Immigrant Rights Videos

In response to recent raids that have occurred under the public's noses, there have been many mass public actions throughout Canada denouncing these dehumanizing attacks on racialized working-poor (im)migrant communities, including in Guelph, Ontario. Formerly known as Student Support for Migrant Workers, Fuerza/Puwersa organized a potluck dinner and panel on April 30, 2009 in Downtown Guelph. This "Status for All!" May Day Dinner event featured speakers from several different associations including Janet McLaughlin (researcher on migration and instructor at the University of Guelph), Marco Luciano (coordinator with Migrante Ontario), and Craig Fortier (organizer with No One Is Illegal-Toronto). http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9085614140

Abdelkader Belaouni is a blind Algerian man who spent the last four years fighting to remain in Canada. During this time, he lived in sanctuary at St. Gabriel's Church and wasn't able to go outside and walk the streets of Montreal. Recently, Kader was given status by immigration officials. I sat down with Kader for an interview at his home in Point Saint-Charles, Montreal.

Eight-minute QT movie. 79MB.

Seonok Lee is an activist and academic from South Korea. She discusses the plight of migrant workers in South Korea who challenge the draconian laws which criminalize their presence in the country... and the government's response of increased force.

Three-minute QT movie. 24MB.

Four-minute QT movie. 30MB.

Hip Hop Artist Joe Carr aka lovinrevolution is Interviewed on KOWA 106.5 Community Radio - Olympia, Washington about his experience in Palestine/Israel and Austin, Texas. http://kowalp.ning.com/

Mayday 2009 is coming up, so for Indymedia Presents episode #350 we reach into our archive for mayday-related pieces we made in years past, to build interest and participation in the Mayday actions that will happen this year. We first feature our coverage of the 2006 April 10th immigrant march in Seattle. (This piece was an official selection in the compilation Gigante Despierta.) That year immigrants marched in April as a build-up to the largest general strike in the history of the United States. Millions stayed off the job on Mayday that year in Day without a Mexican actions. The idea was that if folks don t like immigrants picking strawberries and washing dishes, then they could try those activities themselves, and see how they liked it then. The Seattle April 10th march, and the Mayday march that followed, stretched for as far as the eye could see, as the immigrant community burst forth in political life. This is a growing portion of the US population and a group with the potential to wield more political power as time goes on. Our piece speaks of the pressures (such as NAFTA) to come to the US, and also of the history of Mayday, which was born in the fight for the 8-hour day almost a century and a half ago. Then we reprise coverage of a great Seattle Mayday in 2003, replete with interviews of Central American immigrants who speak to what Mayday means to people in their countries.