Aggie Ebrahimi Bazaz and her team shed light on immigrant life through two 360º videos that profile the experiences of an upstate New York community, Saratoga Springs, which is a hotspot for ICE raids. The films, which take the shape of immersive metaphoric ICE interrogations, help viewers understand the experience of strengthening one’s own identity and building community bonds within systems that foster isolation and othering. The project aims to weave a tapestry of voices and experiences, delving into the complex lives of the minority community members who have been involved every step of the way.
This project is produced in collaboration with the Economic Opportunity Council of Saratoga County; The Public VR Lab of Brookline Interactive Group; and the MDOCS Community Partnerships Program at Skidmore College. They are supported by The Philadelphia Independent Media Finishing Fund administered by Scribe Video Center with funds provided by the Wyncote Foundation. The films will be presented at the Visible Evidence conference in the summer of 2019.