Overview:
Spanning three years, “All We Carry” follows a family targeted violence from narcotraffickers in Honduras as they flee on foot, and ride cargo trains across Mexico, claim asylum at the U.S. border, and endure detention before being released to live with extended family in Seattle, Washington.
“All We Carry” tells the story of a family’s refugee journey, inviting viewers to see themselves reflected in it as it explores life in limbo while seeking asylum in the U.S.
The 80-minute screening is scheduled for Jan. 28 at Fresno’s Big Red Church in collaboration with the Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries. The evening will kick off with a 5 p.m. reception featuring tamales, pupusas, warm ponche, and other snacks donated by the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation.
The screening of “All We Carry” will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a panel discussion featuring local human rights activists and elected officials, including Misty Her, Fresno Unified School District’s interim superintendent, and the Rev. Simon Biasell-Moshrefi, pastor of the Big Red Church. The event is sponsored by the Central Valley Community Foundation, with CMAC providing audio-visual support.
Cady Voge, director of “All We Carry,” worked as a freelance immigration reporter in Colombia in 2018. She later traveled to Mexico to cover the migrant caravan—a group of migrants from Central America journeying together to the Mexico–U.S. border in search of asylum in the U.S. She began following the family’s five-year journey by writing two articles about them and turning the story into a documentary.
In an interview with Fresnoland, Voge shared that she found it challenging to report on more narrative-driven stories that capture “all the human moments” due to the fast-paced news cycle.
For “All We Carry,” she explained the story “seemed like such an outlier that it didn’t fit the typical narrative, making it seem like it shouldn’t be followed.” However, she trusted her instincts and decided to pursue it anyway.
“I hope this film tells the story of one immigration experience, and that viewers, over the course of watching, fall in love with this family,” said Voge. “If you identify with them, I hope you feel seen. For those who may not identify with the family, I hope you still connect with their story in other ways, such as through themes of healing, grief, and marriage because the story is so deeply human, and it fosters a connection with the people in it.”
The decision to screen this film in Fresno was deeply personal for Linda Renland, FIRM’s refugee success program manager, after attending a screening at UC Berkeley last October. Renland felt an immediate connection to the film, recognizing it as a genuine representation of the stories she encounters daily through her work with refugees and immigrants in the Central Valley.
“The Central Valley has a long history as a hub for people on the move, a place shaped by migration and resilience,” said Renland. “It’s important to remind folks that nearly every industry in the valley has been influenced by individuals or families who came here seeking refuge, fleeing their countries of origin in search of safety and opportunity. It is not a foreign concept, and it’s good to see it within this context, that it’s still happening, and for people to see the humanity of it all.”
Renland explained that while organizations like FIRM provide support for refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers, and humanitarian parole holders, the challenges these individuals face are overwhelming and the film highlights “the lingering impact of their journeys and the weight they continue to carry.”
In light of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office, fueled by promises of mass deportations and closed borders, Renland emphasized that immigration and migration narratives are often portrayed negatively.
“These are our stories,” said Renland. “It should be told from the perspective of the person who lived it. And I think that holds great value, and within that comes strength and the ability to stand firmly within a truthful narrative.”
It’s a sentiment that, Renland said, was shared by many local human rights activists and organizers when she talked about the possibility of FIRM hosting a professional film screening.
This included Elizabeth Camarena, an immigrant and human rights attorney based in Fresno, who works with clients fleeing crises in their home countries.
Camarena, who’s helped organize the event, said the film “preserves the dignity of these individuals,” and “offers an intimate and nuanced narrative of what’s often reduced to a stereotypical story of an immigrant—someone fleeing a crisis and starting over. But it captures so much more than that.”
According to Camarena, the film captures a young couple’s experiences before leaving their home countries, their journey, and the challenges and triumphs they encounter after arriving in the U.S. She believes the story can help bridge the gap in understanding, offering audiences a deeper and more empathetic perspective on the immigrant experience.
“We hope this film resonates with members of the community who recognize their own stories—or those of their families—reflected in it,” said Camarena. “By presenting an authentic and realistic portrayal of their struggles and achievements, the film may offer a sense of pride in what they’ve endured and accomplished. It can also provide hope, reminding viewers of their own personal resilience and strength that have carried them through the hardships that led them to rebuild their lives in the Central Valley.”
The panel discussion will focus on the film’s story, its connection to the community’s experiences, and the unique perspective it offers. Panelists will explore themes in the film while addressing broader migration issues—why people move, how they end up here, and where they typically settle—along with reflections on the film’s impact and larger questions about migration to the U.S.
Renland explained that event organizers aimed to move beyond a “typical” panel format by featuring voices with direct experience—whether as refugees or immigrants themselves—or those, like the film’s director, who have accompanied individuals on their journeys and brought their stories to life through the film.
The panel will also include second- and third-generation migrants to the Central Valley who have become community leaders, positively impacting not only the migrant community but the broader community as well.
“Sometimes we tend to quiet down these stories, but I think that it’s important to actually talk about them,” Camarena said. “The taboo of talking about immigrants and refugees will hopefully start slipping away, because I think every one of us living in the Central Valley knows someone that came to the valley under similar circumstances, and we should be celebrating that.”
