From the Fields: An American Journey is produced by film maker and educator Carolyn E. Brown of American University, in conjuction with NBC Bay Area. Damian Trujillo grew up in Greenfield, a small town in the Salinas Valley. His first jobs had him working in the fields, but through the sacrifice and hard work of he and his family, he is now a well-known and respected reporter for NBC Bay Area. Timo is the director of photography for the documentary, which aired on NBC Bay Area at the begining of October 2012. It has been written about on several national online publications, and will continue to air on NBC stations around the country. American University has a description of the project on their website.
Here is a description of the project from Carolyn:
About one hour south of the wealthy Silicon Valley and twenty minutes east of the affluent Monterey/Carmel area, home of the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course, sits the head of the fertile Salinas Valley. Known as the "salad bowl of world" for its production of lettuce, broccoli, and many other crops, the Salinas Valley is home to thousands of Mexican American and immigrant families with strong ties to agriculture. About 30 miles into the valley is the small agricultural town of Greenfield, where journalist Damian Trujillo's family first settled in 1972 after coming to the United States from Mexico through the Bracero Program.
Growing up in Greenfield, Damian worked in the fields beginning in seventh grade. Both his father and mother struggled to support their family of ten while laboring in the fields. Damian shared a room with his five brothers growing up in a small home in Greenfield. He dreamed of doing anything other than working in the fields like his parents and older siblings. Despite knowing little about higher education, Damian was the first in his family to graduate from college. His older brothers and sisters sacrificed their education to work to make money for their family.
This 30-minute documentary follows the life of Damian Trujillo, from farmworker in the Salinas Valley to San Jose State University where Damian first realized he had an accent while working at the college radio station. Finally, it follows his path to the NBC newsroom. Early in his career Damian feared having to go back to working in the fields, the only other reality he understood. From his regrets over his early relationship with his father to being told he talked like a "gang-member," Damian talks about what it means to be a proud Chicano, how he gives back to his community, and why he wants his children to know where they came from. Damian's story is the quintessential American success story.
The goal of this project is to intervene in the popular stereotypes that depict Latinos as "illegals," or "gang members," among other negative representations. From the Fields: An American Journey deconstructs popular perceptions of Latinos by reframing the American success story and telling Damian Trujillo's story. This film goes beyond the hateful rhetoric surrounding the immigration debate and into a deeper exploration of what it means to work, to support family, and to contribute to our American society.
The Salinas Project is being produced by film maker and educator Carolyn E. Brown of American University in Washington DC. She has been flying out to California since 2010 to capture the story of the people in the Salinas valley. Timo is the director of photography for the 30 minute documentary. American University has a description of the project on their website.
Here is a description of the project from Carolyn:
About one hour South of the wealthy Silicon Valley, and twenty minutes east of the affluent Monterey/Carmel area, home of the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course, sits the agricultural, immigrant town of Salinas. On the east side of Salinas, in a neighborhood known as Alisal, deplorable housing conditions and gang violence are part of daily life. But there are big changes happening in the community and a sense of renewal.
The city of Salinas, California, sits at the head of a fertile valley. Every day Americans eat produce that is hand picked by migrant farm workers here. Along with an abundance of other crops, 80 percent of the nation's lettuce and artichokes are grown here, but few understand the challenges the farm workers and their children face. These farm workers are the backbone of agriculture in the United States and contribute to our food supply, yet they live in the shadows in inadequate housing, in dangerous neighborhoods, where gangs prey on vulnerable young people, left home alone, while their parents work long hours in the fields.
This documentary will profile several children of migrant farm workers living in the Salinas Valley, specifically in Alisal. Without resources, and sometimes undocumented, their future is often uncertain, but their hope and resilience are abundant. This film will help viewers understand this immigrant community that is often misrepresented in the media. News stories have often focused on gang violence, often marginalizing the lives of those who work in the fields, and their children. Furthermore the film will bring to light the systemic causes of the problems in East Salinas and will highlight the successes and hopes of this community, despite adversity.