RECONNECTING WITH MY ROOTS
A 10-minute deep personal narrative documentary on three women of color: Hmong, Somali, and Ecuadorian descent. Their experiences are centered around their cultural identities and life challenges. I hope this documentary will empower other young adults to embrace and reconnect with their own cultural roots.
“I am first drawn over to the screen when I see my friend Hafsa up on the display. She is smiling and talking. I put the earphones on and begin to listen. Good thing, too, because all too often I am just walking around ears open, soul shut. But in this moment, my soul is unfurled. Listening. The women that are speaking are women of dignity, women of color, women of peace, women of culture. How often do I get to listen like this? I realize that I am walking on sacred ground. The hearts of my Somali sister, my Hmong sister, my Ecuadorian sister each shining with dignity and brilliance. The stories and pieces of heart that they share are monumental, but personal. To educate a woman is to educate a nation. I know what it means to be Hmong. Don’t be ashamed to talk in Spanish to your siblings. Most affecting is the final scene. The scene has no words. Gratefully, the lack of words makes me feel more comfortable experiencing it in tears rather than coherent thought. Words cannot not capture it. Each woman is being. Being who they are. One spins slowly in a circle, arms wide, one stands strong in her Hmong-embroidered clothes, smiling radiantly, and the third whips her hair around until the flurry resolves to her confident smile. This is freedom. May we all listen to women of color and know what is holy.”
Andrew B.
“I greatly enjoyed this project for several reasons including the vivid colors, the content and professional production of the film. The imagery used in the short documentary helped build upon the stories being told by the women who were interviewed. The viewers could visually see how the individuals have embraced their culture throughout their lifetime. Law did an excellent job patching together the stories, the transitions were very smooth and consistent. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this short documentary. The stories were powerful and captivating and the production of the film was very professional.”