Film screening brings community activism to Waukegan

Event to take place at College of Lake County Lakeshore Campus

WAUKEGAN – “Lights! Camera! Take Action!,” a new film and community conversation series, launches at 6 p.m. Sept. 16 at the College of Lake County Lakeshore Campus.

The program is a collaboration between Cool Learning Experience, Brushwood Center, College of Lake County and documentary filmmaker Emmett Williams.

The first event of the three-part series will focus on immigration and the stories and needs of undocumented neighbors.

The Sept. 16 event includes a screening of “The Garcia Family” directed by program creator Williams. The 30-minute documentary tells the story of Alex Garcia, who took sanctuary in a church for three years in St. Louis to avoid deportation. If sent back to his native Honduras, he would be unable to see his wife and children for at least 10 years. “The Garcia Family” is an inspiring documentary telling the story of how the family and their community came together in the face of an impossible situation.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Natalia Ospina of the Brushwood Center and will include Celeste Flores of Mano A Mano, Lesley Tenorio of Hispanic American Community Education and Services and Juan Carlos Arroyo.

An award-winning documentary filmmaker, Williams created the idea behind “Lights! Camera! Take Action!” while living in Washington, D.C., where the monthly screenings ran for two years before the pandemic.

Over the past several years, communities around the country have seen and felt the power of activism and have asked how they can become part of making this world a better place. ‘Lights! Camera! Take Action!’ gives the audience the tools to make a difference,” Williams said in a news release.

Williams is the first Digital Fellow for Cool Learning Experience, a Waukegan-based nonprofit devoted to nurturing the well-being of the whole child and their healthy connections to family, community and nature. Cool Learning Experience collaborated with the College of Lake County and Brushwood Center to bring the series to Waukegan. Brushwood Center works collaboratively with community partners, artists, health care providers and scientists to improve health equity and access to nature in Lake County and the Chicago region.

“Lights! Camera! Take Action!” is designed to empower Waukegan citizens with tools to become more active and engaged within their community, according to the release.

“Lights! Camera! Take Action!” events also will be Oct. 14 and Nov. 18 on the CLC Lakeshore Campus.

Shaw Local News Network

Shaw Local News Network

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