Will Johnston-Rutledge

Undocumented storytellers and activists share their experiences of being part of the immigrant rights movement

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Created for the release of the American Dreaming research report

Mis and disinformation about immigrants online are having a real world impact. At Define American, we wanted to know what the top anti-immigration narratives are, and how they’re spread online. Over two years of research, our team explored the messages and tactics of anti-immigrant content creators on YouTube. Check out our quick explainer video that highlights our top findings.

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Define American

Featured on:
Politico
MSNBC

Superstore’s Mateo is the first undocumented series regular on a primetime comedy. Played by the incredible Filipino-American actor Nico Santos, Mateo’s storyline has been a watershed moment for undocumented representation on television.

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Define American

Global Cities, a Program of Bloomberg Philanthropies, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting students and educators around the world.

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Global Cities

OHAYO! is a livestream morning show hosted by comedian Atsuko Okatsuka from inside the belly of a monster

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atsukookatsuka.com/ohayo

Featured on:
The New York Times

The Spindle and Spindle² microscopes by Double Helix Optics allow you to see into the depths with precision

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doublehelixoptics.com

When you think about immigration, you probably don't think about airports, amusement parks, or ranch dressing, but maybe you should

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Official Selection:
Phoenix Film Festival
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival
Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival

A video series featuring journalists and the approach they take to covering immigration today. They humanize the topic. So, we do the same for them.

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Define American

A humorous look at what not to say when your family wants to talk about immigration

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Featured on:
Bustle

Ryan Eller, Executive Director of Define American, shares his story.

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Define American

By the year 2100, as much as 20% of the world's population could be displaced by the effects of climate change. This displacement will not care about nations or borders and will spark a refugee crisis that will strain our already limited immigration systems. The time to act is now. We cannot pretend that our water, our air, and our lives are not deeply interconnected with the fate of the planet.

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Define American presents Prieto, an autobiographical one-man show written by nationally acclaimed poet, educator, and performance artist Yosimar Reyes. Known for his frequent exploration into themes of migration and sexuality, Reyes takes his audience on a journey into his experience growing up queer in the ‘hood of East San Jose.

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Define American

The US-Mexico border is the most militarized border in the world and it comes at an immense cost: each year American taxpayers spend over 4.8 billion dollars on Border Patrol and another 8.4 billion on Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Is this southern border really worth all of the taxes we pour into it?

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The Gravel Institute

The detainees at Mesa Verde ICE detention center fight for better safety conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic

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Featured on:
El Tecolote
VPR Valley Edition

An immigrant father struggles to provide a better life for his children in the harsh tomato fields of northern Alabama

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June 2016

Official Selection:
Sidewalk Film Festival

Featured on:
Scalawag Magazine

In spring 2015, Define American and filmmaker Sabrina Schmidt Gordon sat down with the three co-founders of the hashtag Black Lives Matter movement. The interview is just as relevant today.

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Define American

A look at how anti-immigrant hate groups like the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) have co-opted national news coverage, spreading racist narratives and legitimizing the inhumane actions of the Trump administration

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defineamerican.com/sourcesmatter

With Tax day quickly approaching, we've been hearing a lot of people ask the same old tired question: Do undocumented immigrants pay taxes??? Here's your (1000th?) reminder that undocumented people DO pay taxes. Starring the amazing Yosi Reyes and Denea Randeen.

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Define American

Celebrity actors, directors, and journalists share what makes them feel most American

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Define American

Mixologist Clair McLafferty explains why 007 orders his signature cocktail

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facebook.com/AlaCarteAL