Legal Aid for 75 refugees ASAP in Mexico

We are very excited to share with you some outstanding news we have received during summer months.

Not only have we attended the Berlin Short Film Festival in July with our documentary film “Hot Dogs On A Tricycle”, but we were also selected for the Respect Belfast Human Rights Film Festival, which is going to take place in Belfast from 4^th to 7^th of October and won the Award of Excellence from The Impact DOCS Awards Competition, of which we are especially proud of. Awards of Excellence are granted to entries with truly exceptional filmmaking. Impact Docs recognizes those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. We are honoured to receive this prize dedicated to all the artists working with film to make social impact and thus help more refugees to live a dignified life. 

Speaking about impact: Asylum Access has also organized a screening event LinkedIn WRD, which took place on 20 June in San Francisco and attended the Bravemaker Open House Event Redwood, which took place on 21 August 2019. Here Asylum Access had the chance to expand their network and establish collaborative relationships, which results will be reflected in a screening event in the near future.

With so many motivating and important achievements this film is continuing to contribute significantly to help Asylum Access increase funding to the Mexican program that provides legal aid for Central American refugees and help at least 75 refugees.  

We would like take this opportunity to say thank you. We are very well aware that all these achievements wouldn’t have been possible without your enormous support.

Your Home Storytellers and Asylum Access team.

Links:

• Home Storytellers Blog
• Hot Dogs on a Tricycle

We are deeply grateful for all the support we received to end our campaign at $5435, almost 10% above our target of $5000. Thanks to this support we were able to complete and donate to our partner Asylum Access the short documentary film "Hot Dogs on a Tricycle". The film is already being used by Asylum Access to increase funding to the Mexican program that provides the legal aid for Central American refugees. They are certainly on their way to help at least 75 refugees. However, we believe the incremental funding will positively impact many more. 

We want to share quotes from the Asylum Access team:

"Refugees are amazing, resilient people. If given the chance, they thrive in their new homes. Marios's story is a perfect example of the incredible contribution refugees can make to their communities. We are greatful to Home Storytellers for giving Mario this platform and showing the world that refugees should be supported and embraced." -- Lisa D'Annunzio, development director, Asylum Access.

"The current world refugee situation can often feel overwhealming and removed for someone who is not directly involved. With the help of Home Storytellers in telling Mario's story, we are able to minimize that distance and illustrate that while circumstances may differ, the needs and wants of a refugee are equal to that of anybody else's. We can all relate in the commonality of wanting to feel safe, to be with family and to achieve independent growth." -- Diana Essex-Lettieri, deputy director, Asylum Access

"A refugee's story does not end once they flee or cross a border. Rebuilding one's life is an ongoing process. At Asylum Access, we believe the need for economic, educational and cultural integration goes hand in hand with legal representation. Home Storytellers effectively captures this pillar of our organization by demonstrating our dedication to the continuous support of individuals like Mario in the refugee comminity." -- Emily Arnold-Fernandez, executive director, Asylum Access.

Please watch our 10 minute Hot Dogs on a Tricycle at the attached link. Already an oficial selection of the Berlin Short Film festival.

Thank you so much from all the Home Storytellers and Asylum Access teams.

Links:

• Home Storytellers Blog
• Hot Dogs on a Tricycle