Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness follows a community in crisis after the fatal attack of a local immigrant resident. Stunned by the violence, diverse community stakeholders openly confront the crime and the divisive atmosphere, and commit to ongoing actions to prevent future hate crimes and intolerance.
Light In The Darkness videos
Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness is a documentary about a town coming together to take action after anti-immigrant violence devastates the community.
Local radio host Ana Maria Caraballo of La Fiesta WBON becomes an important connection for the community after the murder of Marcelo Lucero. On her radio call-in show, Ana Maria's switchboard lights up with calls from local residents who share stories, ask questions to local police about immigration issues, and seek information about their rights.
When Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri and Deputy Mayor Stephen McGiff were invited to visit Gualaceo, Ecuador, Marcelo Lucero's hometown, the community welcomed them and shared stories and concerns about relatives and friends living in the United States. While the two towns are linked by the tragedy of Marcelo Lucero, Mayor Pontieri vowed to make Patchogue safer for everyone in the future.
Not In Out Town: Light in the Darkness Web Extra
Patchogue, New York Mayor Paul Pontieri reflects on his family's history of immigration, his love of his hometown, and how his life has influenced his policy of inclusion for all Patchogue residents.
For more information on the film, visit niot.org/lightinthedarkness
The students of Newcomers High, a school for newly arrived immigrants, reached out to Joselo Lucero with letters of sympathy when his brother Marcelo was killed in 2008. Two years later, Joselo visits the school to speak to the students about what he learned from the loss of his brother, his experiences as an immigrant, and the difficult process of forgiveness.
After a series of anti-immigrant attacks by local teenagers ended with the hate crime killing of local immigrant Marcelo Lucero, art students at Patchogue-Medford High School wanted to do something positive for the Lucero family and spread a message of peace. Over the course of a year, students gathered after school to create We Are All United: No One Walks Alone, a mosaic dedicated to Marcelo Lucero.
Librarian assistant Gilda Ramos became a translator for the Lucero family who came to Patchogue from Gualaceo, Ecuador as the community gathered to honor Marcelo Lucero. Ramos also translated for Latino residents at community events and meetings that were held at the library, the Patchogue Theatre, vigils and rallies. Like libraries across the country, the Patchogue-Medford Library is a place where people come together and feel supported and safe.
In Not In Our Town: Light In the Darkness, the Patchogue-Medford Library plays a pivotal role as a safe haven for the local immigrant community. In Fall 2008, librarian Jean Kaleda and librarian assistant Gilda Ramos learned that people were afraid to attend evening ESL classes at the library for fear of being attacked while walking the streets at night. The librarians were in the process of organizing a public meeting with local officials to address their concerns. A week later, Marcelo Lucero was murdered and the library became a place for healing and dialogue. Spanish-speaking police officers, Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri, and local leaders met with community members to address the concerns of the Latino population in Patchogue. A group of quilters worked in the basement of the library as they stitched "Healing Hands, Mending Hearts," a quilt they later presented to Joselo Lucero, Marcelo's brother.
This is the opening sequence for Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness, a powerful new documentary special about a town in New York standing together to take action after anti-immigrant violence devastates their community and thrusts them into the international media spotlight. The film will premiere on PBS on Sept. 21, 2011.
For more information, visit: http://www.niot.org/lightinthedarkness