Claudia and Alex are electricians working in Texas who emigrated from El Salvador.
Courtesy of Moyo Oyelola
Building the American Dream
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Fred Vigeant
Courtesy of Moyo Oyelola
Claudia and Alex are electricians working in Texas who emigrated from El Salvador.
Building the American Dream takes you to Texas, the site of a massive construction boom heralded as the “Texas Miracle.” Its dirty secret: the abuse of immigrant workers. The film captures the rise of a workers’ movement, fighting widespread construction industry injustices – from non-payment of wages to deadly work conditions.
Grieving their son who died a heat-related death on a construction site, the Granillo family campaigns for a much-needed safety law that would allow workers 10-minute breaks for every four hours of labor. Claudia and Alex, a Salvadoran couple, are skilled electricians owed thousands in back pay who fight for their children’s future.
And Christian, a bereaved son, hopes to protect others from his family’s preventable tragedy. Through their stories of courage, resilience and community, the film reveals eye-opening truths about the hardworking immigrants who build our American Dream.
Watch Building the American Dream on WITF Tuesday, September 15 at 10:00pm. The program is also available for on-demand viewing through the PBS Video app.
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