By David Castillo, New Media Manager, NCLR
One of the most empowering aspects of social media is its ability to give life to hyper-local stories. In the most successful cases, these stories are the rallying cry that sparks a movement. There are many of these stories in the battle for immigration reform, but few have come to symbolize and capture this fight as well as the moving documentary 9500 Liberty.
In just a few weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the constitutionality of the granddaddy of all anti-immigrant laws, SB 1070. In thinking about the case, and in preparing for the uptick in media coverage of this emotional issue, it became clear to me that I had little knowledge in the way of understanding how such laws take root. I had even less understanding than I care to admit of how communities grapple with immigration in a nationwide political climate that has become increasingly xenophobic. Most of all, I wanted to know how people fight back. Enter 9500 Liberty.
This gripping documentary tells the story of a quiet community just outside of Washington, DC that only a few years ago was the center of a fierce debate over a resolution that codified racial profiling, in many ways the precursor to SB 1070. The film is also a powerful statement on the role that social media has taken on in our digital world as it is a tool wielded by both the proponents of the resolution and those who fought to change it. Indeed, the filmmakers released segments of the movie on YouTube during the filming, so the documentary was truly interactive and representative of its subjects.
A chief character in 9500 Liberty is Greg Letiecq, who is largely credited with setting the foundation for the anti-immigrant resolution through his blog. Empowered by the level of support he receives from commenters in the community, Letiecq leads the effort against immigrants and manipulates politicians at the highest levels of government in the county. The resolution has much support from early on, which compels immigrants and allies alike to band together and fight back. The iconic symbol of that opposition is a massive sign located at a busy intersection on 9500 Liberty St. It is the property of one immigrant who decides that his contribution to the campaign against the resolution will be to confront the Manassas residents with their own hatred. Throughout the film, we see the sign change with messages of empowerment at the beginning to near submission at the end. It serves as the backdrop of a community ripped apart over a senseless and cynical law borne out of fear and opportunism.
As you prepare for the upcoming Supreme Court showdown, it would be well worth your time to watch the film and learn more about how you too can fight back against hateful legislation through the power of social media and good old-fashioned activism. The best part is that you can watch the film for free! We’ve embedded the whole movie below. You can also go to snagfilms.com, to watch a whole array of other socially conscious movies.
Watch the trailer and then the whole movie, and arm yourself with the power and tools to create change!
Enjoy the show!