Bilingual Education Student Organization hosts ‘Which Way Home’ screening
As a part of Inclusion Now! week, the Bilingual Education Student Organization screened the “Which Way Home” documentary which shows the personal side of migration to the United States through the eyes of children.
The film follows several unaccompanied child migrants as they travel through Mexico to the United States on a train they call “The Beast.” Director Rebecca Cammisa tracks the stories of two nine-year-old Hondurans who are desperately trying to reach their families in Minnesota, a ten-year-old El Salvadoran who has been abandoned by smugglers, and a streetwise 14-year-old Honduran, whose mother hopes that he will reach New York City and send money back to his family.
Kelly Medellin, the BESO adviser, said, “It’s Inclusion Now! Week, so organizations are asked to showcase different issues that are happening in terms of inclusion so we can help students learn about different populations that might be on campus. BESO tends to focus on language issues or issues that are not only affecting the Latino community but also the community of immigrants, so this was a different way of showing migrant stories compared to last year where we had students and faculty tell personal migrant stories.”
While the documentary was shown in the Legacy Multipurpose Room on April 8, students were offered snacks and drinks. Less than 10 students attended the event.
Savannah Lopez, social work freshman, said, “I am really glad I came. I wish more students came to watch the documentary. It was very eye opening and I feel like if more people attended, then maybe they would understand a little more of why people are fleeing to the United States. All of the people shown were not being selfish with their reasons, they just want to create a better future for their families.”
According to the documentary, thousands of people cross the U.S./Mexican border every day while risking their lives. Students who attended said they can see why people flee from the dangers of Mexico and Latin American countries, after watching this documentary.
Denise Pereyrino, bilingual education junior, said, “I never actually knew how people crossed the border, I pictured families crossing together, like parents and children, but in this case it was just children on their own. It’s crazy because I couldn’t imagine going through what they went through at such a young age.”
Students saw a different point of view from crossing the border and experiencing what the children went through. Some of of the children in the film did not make it to their destinations. Some were caught at the border and taken to detention centers, others gave up, and two died in the dessert.
Jose Torres, bilingual education senior, said, “Seeing the end results of where the children ended up was really intriguing and seeing their journey throughout the whole documentary because they were so young, younger than 15. It showed you how dangerous and scary it is [crossing the border] but their courage was bigger than that,”
Remaining Upcoming Inclusion Now! Week Events
Wednesday, April 10
- Inclusion Now! Two of the Fairest Theatrical Performance- Fain Fine Arts at 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 11
- Inclusion Now! Global Social Justice: Israeli -Palestinian Conflict- CSC Comanche Suites at noon
- Inclusion Now! Talk with Barbara York- CSC Comanche Suites at 4 p.m.
Friday, April 12
- Inclusion Now! Safe Zone training- Legacy Multipurpose Room at 10 a.m.
- Inclusion Now! Solidarity Fest- Jesse Rogers Promenade at 4 p.m.
