Governor Bill Richardson
Immigration — under any guise — is one of the defining issues of our age. With Made in L.A., Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar show in vivid detail that, at a fundamental level, this is not simply an issue of competitive intermingling of people, but that it is also an issue of the assault on universal human dignity in the face of enormous global economic pressures.
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Author Robert Ross
"In southern China's export factories, young women live in walled or fenced factory complexes, in single sex dormitories, crowded in rooms with many-tiered bunk beds, and they work even longer hours than the workers in L.A. or Managua ... In the global "rag-trade" there is a "Race to the Bottom" in labor standards, where China and other low-wage Asian countries define the bottom."
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Sweatshop Free Stanford Campaign
For those of us who have never met Lupe, María or Maura, it is simple enough to sympathize with the fight and quietly express horror at sweatshop injustices. But when we forgo action we effectively ignore the most pervasive labor violations that exist in the United States.
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Lupita Castañeda, a factory worker featured in Maquilapolis (POV 2006)
"It was very important to me to see how working at the Center gave every one of them strength and enthusiasm. It gave them joy and happiness. María felt happy as she forgot about her family's problems for a while. Participating in a protest makes Lupe feel important. Maura overcame her shyness to speak in public. It's amazing to see how these women become more and more empowered throughout the movie."
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Talk About This
Made in L.A.
Very moving,
by Amanda Mishler from Washburn, Wisconsin
August 11, 2009, 11:19 PM
Honest Question...
I have an honest question...please know that I am not trying to make a point, I am just trying to gain a better understanding of the undocumented immigrants life. My question is, if the undomcumented immigrants are being treated so bad and they feel like they are invisiable..why don't they work on getting their documentaion and becoming legal citizens. I ask this because I have several friends from south korea, africa and india. I do know that this is not an easy process and takes time but it is not impossible. I have only a very basic understanding of this process and really want to understand it more and understand it from the perspective of latino undocumented immigrants. I believe that understanding begats impathy and compassion. I know people that make ignorant comments about such situations that undocuemented immigrants and i would like to be able to respond to their ignorance with intellegence and proper information.
THank you for bringing these issues into the light!
by Michelle from chandler, az
August 12, 2009, 4:09 PM
Response to Michelle from Chandler, AZ
Bear in mind, some of the workers in the film were trying to become citizens and/or trying to gain more education. However, both require money and time, which isn't in abundance if you are working 12 hour days at 11 cents a piece. My neighbor is married and here legally, owns her apartment, but hasn't applied for citizenship because the fee is $1000!
by Erica from Passaic, NJ
August 12, 2009, 9:03 PM