My concerns lie in the social inequities that exist or develop in politically underrepresented working class, immigrant, and minoritized communities. I apply concepts in social movement theory to better understand the barriers to civic engagement and to inspire a more engaged democracy.
To illustrate alternative realities that complement mainstream representation of American working class life I work with egalitarian intentions but realize the exploration of another’s experience, defined as anyone other than myself, is complicated by socio-political factors and personal boundaries. To address such challenges I design nonfiction film and media projects modeled with a foundation of antiracist and feminist thought.
Excerpt of Far From Kawthoolei (2020)
Far From Kawthoolei explores the community that forms around the Karen family center in San Diego, California and its self-help network of refugees from Burma (Myanmar). Multiple perspectives guide a story that offers a better understanding of the Karen diaspora and their relationship to history as they envision a future unbound from war or refuge. The Karen community unites refugees from Burma at the Karen Organization of San Diego, an ethnic community based organization, to support the prosperity of a new generation born in the US who have not experienced the trauma of war crimes or the affinity of a people bonded to fight for self-determination. Far From Kawthoolei asks how Karen youth and their foreign-born refugee parents support one another’s integration into American society and reveals complexities in generational identities.
