Harvest of Empire, The Untold Story of Latinos in America

Continuing Hispanic Heritage Month, the Events and International Correspondence Committees announce a film review and discussion of Harvest of Empire, The Untold Story of Latinos in America with producer Wendy Thompson-Marquez, producer and co-producer and co-director Eduardo Lopez Wednesday, October 21, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This event will be co-moderated by committee chairs Carmen Russell Sluchanksy and Aileen Schlef and questions can be submitted in advance to [email protected].

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The documentary examines the role of this nation’s economic and military interests on Latinos in America. As immigration issues continue to mystify policymakers to this day, the US Latino community is now approaching a population of 63 million, represents 20 nations, and produced a $2.3T GDP for the United States in 2018.  Many Mexican American families recollect that “we did not cross the border; it crossed us.”

Juan González, the award-winning journalist who authored the book, Harvest of Empire, opens the film stating, “They never teach us in school that the huge Latino presence here is a direct result of our own government’s actions in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America over many decades — actions that forced millions from that region to leave their homeland and journey north.” 

When it was first released in 2012, the NY Daily News wrote: “In an era of anti-immigrant fervor, this sobering and much-needed look at Latino migration is built on an undeniably optimist premise: that once Americans have accurate facts, they rarely allow injustice to stand." The New York Times wrote: ”Harvest of Empire has a journalistic pedigree and a punch that comes from political advocacy…the filmmakers retain a touching faith that most Americans won’t tolerate injustice when they know about it. This film is meant to teach them.” 

A copy of the documentary is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gW84cAN2Pw