Last Thursday the Stan State Art department hosted a reception for Turlock Native, documentary filmmaker Anne Di Grazia and Irene Hollebrandse. At the reception there was a showing of a segment of the film “Asylum Seekers: Moria” as well as artwork by international artists and refugees.
Di Grazia worked as a journalist in mainstream media until she got offered a job working at Moria refugee camp in Greece, it was there where she felt the need to make the film.
“Within the first three days of me being there I knew I wouldn’t be able to go home without doing something more,” Di Garzia said, “My gift is just storytelling, so I called up one of my really good friends and asked him if we smuggled him into the camp if he would be interested in shooting an undercover documentary.”
Using her gift of storytelling is how Di Garzia decided she would try to start the process of change for the people in Moria.
“We are all part of the human race and we need to use whatever gifts we have to help each other,” Di Garzia said.
“Asylum Seekers: Moria” documents the injustice and living conditions for refugees seeking to restart their future, but are instead stuck in inhospitable tents on these Greek islands.
“We wanted nothing more than to share their stories and to make sure people knew about all the injustice that was happening,” Di Garzia said.
Di Garzia is still in the process of fundraising, which is why she and some friends decided to curate an art show. All of the artwork was up for auction to help raise money to finish the documentary.
Hamed Soltani, a 16 year old asylum seeker, had work featured in the art gallery all of the proceeds from his work will go directly to him.
Stan State alumnus Christopher Benson had some of his artwork up on display in the gallery as well. His piece featured the words “10,000 asylum seekers and children with little to know food. Families escaping war & tyranny.”
“I want to make the message important, my piece is like a poster or propaganda, because it is more about the movement than the artists,” Benson said, “there is quote by Philip Vera Cruz that I really like that says, ‘the movement must go beyond its leaders’ and my artwork must go beyond the artist.”
Noelle Mahaffey (senior, Studio Art), felt that the exhibit was important to bring awareness to current issues facing the global community.
“This exhibit is giving exposure to a sensitive and relevant topic, it brings light to an issue and we should acknowledge that is exists.”
The refugee crisis extends very close to home. In Stanislaus County, there are multiple refugee resettlement programs including the International Rescue Committee and World Relief. These organizations will be partnering with the county for the upcoming World Refugee Day celebration.
This event will take place next Thursday, June 28th, it will include lunch, cultural dancing and speaking from refugees and representatives from resettlement agencies. For more information or to RSVP contact Marina Asator at [email protected].