[Peace] IDF's Fall Human Rights Film Series!

[Jen Tayabji]

AWARE is a cosponsor of this film series!
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

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IDF Semi-Annual Human Rights Film Series

Fall 2007

Thursdays, 7-9pm

First Floor, IDF**

Free Admission and Snacks

http://www.prairienet.org/idf/filmseries.html

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It's time again for our semi-annual Human Rights Film Series! The Human
Rights Film Series is an opportunity for campus and community members to
come together to view and discuss films pertinent to those issues that
face us all. Following each film, there will be a discussion facilitated
by a local campus or community member who has expertise on the topic of
the documentary. The films will be shown using IDF's high-quality
projector and large screen. Snacks and refreshments will be available!

This fall, we have organized an exciting film series focused on
immigration, one of the most important issues facing our country today.

See below for more information on the film being shown this fall!

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WETBACK: THE UNDOCUMENTED DOCUMENTARY

Thursday, September 20 @ 7pm

The film follows migrants from Chinandega, Nicaragua as they cross through
Central America, Mexico, and the U.S. in their attempt to reach Canada.
Along the way, other migrants are interviewed as they are detained by
Mexican authorities. Catholic human rights workers offer their
perspectives, particularly on the abuse of migrants by gangs. WETBACK: THE
UNDOCUMENTED DOCUMENTARY includes interviews with U.S. Border Patrol
agents and Arizona Minutemen.

Martin Nieto will facilitate the discussion afterwards. Nieto has worked
around immigration issues in CU. He is an immigrant from Mexico and a
board member at the IDF.

For more information: http://www.opencityworks.com/wetback/

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TAXI DREAMS

Thursday, September 27  @ 7pm

The New York City taxi industry, the world’s largest, has 40,000 drivers
and 12,000 yellow cabs. Most NYC cabbies are recent immigrants--visible
examples of the melting pot. A rich mix of people turn up for training at
local taxi driving schools: 90 nationalities, all religions, and education
levels ranging from none to Ph.D.s. This film documents the stories of
four of them and their experiences--humor, conflict, drama, ambition, and
culture shock in the United States.

Shiraz Tayabji will facilitate the discussion afterwards. Tayabji
immigrated from Tanzania in the 1970s to attend the University of
Illinois. He received his Ph.D. and settled in the U.S. upon graduation.
In 1990, he became a U.S. citizen. Tayabji currently works in Maryland as
a licensed professional engineer.

For more information: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/taxidreams/

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FARMINGVILLE

Thursday, October 4 @ 7pm

It’s a familiar story: an influx of illegal immigrants crossing the border
from Mexico to do work the locals won't; a flourishing "low-wage" labor
market that depends on them; rising tensions with the resident Anglo
population; charges and counter-charges of lawlessness and racism;
organizing and counter-organizing; then a violent hate crime that tears a
community apart. But this isn't the story of a Californian, Texan, or
another Southwestern town. It's the story of Farmingville, New York. It's
a complex, emotional portrait of an American town in rapid transition from
a relatively homogenous community to a 21st century village. The
co-producer wrote, "This is the latest battle over the American Dream, one
that puts every American town on the front line of deciding just who
shares--and who controls--that dream."

Facilitator TBA.

For more information: http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2004/farmingville/index.html

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LETTERS FROM THE OTHER SIDE

Thursday, October 11 @ 7pm

"How many more deaths does it take for the U.S. government to do
something? Let it be on their conscience that since our tragedy many more
have died and many more will die," says Laura in a video letter to the
U.S. government, speaking about her husband who died trying to cross the
U.S./Mexico border to search for work. This film interweaves video letters
carried across the border with the intimate stories of women left behind
in post-NAFTA Mexico. LETTERS FROM THE OTHER SIDE paints a complex
portrait of families torn apart by economics, communities dying at the
hands of globalization, and governments incapable or unwilling to do
anything.

Rev. Mike Mulberry will facilitate the discussion afterwards. He is the
pastor at Community United Church of Christ and one of the leaders of the
New Sanctuary Movement in Champaign-Urbana, a group committed to working
to protect immigrant workers and their families.

For more information: http://www.sidestreetfilms.com/

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The IDF would like to thank this semester's cosponsors: Activist Forum;
Anti-War, Anti-Racism Effort (AWARE); Anti-War, Anti-Racism Effort on
Campus; Central Illinois Jobs with Justice; Channing-Murray Foundation;
Community United Church of Christ; International Socialist Organization;
La Casa Cultural Latina*; School for Designing a Society; South Asian
Collective; Students for Social Equality; United Students Against
Sweatshops; University YMCA; and Vietnam Veterans Against the War (CU
chapter).

The IDF would like to thank La Casa Cultural Latina for their generous
sponsorship.

The Illinois Disciples Foundation (IDF) is a pioneering peace with justice
campus ministry and non-profit organization located on the University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. For more information about the film
series or the IDF, please contact us at (217) 352-8721,
idf at prairienet.org, or visit our website at http://www.prairienet.org/idf.

**The IDF is located at the NW corner of Springfield and Wright streets in
Champaign. It is only 2 blocks from the U of I Quad and on several CU-MTD
bus routes. Limited free parking is available. The film series is
wheelchair accessible.


-- 
Illinois Disciples Foundation (IDF)
610 E. Springfield Ave.
Champaign, IL  61820
Office Hours: Mon - Fri from 12-5pm
(217) 352-8721 | idf at prairienet.org
www.prairienet.org/idf