Alyssa Shea
Philadelphia-based Multimedia Artist
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NAPAWF 2018 Immigration Report

NAPAWF

National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum

>> 2018 Immigration Report

In 2017, SEARAC interviewed Southeast Asian American women affected by detention and deportation. These are their stories.

NAPAWF and SEARAC partnered to write a congressional report providing a comprehensive view of the effects of detention and deportation on Southeast Asian American women and families. With this report, NAPAWF and SEARAC sought to advocate for and humanize SEAA deportees through stories as they relate to immigration policy in a way that is groundbreaking, digestible, hopeful, and authentic.

The heart of the report is comprised of personal stories told directly by those affected. These stories shed light on the far-reaching negative effects of a 1996 bill called Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA). Strongly opposed by NAPAWF, this bill greatly expanded the definition of “aggravated felony” under immigration laws, leading to unjust detention and deportation of many AAPIs. With this report, NAPAWF plans to bolster their call for immigration policy reform, and ultimately overturn IIRIRA.


Multimedia

In addition to the congressional report, I edited 10 hours worth of interviews to produce seven thematic audio tracks, each about one minute long. The tracks mirror the themes of the report: parenting during crisis, financial hardship, anxiety & trauma, childhood impact, denial of humanity, hope & advocacy.

The audio tracks became the bases for kinetic text animations, as an answer to NAPAWF’s desire to bring innovation to the formulaic congressional briefings, and to make the content digestible.

These assets can be used in a social media campaign, as well. We wanted to be sure we could cover both Congress and the general public as audience for this report.