FILM WORK.

Over the break I began the first part of my documentary project: meeting with the organization which I hope to collaborate with. As a reminder, my documentary will be on how ethnic youth and recent immigrant generations have created a sense of belonging and history in the city of Richmond, CA. My objective is to recruit 2-3 youth participants and one adult for interviews. I specifically interested in recruiting youth artist from an immigrant family, as well as immigrant participants. My intention is to parallel their experience, either the youth's creation of sense or the immigrants adaption to America, with the migratory experience of Richmond in the 1940's during World War II.

I met with the executive director of ArtsChange, an arts organization for social justice that allows and mentors youth artistsand helps develop the artist's theme or message in their art. In our meeting we discussed my interests for making the documentary, the planned projects for the organization, and ways the documentary process can benefit the youth artists. Being that it was winter break, all the youth and staff of ArtsChange were on break and would return after the winter break. We agreed to schedule a meeting where I could pitch my project to the youth artists.

After our meeting, I sent out a letter explaining my interest and project to be solicited to the ArtsChange youth artists. I am hoping that with the newly formed team of ArtsChange youth artist activists, the documentary can be moved further.

Why youth artists and why the topic "sense of belonging"? The reason being is that Richmond is undergoing a change in preserving its history, however the World War II history, like all histories are turned into narratives, nostalgia and myth. Growing up in Richmond, I, as a latino, queer male, and son of immigrants, felt that my presence, and those belonging in the various communities I identify with, thrived on the margins. Immigrant history and youth culture in Richmond is not recognized, and often met with negative reactions and media coverage. My purpose is to provide a space, a product that will contribute to adding these stories to the narrative of Richmond. The city has focused its efforts in recognizing the past and its participants, that is has forgotten about the youth and immigrants and their perception of and history in Richmond.

I will be posting more updates throughout the quarter, possibly uploading idea photos, and video clips as production starts in mid february. Below I have included a summary of Richmond history. I will also post my Urban Studies Senior Project paper which is the first part of my Richmond project.

Peace,

E.

Richmond History

Richmond is best remembered for its involvement in building liberty ships for the military. Along with other East Bay cities and ports such as San Francisco, Oakland, Vallejo and Marin, Richmond underwent radical changes in the influx of population. The large incoming wave of black, asian, and latino migrants from all over the U.S and California altered the landscape of Richmond. The war skyrocketed Richmond's population from 23,000 in 1940 to over 100,000 in 1945. The large diversity of people intensified racism and racial tensions, xenophobism, rebellion of youth and women challenging socio-economic and gender expectations. The industry sector on Richmond's waterfront developed. Among the notable companies that resided in Richmond are the Ford Motor Company (closed in the 1950's) and Chevron, still in operation. After the war, industry declined and against all guesses, a large number of the diverse migrant groups remained yet, restrictive convenants, removal of urban "blight" and segreationist practices in labor, schools and housing continued. However, during this time, progressive civil rights coalitions emerged ensuring housing, education and fair labor laws for racial minorities. Since then, the current history of Richmond has been marked by the decline of the city's center, minorities on minorities crime, gangs, disparities in education, and health.

In the last ten years, Richmond's Redevelopment Agency has enacted numourous projects to revive these once-commerical centers. In addition to the improvements, a cultural and public art component has memorialized the Richmond of World War II. As part of my senior paper, I analyzed the historical narratives created by the public art, and the values it tried to emphasize. What I concluded is that the Agency has managed to revive their center through a strategy of history, nostalgia and collective narratives/memory. Stories of long time residents define the urban spaces. In addition, the inclusion of recent latino and asian immigrants in the public art functioned as a way to unify and discourage community tensions, by emphasizing on everybody's shared immigrant narrative. A problematic function of the public is that the racist history and events of Richmond are remembered, but gleaned over for the "positive" effects of discrimination, meaning the oppressed person's determination, formation of community, communal sacrifice, collective action, and their culture's social and artisit capital such as musical and art contributions.