First Voice Generation

*MICHIGAN PREMIERE // DIRECTOR AND CAST & CREW IN ATTENDANCE*

First Voice Generation

*DIRECTOR AND CAST & CREW IN ATTENDANCE*
The First Voice Generation film follows the stories of three Latinx high school students in Holland, Michigan. They struggle with a sense of identity and belonging growing up in this predominantly Dutch community because they are a child of Mexican immigrants. They dream of being the first in their family to go to college but Covid-19 shuts the world down exacerbating their struggles with virtual learning and the cost of affording college seeming impossible.

“Brenda’s Story” documents MSU student Brenda Pilar-Ayala’s citizenship journey as she navigates acculturation issues related to internal and external stresses as an undocumented resident. Brenda is just one of 450,000 college students in the U.S. with undocumented status, many of whom are protected by DACA. Brenda earns scholarships and a place on MSU’s Homecoming Court. As a DREAM-er, Brenda dreams to one day be an American citizen, which — albeit with many deferrals — becomes reality.

Brenda's Story Trailer from Geri Alumit Zeldes on Vimeo.