Video credit: Find Your Ally | Click here for the English version.
Lidieth Arevalo is a filmmaker and immigrant rights activist based in Long Beach, California. In this episode of Determined Voices, Lidieth shares her experience as an immigrant woman and the impact community college had on her career.
Born in El Salvador, Lidieth immigrated to the United States at age 13. Along with adapting to a different culture, Lidieth faced the challenge of learning a new language while attending multiple high schools where she was one of the few non-white students. Lidieth felt like an outcast until her senior year when she took a class in video production. Her passion for the subject helped her connect with classmates and gave her the confidence to attend De Anza Community College in Cupertino, Calif.
The diverse campus and mature student body was a welcome change from the high schools Lidieth had attended, fostering an inclusive environment that would set her on the path toward a career in film and media. After De Anza, Lidieth received a B.A. in Film and Electronic Media Arts from California State University, Long Beach before completing her MFA in Documentary Filmmaking at Chapman University. Her work, often in the form of documentary shorts, tackles diversity, identity, and the stories of undocumented people.
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