Himself/Professor of Political Science
With one million immigrants making their home in the U.S. annually, immigrant students are entering American public schools in record numbers. Welcome to South Portland, Maine explores a demographic shift through the lives of young women attending high school in what is considered the whitest state in America - Maine. The film's 14 teen protagonists-from Somalia, the Congo, Vietnam, Jamaica, and southern Maine-are enrolled in a hip hop, health and culture program during the most anti-immigrant period in recent U.S. history. The 2016 presidential race and recent terrorist attacks have fueled an atmosphere of mistrust, fear, and violence against recent immigrants. Viewers will watch as the girls relate to one another's hopes and fears, and manage to build trust as the charged events unfold around them.
