When students usually think of workshops, especially with a loaded title such as "media activism and the immigration debate", we aren't exactly the first ones in line. But as part of APAC, I wanted to support our event. So while my roommates were sleeping in, I drove to pick up my fellow APAC-ers and attend the "workshop".

 

When we started the event though, it was clear that this was not your typical workshop. Students and community members sat in a circle, with "9500 Liberty" Director Eric Byler an equal in the circle too. We went around and introduced ourselves , and anytime someone new joined our circle, Eric would ask them to introduce themselves too. He also asked each of us what we would like to hear about from the workshop. Suggestions ranged from the overlap between the Latino/a and Asian American communities in terms of immigration issues to the basics of filming a documentary and the current healthcare reform debate. Eric talked about his background, other films he had made, and how he became involved in political activism. When he began filming the immigration debate in Prince William County , he thought the general public should be a part of this issue. Instead of waiting to release the whole documentary before finishing filming, Eric and Co-Director Annabel Park decided to post portions on YouTube as they went along. The responses they got were overwhelming. And this was, to me, the most exciting part of the workshop. I must spend hours on YouTube watching videos about dancing babies and cartoon unicorns, but I never realized how it can be used to recruit people from all over the country for relevant issues. Everyone's opinion can be heard, and everyone's opinion is important. In this way, the local issues in Prince William County began gaining national coverage.

 

The important role of the internet for Eric and Annabel was mirrored in the documentary itself. People on both sides of the immigration debate used blogs and online videos to garner support for their cause. The immgrant community faced great hardships because of these debates, but it was the way internet mobilized a group of extreme conservatives that I thought set this incident apart from other immigration issues. It's the same reason why websites like APA for Progress are so engaging. Anyone can blog about issues that they deem relevant. I can blog about this amazing documentary that had me tearing up for the families that were being torn apart and cheering on those individuals brave enough to defy the status quo. I don't know if I'll be able to harness the power of the internet like Eric and Annabel did, but I plan on doing more than checking my Facebook updates from now on.