Traces of Home (Diaspora and Immigration Series)

Chicago-based filmmaker Colette Ghunim’s passion lies at the cross-section of social impact and visual storytelling. Her first documentary, The People’s Girls, received worldwide attention for its bold spotlight on Egypt’s issue of sexual harassment. With recognition by major international outlets, The People’s Girls trailer enticed over 2 million views.

Colette is currently working on Traces of Home, her first feature-length film documenting her journey back to Mexico and Palestine to locate her parents' original homes, which they were forced to leave decades ago. She is also the co-founder of Mezcla Media Collective, a nonprofit organization to support women of color in film in Chicago. Colette strives to be a change-maker for communities worldwide, documenting powerful stories of individuals that often go unnoticed.

Filmmaker Colette Ghunim on her first feature-length documentary: "Traces of Home tells the story of what happens when we as first-generation Americans go back to our roots to find out how where we come from shapes our identity. Through Traces of Home, I am telling my own personal story. I'm half Mexican and half Palestinian and both my parents were forced to leave their homes as children, and they both never returned since then. So through my film, we're going back to Mexico and Palestine to try to find the original houses and to talk about why people are leaving and immigrating and why refugees are leaving as well, during a time when we need to hear it the most."

You can follow the Traces of Home project on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode was edited and produced by Julián Esteban Torres López.

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