Los Herederos staff teach the workshops and students learn to use key audio-visual equipment in a hands-on interactive setting. Participants emerge with: 1) a unique documentary piece that tells their stories in their own words and 2) the skills to replicate this type of work in their local community.
So often, the plight of immigrants is misrepresented by dominant media outlets or heavily curated by an outside source. This institute provides a first step in developing a group of DACAmented leaders who can play an important role in organizing other young people to advocate for the needs and rights of undocumented immigrants.
Los Herederos was blessed to work with an amazingly talented inaugural group of DACAmented students in February 2018. The 4-part institute produced in partnership with Cabrini Immigrant Services – NY, resulted in a variety of student produced multimedia documentation centered around the theme of “I’m not the only one.” By creating multivocal content that illustrates the diversity of youth immigrant experience while also nodding at shared rights of passage and self realization, the students set an important tone for future iterations of the program. It is our hope that sharing these compelling narratives can make ripples in the silence and fear that cloaks the undocumented experience in America.
DACAmented Podcast
A series of podcast style interviews with the 2018 DACAmented Voices student cohort, in which they discuss their personal stories of coming to the U.S., growing up undocumented in our city that never sleeps, and the advice they have for fellow DREAMERS facing similar struggles today. All interviews were student led and produced.
En esta entrevista, Jason Ruiz Quintero, estudiante e interno del gobierno de la ciudad de Nueva York, habla de su historia familiar de llegar a este país, como se ha afectado su carrera ser indocumentado, y como se ve el futuro con sus metas personales y profesionales. Nacido en Medellín, Colombia, Ruiz se fue traído a los Estados Unidos por parte de sus papás cuando tenía 3 años. La familia llegó en búsqueda de una vida mejor y más seguro, dado que su papá trabajaba en el departamento de seguridad del gobierno colombiano durante de una época supremamente peligrosa de la guerra civil. Ruiz lamenta que no se ha podido aprovechar totalmente de las oportunidades acá por cuestiones de su estatus de inmigración, pero sugiere claramente que eso no se determine su futuro. Tiene metas de servir en la fuerza de aérea de los Estados Unidos y ser abogado de inmigración. Así que su familia vino para que él y sus hermanos sean capaz de realizar sus potenciales en una situación diaria que no se amenaza la vida, sigue en la lucha por una solución general para estudiantes y gente como él para que puedan recoger los beneficios de su trabajo duro en el país que definitivamente se llaman ‘hogar.’
Through DACAmented Voices, I’ve come to realize that although my voice is unique, it is not the only voice within my community. It’s been a pleasure working with everyone involved, and I’ve definitely learned how to convey my story using other mediums.
Brenda Barsallo nació en Lima, Perú llegando a los Estados Unidos con su hermano y mamá como adolescente. Después de un tiempo pasado en Atlanta, Georgia se mudaron a Nueva York. En esta entrevista, Barsallo nos cuenta del momento cuando se dio cuenta de que era indocumentada por no poder conseguir una licencia de conducir y más adelante ir a la universidad que se había planeado. Una mujer fuertemente conectada con sus pasiones intelectuales y environnementales (quiere ser veterinaria), ha sido una lucha encontrar los fondos necesarios seguir con su educación universitaria y del posgrado. Sin embargo, con la ayuda del programa de DACA Barsallo ha perseguido, encontrado un trabajo formal y se gradúa de la universidad este verano.
In this revealing and open ended narrative, Leydi Bautista Navarrete discusses the intersectionality of being a latin woman of color, undocumented, and a young single mother who against the odds perseveres not only in search of citizenship, but also a university education and the strength of her own voice. Bautista crossed the U.S.-Mexican border as a child with her mother and siblings, growing up between Harlem and Washington Heights in Manhattan. Originally from a small town, Guadalupe Tulcingo, in Puebla, Mexico, 26 year old Bautista is currently in her first year of undergraduate studies. A single mother of two boys, she temporarily resides in the NYC shelter system, adding additional challenges to her survival and success.
Despite the many challenges Bautista faces in her young life, she continues to empower and dreams of accomplishing her goals of a university education and the ability to better provide for her family. She believes sharing her story to be paramount as there are many DREAMERS going through similar experiences, and in the end, knowledge is power and helps one to not feel so alone.
It has been an honor to work with Los Herederos and Cabrini Immigration Services and be part of the DACAmented Voices project. Sharing my story this time I know it will take a different trajectory, leading me to greater endeavours and helping me continue developing a fearless spirit. Also, I found it enlightening to discover that DREAMERS are from different cultural backgrounds with diverse paths in life, exposed to different challenges in order to accomplish individual goals to gain a better life.
Sharing my story has put me in a vulnerable position to fear the changes it can bring to my life after different communities hear my story. However, I no longer want to stay voiceless and remain unnoticed. “I am not the only one” who aims to gain a better tomorrow and provide a better future to my loved ones, regardless of my cultural background and gender. I am making a difference for embracing opportunities that are presented to me and not taking them for granted.
Raul Margarito was born in Oaxaca, Mexico to a family of Mixteca origin in a small town called San Antonio de las Mesas. He recalls a difficult childhood plagued by poverty, hunger and inadequate access to human services such as education, public safety, and civil law. Margarito migrated to NYC just prior to his adolescence, leaving behind his beloved grandmother and crossing the border to join his parents in the U.S. For Margarito, it is hard to pinpoint the moment he realized he was undocumented. In fact, he feels issues of documentation, representation and access, cast a shadow over his his entire life (first as an indigenous person in Mexico and later as a immigrant to the U.S.). He does remember however, that in high school he watched a close friend work, save money and ultimately buy a car. This became a goal for Margarito until he realized he would be unable to obtain a driver’s license or legally register the vehicle. A straight A student, he was even more frustrated when his guidance counselor tried to dissuade him from applying to 4 year colleges due to his status. Presently, he is focused on finishing his undergraduate degree in Economics and Music from CUNY-CSI, and looks forward to a career in the arts and finance that will eventually allow him to give back to his community.
I would like to thank you for having me, it was a great experience, and it was worth every minute being there. I truly believe and support Los Herederos’ mission, and I not only speak for myself when I say that you have made a positive impact on our group in such a short time. Now I am more interested in documentary storytelling, and through this experience I have acquired new skills to tell my story through audio-visual pieces of equipment, and I can’t wait to share my experience with others
One-on-one demo interview with DACAmented Voices student Jason Ruiz Quintero led by Los Herederos Executive Director, Naomi Sturm.
On March 12, 2018, DACAmented Voices was recognized by the Citizens Committee for New York City at their annual New Yorker for New York Gala as a city-wide initiative making inroads for immigrant rights advocacy and reform.
DACAmented Voices is produced in collaboration with Cabrini Immigrant Services – NY and made possible by the generous support of the Citizens Committee for New York City’s “Neighborhood Grant” program.
