The Long Ride Trailer from Valerie Lapin Ganley on Vimeo.
The Long Ride is a timely award-winning documentary about the historic 2003 Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride that sparked the birth of the new Civil Rights Movement for immigrant workers. Inspired by the Civil Rights Movement Freedom Riders who risked their lives fighting to end segregation, nearly 1,000 immigrants and allies traveled by bus across America to focus attention on the plight of immigrants and call for reform of the broken immigration system. The film follows their journey and the on-going fight for immigrant rights to this day.
Some Riders risked arrest and deportation by merely participating in the Ride. Nevertheless, they bravely spoke publicly about their immigration experiences and the difficulties they face in their adopted homeland. The Riders confronted the immigration system head-on while demonstrating at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, and were met by angry, anti-immigrant counter-protestors. They faced their inner most fears when they learned the fate of their fellow Riders traveling from Los Angeles who were detained by Border Patrol officers.
The Freedom Riders delivered their message to Washington law makers, and were joined by 1961 Freedom Rider and Civil Rights icon Congressman John Lewis who told them, “You’re so inspiring to see all of you riding across America. We will not be at peace until immigrant workers are treated like all other human beings. You have a right to be treated with dignity.”
KJ
