Asian American Voices Documentary Addresses Policy Through Personal Stories

As a teacher, I see the struggles that immigrant families face in terms of learning the culture, trying to navigate the school system, and lacking the language to help with homework and know that these are the same issues that my father faced when he came to this country from China at age 10.

As an Asian American who grew up in Silicon Valley, the new Asian American Voices documentary is of interest to me as a teacher and daughter of an immigrant but also to all Asian Americans around the country since the policy initiatives associated with the project impact Asian immigrants and their family members across the United States.

This film follows the stories—the successes, hardships, and hopes—of three Asian American immigrants in Silicon Valley. Despite struggling through language, cultural, and health care barriers, Andy, Nenita, and Iris (pictured below right) readily work to shape the local community. For a region that has thrived on the ideas and labor of immigrants past and present, supporting these populations remains vital toward improving the social and economic health of Silicon Valley. This piece explores the strengthening of community through the support of immigrant populations.

For Silicon Valley readers, this video will be screening at the San Francisco Asian American Film Festival on March 20, 2010. Buy tickets here or win tickets through the Asian American Voices Facebook page.

For readers like me who can’t attend the Asian American Film Festival, visit Asian American Voices to learn more about the project or follow them on Facebook.

Bloggers, please feel free to share the links with your readers and embed the above trailer if this is a topic of interest to your audience. Also contact Sheila if you would like images or additional information about this very important documentary. Thanks!

Thanks to Sheila and Stefania of The Clever Girls Collective for sharing this information with me. While I am part of The Clever 1000, I was not compensated for this post.