As part of phase three of the Familias Separadas project, Artspace is hosting back-to-back screenings of two documentaries, Las Madres de Berks and Santuario, followed by a talkback with filmmakers, Michelle Angela Ortiz and Pilar Timpane. They will be joined by Juana Luz Tobar Ortega, and her daughter Lesvi Molina who are featured in Santuario.

Las Madres de Berks amplifies the stories of families affected by detention and deportation in Pennsylvania. "Las Madres de Berks" documentary shares the testimonials of four mothers that were detained for 2 years with their children at The Berks County Residential Center, a family prison in Pennsylvania. The documentary also features public art installations that Ortiz created based on the Berks mother's stories that were unveiled in Harrisburg during a statewide action against family detention led by community partner, the Shut Down Berks Coalition.

Santuario features the story of Juana Luz Tobar Ortega who came to the United States 24 years ago as an asylum seeker from Guatemala. In April of 2017, she was told without warning that she had 30 days to leave the country or be deported. 2017 marked a time when non-criminal deportations like Juana’s skyrocketed. This documentary follows Juana’s journey through a broken system as she leans into her steadfast faith.

Artspace is one of the Familias Separadas project sites that is displaying the public art installations highlighting the stories of undocumented immigrants affected by detention and deportation. Wake County Detention Center is three miles away from Artspace, where the artworks are installed. 

Registration is required for the virtual and in-person free event.