On November 14, 2009, I attended a workshop and screening of 9500 Liberty that was a part of the Austin Asian American Film Festival. Both the screening and workshop were held at the Mexican American Cultural Center, and I was able to go with my organization, the Asian Desi Pacific Islander American Collective (APAC) from The University of Texas at Austin.

The workshop, "Media Activism and the Immigration Debate," was a really interesting experience, especially since I was able to meet director Eric Byler of 9500 Liberty. It’s not every day that I get to meet a director with so much influence within the Asian American community. I really enjoyed learning about his career and how he got into media activism. I never knew how heated the immigration issue could get. The fact that such an intense debate arose in the area where he grew up surprised me, especially since Prince William County was nowhere near the Mexican border, where I believed most of the immigration debate was happening.

Watching 9500 Liberty was an especially enriching experience. Within the first five minutes, I was already emotionally involved. It was great to be able to see the entire process from the beginning, when the Black Velvet Bruce Li website was started, to the end, when the “Immigration Resolution” was repealed. I also liked how the documentary didn't just show the citizens of Prince William County, but also the filmmakers, Annabel Park and Eric Byler, and how they joined in fighting the resolution by creating a YouTube channel and spreading awareness around the country. Not only was 9500 Liberty educational, but it was poignant and provocative. It thoroughly captured my attention, and I never found myself bored, which is not something I can say about every documentary I have watched. Overall, I am glad to have had the opportunity to meet Eric Byler and watch 9500 Liberty as it enlightened me about how prevalent and serious the immigration issue is.