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WWU's Morse Leadership Institute to cohost screening of 'Borderland' on Oct. 23 at The Pickford

WWU's Morse Leadership Institute (MLI) will co-present the film "Borderland: The Line Within" at the Pickford Film Center’s annual Doctober film festival at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 23, after which the filmmakers (Paco de Onís and Pamela Yates, producers and directors) will participate in a question-and-answer session moderated by MLI Director Karen Stout. 

A second screening will take place on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1:45 p.m. If students would like to see the film free of charge, they can contact Morse.Institute@wwu.edu which is purchasing a limited number of group tickets for both screenings; MLI asks for a first name and email address for the RSVP list. 

More information about the film may be found at: Borderland: The Line Within (pickfordfilmcenter.org). “The border is everywhere for immigrants.” That is the thematic message of this powerful documentary in which a team of “digital humanists” work to shed light on the shadowy world of what they call the Border Industrial Complex. This is the story of America’s immigration policy—ruthless, militaristic, and well-funded—and the immigrants who are organizing, coalescing power, and fighting back using highly innovative tools and tactics in the face of growing fascism.

The International Documentary Association says the film “will explore the nexus of political and social forces roiling our southern border and acts of resistance by Americans to U.S immigration policies.” Students from MLI will table at both screenings to provide more information about MLI and the leadership studies minor and programming. 

The Morse Leadership Institute is committed to creating a culture of belonging and care so students can become effective, collaborative, and inclusive leaders. MLI provides a variety of support structures and opportunities for students across Western’s campus to develop as leaders, including a broad spectrum of leadership studies courses, applied and global leadership opportunities, community engagement projects, peer and professional mentoring, support for students’ participation in academic conferences and professional development opportunities, and campus events and programs. The Institute also supports campus partners to provide curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular opportunities aimed at student leadership learning so that all WWU students can engage in their desired social and professional change efforts. While the Institute provides a minor in Leadership Studies, students from any department or program on campus may take many courses offered by the Institute.