A concentration of Latino owned restaurants open for business just a few years apart in a neighborhood dominated by multiple modern banks and unused parking lots. What seemed to be a promising new beginning for a mostly hidden minority population along Central Avenue, the events of a single day force these restaurateurs with an unexpected and uncertain decision; to give up on their dreams, or to stay and persevere. Avenida Central (Central Avenue in Spanish) is a story of how people from completely different Latin American roots find themselves in the small city of Staunton, VA, open up shop in the same neighborhood, and how a community rallied behind them in the midst a global pandemic and a local natural disaster.

Currently In Production

In the early 1990’s, a community member in Staunton, VA takes it upon herself to start a youth program for the children and teens who live in the historical black neighborhood surrounding Johnson Street, also known as Newtown. Of the many group activities provided for these young people, one of the most endearing activities was, sitting down with black community elders, listening, asking questions, and learning what life was like in Staunton for these black educators, business owners, professionals, and families some 30, 40, 50 years prior when Jim Crow and segregation was still law. More so, these conversations between young and old were, amazingly so, captures on home video.

This Project is currently in development

View a short video from our virtual exhibit

In the small city of Staunton Virginia, a thriving black community is bulldozed under the veil and false promises of Urban Renewal in the 1950’s and 1960’s, displacing black families and black owned businesses to make room for a commercial development that never took shape. It was called, Project No. VA R-27, also known as the Central Avenue Urban Renewal Project, often shorted to, Project R-27. Nearly 60 years later, Black community leaders work to re-earth and preserve the history that was ignored for decades to seemingly allow it to be forgotten. A event called, “What we Lost" reconstructs a physical representation of the former black owned businesses along the Central Avenue corridor.


Currently In Development

After taking part in the success of colleagues and restaurants not his own, The Chicano Boy tells the first couple chapters of Virginia based chef and restaurateur, Justin Hershey. He shares his journey of attaining culinary prestige and professional highs at a very young age while navigating unspeakable personal lows. While facing burnout, he explored his Chicano heritage and finds success all his own with Tacos.

Currently In Development

In the Central American country of Honduras, families travels across the the country for days by bus, mototaxi and by foot to reach the US Embassy in the capital city of Tegucigalpa to apply for a USA visitor visa. For most average Hondurans who fall below the poverty line, the cost of the journey and the price of the application itself cost several hundred, to several thousand dollars depending the size of the family seeking the tourist visa. This sum can takes months if not years to save up for, all without a clear answer if they will be approved or denied once they arrive. In this film, we follow one families attempt to attain a United States business/tourist Visa and attempt to get clear answer what justification the US Government uses to approve or deny applicants. Is the system fair or is it simple at the mercy of personal bias of American diplomats?

Currently in Development