La Historia de Nuestras Vidas (The Story of Our Lives) - Immigration and the Postville Raid

La Historia de Nuestras Vidas (The Story of Our Lives) combines the narratives of seven men detained in the May 12th, 2008 immigration raid on the AgriProcessors meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa. The group of Guatemalan and Mexican workers were temporarily relocated to nearby Decorah, Iowa following their imprisonment.

With the support of artists and organizers in the Decorah community, the group formed Teatro Indocumentado (Undocumented Theater) and collaborated together in the creation and performance of this very timely, engaging, and socially-relevant new play. La Historia de Nuestras Vidas provides a rare and remarkable insight into the pressing issues and personal consequences of U.S. immigration policy and the Postville raid. Through stage imagery and dramatic reenactments, the ensemble transcends the language barrier and gives presence to the hopes, necessities, and disappointments of countless immigrant workers.

The collaborative process was directed by Alex Skitolsky and Kate Blair and facilitated by a community of translators, including Megan Nelson and Amanda Brooks.

The ensemble includes Onofre Macario Aguilar, Juventino Lopez Pichia, Luis Enrique Moncada Quiroz, Javier Lopez Sajche, Oscar Mejia Santos, Victor Sis Tepaz, and Aaron Junech Vega.

The video was produced by Luis Alvarenga and filmed by Steven Date.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Postville
• Iowa
• immigration
• raid
• AgriProcessors
• meatpacking
• ICE
• Mexico
• Guatemala
• Decorah
• play
• border
• arrest
• deportation
• homeland
• security
• slaughterhouse
• immigrant
• labor
• mujado
• undocumented
• theater
• image
• theatre
• oppressed
• collaboration
• worker
• imprisonment
• La
• redada
• espanol
• obra
• teatro
• la
• frontera
• cruzar
• cruzando
• deportacion
• cencarcelamiento
• indocumentado
• opremido
• aprobado
• por
• ley
• judia
• departamento
• de
• seguridad
• nacional
• trabajo
• planta
• procesadora
• carne
• inmigrantes

[johnbr02]

Great work, Alex. This is an amazing project. Thanks for sharing some of the excerpts. I look forward to revisiting your other films on YouTube.

Peace.Brett

[JenBenjamin]

I heard about this on NPR this afternoon. Thank you so much for posting this! I wish I could see the play in its entirety! I'm fascinated by what these people decided to do after being arrested. Thanks again. :O)