The nation of the Philippines — long a US colony and still heavily influenced by Washington — is suffering a human rights crisis. The current president, Rodrigo Duterte, is engaged in a campaign of assassination against those suspected of involvement in drugs, against separatists, and against his political enemies of all types. He has also been gambling away the country’s patrimony and sovereignty, as we have seen in his pardon of Joseph Scott Pemberton, Jennifer Laude’s killer. All of this is against a backdrop of the country’s ongoing poverty and the deprivation of much of its population, plus a crisis provoked by a bungled response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This upcoming October 11 will be the 6th death anniversary of Jennifer Laude and justice has yet to be served. Join us for an opportunity to learn about the problems in the Philippines and the struggle for justice, sovereignty, human rights and democracy there.
You are invited to a panel discussion to take place on October 18, 2020 at 5 pm PST, 7 PM CST, 8 PM EST about Jennifer Laude’s case and other impacts of militarism in the Philippines. Panelists will include the film’s Director and Producer PJ Raval; United National Anti War Coalition Coordinator Joe Lombardo; and other Filipino and American human rights activists.
Everyone is encouraged to see Call Her Ganda, a movie by Filipino American filmmaker PJ Raval about the case of Jennifer Laude, a transgender Filipina woman murdered by American soldier Joseph Scott Pemberton, and about the struggle for justice waged by her family and the Filipino community. The movie will be available for free viewing online on October 7-21.
Please register for this event at tiny.cc/Ganda2020 to RSVP for the panel and receive information on how to view the film beforehand.
Check out more information on the film at http://www.callherganda.com/
This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
Content warnings: Discussion of Transphobia, Racism, Sexism, Murder, and Imperialism