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In a country that used to pride itself on its heritage as "a nation of immigrants," to watch and discuss THE CITY is to consider our national history and to examine ourselves. Going beyond political considerations and debates, THE CITY/LA CIUDAD asks us to look directly into the human face of immigration. By showing us the faces of his immigrant-actors, producer David Riker invites us to look at our own past. Thinking about the personal experiences of immigrants and their families can be very helpful to facilitate a dialogue at the local level in communities that are struggling to cope with rapid demographic changes. This Discussion Leaders' guide for THE CITY/LA CIUDAD is designed to help your community, classroom, union, or church group gain a better understanding of immigration and its impact on everyday lives. It aims to humanize and personalize discussions about immigration by asking questions that remind us of our own experiences as individuals and families in a country of immigrants. We hope that this guide, like the program, serves as a tool in the hands of the people working against xenophobia and for a more just society. GETTING STARTED Facilitator's Note: This section offers group leaders a closer look at some of the issues raised in the film, poses discussion points to stimulate dialogue, and answers questions viewers may ask. As discussion leader, you can decide to organize one session to discuss the entire program, or four sessions, each addressing one of the film's four stories and corresponding issues. The discussion should promote personal reflection about the implications of immigration in one's own story. The dialogue after participants watch the program can be a good opportunity for the group to challenge common prejudices and misperceptions about immigrants, put a human face on immigration, integrate the personal and historical perspectives of the viewer, and respond to the call to build bridges within our diverse communities. In order to discuss a program like THE CITY/LA CIUDAD, it is useful to reflect on our own personal and family experience as immigrants, as descendants of immigrants or simply as people who live in a society which is deeply influenced by successive immigration "waves." Participants may want to share their own stories, or those of their relatives or ancestors encountering the experience of being a "stranger in a strange land." It will be important for you to know who is participating and to be sensitive to how each individual might potentially contribute to the dialogue. Helpful Tips :
Materials Needed: Paper, Markers, Tape This exercise gives some personal content to the word IMMIGRATION. Sitting in a circle, ask participants to write the word "IMMIGRATION" vertically in the center of a piece of paper. Then participants take a few minutes in silence to write one word incorporating each of the letters which describe something about their views, perceptions, or experiences regarding immigrants or immigration. Here is an example: Initiative hoMesick Money INS couraGe fReedom fAmily Transition dIfficulty hOpe streNgth When finished, participants will share what they wrote. They can just take turns talking about what they wrote, or tape the paper to their back and walk around reading one another's lists and discussing words that make a particular impression on them. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AFTER VIEWING THE CITY/LA CIUDAD: Depending on the objectives of the group and the length of the meeting, the discussion leader can decide which questions to use and how much time to spend on each one.
The stories in THE CITY/LA CIUDAD are unfinished. The viewer does not know how they end: Are the workers of "Bricks" left alone with the body of José? Does the daughter of the puppeteer get to go to school? Does Francisco finds Maria again; does he find his uncle? Does Ana get paid for her work; does her daughter get well? A very common question after watching the program is: What happens next? Because THE CITY/LA CIUDAD portrays the real lives of immigrants, what happens "next" must be answered in real life. What happens next with undocumented workers who are injured or who don't get paid? What happens next to poor children who need education, housing, and health care? Who decides what happens next? In real life, who do you think "writes" the end of the stories? Discussion and Research Questions: Participants should consider the following questions:
Divide the participants into four groups and ask each to select one of the four stories and carry out the following exercise:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES FOR EACH SEGMENT OF THE CITY/LA CIUDAD "Bricks" This segment lasts 24 minutes "Bricks" can be an excellent starting point to discuss the situation of undocumented workers. Questions for Discussion:
This segment lasts 22 minutes This story offers the opportunity to talk about the loneliness of immigration and the fragility of daily life when one is in a foreign land, but it also encourages discussion of the joy of finding a kindred spirit. Activity: Our Own Homes Materials Needed: Paper, Colored Pencils, Crayons, Markers The following activity could be completed by each individual in silence. Ask each participant to draw their family in their place of origin, for a period of about 30 minutes. Then invite each one who wishes to share their drawing and to explain to the rest of the group, or alternatively, each person could share their drawing with the person seated next to them. Encourage everyone to share. "The Puppeteer" This segment lasts 15 minutes The story offers the opportunity to reflect on family, the situation of immigrant children, the quality of life of immigrants, and access to services such as housing, education, and health. Questions for discussion:
This segment lasts 22 minutes This story returns to the theme of immigrants as workers, and offers the opportunity for reflection on the relationship between immigrants and labor organizations, as well as the experiences of women and migration. Questions for discussion:
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