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News/Noticias Cisneros to narrate "The Forgotten Americans," a documentary film on colonias along the U.S. and Mexico border. San Marcos, Texas (March 16, 2000) — One of the nation's most recognizable and respected Latinos will narrate "The Forgotten Americans," a one-hour film on the living conditions of American citizens along the U.S. and Mexican border. Henry Cisneros — the former U.S. Secretary of Housing & Urban Development and past Mayor of San Antonio, Texas — is President and Chief Operating Officer of Univision Communications, Inc., the nation's largest Spanish-language television network. "We are pleased to have someone as expert in Hispanic issues as Mr. Cisneros, lend his talents to this project," explains Jaime Chahin, Ph.D., Colonias Project Director and Dean of Applied Arts at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. "In order to have an impact on those audiences who can influence positive change for colonias, we needed someone to tell their story who is credible, respected and knowledgeable of their situation; Henry Cisneros is that person" he added. The documentary film on the conditions of American communities along the Mexican border will be premiered March 17, 2000, in Washington, D.C. at the Smithsonian Institute. Members of the House of Representatives and Hispanic Congressional Caucus, state and local officials, and Latino community-based organizations from communities along the U.S./Mexico border will share their perspectives, and present position papers, on the conditions and effects of colonias on a growing number of Americans. These mainly unincorporated settlements often lack basic public services, and are marked by high dropout rates and low income levels. Health problems are a crucial concern, with higher than average rates of hepatitis, tuberculosis and other diseases that can be fatal when untreated. In an effort to find solutions to this problem, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded a $994,000 grant to Chahin at Southwest Texas State University. The main portion of the funds were used to document the unregulated housing subdivisions, which are cropping-up at phenomenal rates along the international border, from Texas to California. One of the project's objectives is to inform policy makers and the public about the lack of legislation and enforcement of policies related to colonias. The documentary not only depicts the conditions within these settlements, but captures the American spirit of hope and aspirations. With media exposure and participation of governmental and community leadership, the project proposes to secure much needed attention from public officials at municipal, county, state and national levels. According to Chahin, the problem has been neglected by all levels of government, with very little or no funding (and enforcement) allocated to this issue. An objective of the film's premiere is to inform policy makers — and the general public — about the lack of legislation and enforcement of existing policies related to colonias. A panoramic website depicting the conditions can be viewed at www.lascolonias.org. The hour-long film is being directed by award-winning documentarian Hector Galan and will be offered for broadcast to Public Broadcasting System (PBS). Galan's film credits include: Hispanos, a PBS documentary focusing on Hispanic life in America; documentaries for PBS news and public affairs series Frontline, Checking it Out, a 26-part magazine series for Hispanic teenagers, and The End of the Race, a documentary on the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico.
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