beautiful,” a documentary web series released by Voice of Art highlights the growing movement of artists, designers, performers and musicians working for migrant justice, featuring activist and artist Favianna Rodriguez, and also actor and activist Rosario Dawson and Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Undocumented Activist Jose Antonio Vargas. This short three-part documentary follows pro-migrant artists to Tucson and Charlotte to combat anti-migrant hate with art. It also shines light on some of the worst migration policies in the country and what the community is doing to fight them back.
I am inspired by ARTivists like Favianna Rodriguez, Melanie Cervantes, Jesus Barraza and Julio Salgado to Pulitzer-prize winner Jose Antonio Vargas and others who use their art as a catalyst for social change. Their lives embody the power of cultural and community organizing. Migration is Beautiful is a must-see.
To watch full episodes click on the links below:
Migration is Beautiful, Part 1
Migration is Beautiful, Part 2
Migration is Beautiful, Part 3
This episode is part of a weekly series that airs on Pharrell Williams’ I am OTHER YouTube Channel Voice of Art, a powerful new documentary series on Pharrell Williams’ I Am Other YouTube Channel. The episode focuses on artists-activists using online and offline art and activism to bring about definitive changes to immigration policy and perceptions of immigrants.
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For more on Favianna, visit favianna.com
Related Stories:
The Beautiful Resistance
By Jesus Barraza
Filmed over the course of a year and a half in seven different cities, The Beautiful Resistance is the story of four Latino artists and how they’ve used their work to fight Arizona’s immigration laws and change the perceptions of Latinos in America.
We Are the Ones, We’ve Been Waiting For
Activistas of the New Majority
Women of Color in the Movement
An excerpt from an interview with Favianna Rodriguez
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