Synopsis:
Rocio Avila and Gualberto Rodriguez are immigrants who came to the United States to work after struggling in their hometowns in Mexico. Coming from different parts of Mexico as teenagers, they met in Los Angeles, California, where they eventually married and had their first two children together. As immigrants they faced many barriers and hoping to overcome some of them, they made the decision to move their family to Oregon. There, they raised their children, put their English lessons to use, and were able to obtain residency. Finding security in residency, Rocio and Gualberto were able to do many things that they could not before, including returning to Mexico for the first time in over 30 years and sharing that experience with their three children.
Producer’s Bio:
My name is Karen Rodriguez and I am a senior at the University of Oregon pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with a minor in Latinx Studies. I was able to use this course to learn more about my parents’ story and struggles as immigrants in the United States. This has helped me understand my own roots as well, as a daughter of immigrants. Making the documentary itself was a new challenge and brought me out of my comfort zone, but I feel like I learned some valuable skills about filmmaking and storytelling.
