The Translator (demo version)
Tens of thousands of refugees from around the world find safe haven in the United States every year. Many refugee families speak little or no English and their native languages are uncommon. Few translators are available to help them in schools, offices or hospitals. Refugee parents rely on their children, who learn English faster. Here is the story of one such family in Portland, Oregon. Meet 12-year-old Khaw Kung, the translator.
Welcome to China Alley
China Alley in Hanford, California traces its roots to 1877, when the Central Pacific railroad was extended westward and numerous Chinese migrants came to lay the tracks and work in agriculture. It’s a place frozen in time, surrounded by the fields of the San Joaquin Valley. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named China Alley to its 2011 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. This short doc, Welcome to China Alley, was made over a period of five days for the 2013 International Documentary Challenge.
I hear music
This video profile features Edna Vazquez, a Latina singer in Portland, Oregon. I first met Vazquez when I interviewed her for a story about gay Latinos, published in The Oregonian. She has since become well known on the Portland music scene.