The Voyage: Crossing the Mexico U.S. Border

The Power of Stories is an archive of projects submitted every year to Building Healthy Communities (BHC) Statewide Convening. It showcases work created throughout California highlighting the power of individual and collective efforts to promote health and demonstrates how stories have the power to re-imagine and transform our communities. Produced in partnership with the California Endowment.

Project Submitted by: Luis Montoya

Project Summary: A young woman and her family take a perilous journey to cross the Mexico U.S. border.

BHC Site: East Oakland

The Voyage reenacts the immigration of a girl named Angelica, who has been informed by her parents that their voyage to the U.S. has been decided.  Angelica leaves her childhood behind and hopes for a brighter future with her parents in the "free world".  She and her family become separated and encounter obstacles at the border.  Will their hopes and dreams for a better life be dashed?

The film was produced by a group of Latino and Asian youth from East Oakland, California. The project was led by aspiring filmmaker Gabriela Huerta, age 18, with Luis Montoya and Xinh Bui of Simphony Productions. The film was produced by East Oakland Building Healthy Communities (The California Endowment), which hired Simphony Productions, a youth-run film company operating out of United Roots and currently launching a social enterprise with support from Youth SEED.