the letter.
ok, i almost missed this, and that wouldve been a shame.
The Letter: An American Town and the "Somali Invasion" (Ziad H. Hamzeh, 2003)
An impassioned documentary by Syrian-American filmmaker Ziad Hamzeh, The Letter chronicles the controversy that gripped Lewiston, Maine, in 2002, surrounding the 1100 Somali refugees living there.
It started when the town's mayor published an open letter discouraging the refugees from inviting other Somalis to join them in the economically ailing community (with a 97% white population). When the letter received national attention and was denounced for its thinly veiled racism, a firestorm of divergent opinion erupted. Neo-Nazi and KKK-affiliated groups organized rallies in Lewiston, and their supporters came face to face with crowds defending cultural diversity and tolerance.
The Letter raises timely questions about anti-Muslim sentiment, institutionalized prejudice, and the nation's immigrant heritage, all of relevance locally in view of Columbus's large and vibrant Somali population. (76 mins.)
You may have heard me talk about my cousin's wife explaining that public schools in certain parts of Maine are experiencing previously unheard-of diversity and teaching to over 30 languages, and said "Maine? Really?" Yes, Maine. Of course, if you went to Chicago and said "Columbus has a fast-growing Mexican population" they'd probably look at you funny, too.
I really want to see this. I want so badly to see it, I bought tickets already without knowing if anyone will go with me. And there's free food beforehand. Mm. Free Somali food.
Update: Convinced Nala to go tonight. For reference, Lewiston, for those in Ohio, is comparable to, say, St. Clairsville, or maybe Athens during the school year. Think about if one of every 10-15 people you met on the street was from a different country (not to mention, continent and color), and your town had always been (as long as anyone could remember) just you WASPy Americans... what a culture shock, eh?
I cant wait to see this documentary. I have a friend who's dating a Somali guy, and I wish they were going tonight, too. Maybe I'll email them. I'm definitely emailing my cousin-in-law and aunt afterward... just to see if things there have changed since the documentary.