The Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives is hosting a film series to spark discussion about the changes in the past decade following Sept. 11.
The 2011 Community Conversations: Reflections on a Decade of Change Film Series and Discussion shows five films and brings the directors and producers of the films to campus to lead discussion.
As part of the film series, Luis Argueta, the director and producer of the film "abUSed: The Postville Raid," came to Michigan State University in conjunction with the showing of his film Sept. 30.
"I am very honored to be part of this film series," Argueta said. "I think that as somebody who lives in New York and who lived the 9-11 events and the aftermath very closely, it is extremely important to think about what has transpired in the last 10 years. "
As a result of 9-11, Argueta stopped working on commercials and instead devoted his efforts to creating documentaries, specifically the one he is most proud of: "abUSed."
"I spent three and a half years of my life on the film, and it transformed me," Argueta said. "I think it's a story that every citizen of this country should know."
"abUSed" tells the story of the Postville immigration raid, which took place at a slaughter house and meat packing plant in Postville, Iowa in May 2008. The raid resulted in 400 arrests of immigrant workers with false identity papers.
According to Argueta, the film also tackles the effects of immigration policies on families, children and communities, as well as acting as a cautionary tale about the abuses of governmental powers.
Argueta hopes the film adds to what he calls "a new narrative about immigration," in which people will not look at immigrants as others, but instead have compassion.
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