...from California
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"Thank you Valarie. This film moved me to tears and deep humility. Your work and incredible bravery have inspired me to do more with my life. I am 25 years old. Your film reminded me of my dad, a Mexican, who intentionally grew his beard out after 9/11 to show solidarity with others who might be targeted. Thank you once again. Now I understand why he did that."
25-year-old womyn, Chicana, American citizen
San Francisco
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"This was such an incredible learning experience for me. The film touched me in ways to educate me in the Sikh cultur[e], empower[ed] me to move for change where I can and gave me hope that through small efforts differences can be made.
May you be blessed from the journey."
40-year-old female, African-American, Christian, American citizen
San Francisco
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"Incredibly touching and SO important. Thank you."
20-year-old female, white, Jewish, American/Canadian citizen
San Francisco
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"Excellent conversation not only with respect to 9/11 but what it means to be a U.S. citizen and the struggles with diversity within the U.S.
Great political conversation as well. I really admired a peer viewpoint and the voice of the film. In what seems as a defeatest mentality to create change in our generation, your film challenges those ideas, inspires activism.
We should incorporate more individual stories/voices in our everyday lives."
25-year-old male, white/European, Jewish, American citizen
San Francisco
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"Excellent film! I was extremely moved by this -- I would love to see it widely distributed and seen in the U.S., but really anywhere there is intolerance -- meaning everywhere."
59-year-old female, Russian-Jewish, cultural Jew, American citizen
San Francisco
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"I was a medical student rotating at Columbia University Medical Center in Northern Manhattan when 9/11 happened. After the horror of that day, I was told I could go home rather than staying on call overnight as planned. I was so scared to leave and ride on public transportation through the Bronx after hearing the stories of hate crimes occurring even that same day. I decided to stay at the hospital instead, but I felt intimidated and sad that I could not feel safe in my neighborhood and country. I am Indian and I have a nosering, but that shouldn't matter. No Muslim person who looks like me should suffer hate through ignorance."
28-year-old female, Indian/South Asian, Hindu, American citizen
San Francisco
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"I wore a turban until I left my parents' home at 18. In the wake of 9/11, though, I felt a tremendous survivor guilt over the fact that my father and his brother wore targets on their head while I did not. So I went to the fabric store and bought a bunch of fabric and started wearing a turban again (despite my lack of a beard -- weird). The really beautiful thing was that several white friends of mine (white anti-capitalist activists) learned how to wrap a pagrhi from me and wore them in a public show of solidarity (as was suggested by the interfaith dude in your film)."
30-year-old male, Punjabi Jat, atheist (raised Sikh), American citizen
San Francisco
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"A brilliant and moving film that shed light on 'the wound' of ignorance which led to hatred and violence after 9/11. You have 'through action,' brought to the world a profoundly spiritual and human portrait of the soul of America, its possibilities, triumphs, and failures. Thank you!"
39-year-old male, Indian, Buddhist, American citizen
San Francisco
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"I had a very fully-grown beard for one year for a movie role. As a South Asian man, living in American post-9/11, I have empathized with those who have received prejudice and mistreatment for having beards, turbans, head coverings.. or just 'being brown.' In my own family, the men do not normally wear beards nor use head coverings. Once I had my beard, people's perceptions of me CHANGED. I was viewed as 'the enemy,' 'a terrorist,' 'an evil Muslim,' etc... airport travel was rough to say the least. And I was just an actor with a beard. This movie of yours dramatically emphasized the continual struggle of those who wear beards/turbans every day for religion. My heart goes out, truly. Thank you eternally for your film."
27-year-old male, East Indian, agnostic, American citizen
San Francisco
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"Hi Valarie,
I am a grad student in Asian American studies at SFSU and I just absolutely LOVED the film!"
29-year-old female, Indian, Christian, Indian citizen
San Francisco
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| "Valarie, your work is truly exceptional and your video will be outstanding. I believe it's release will be a landmark event in our community's history. I wish I could put into words exactly what the DVD means to me, a 26 year old sardar [turban-wearing Sikh] in the same business as Balbir Sodhi was. Your work is necessary for me. And I wish I could throw you a Pizza Hut party afterwards just to explain my appreciation for you and your staff's hard work, but since I will probably never meet you, all I can do is write it in this message.
Thank you, Valarie."
Ruminder S. Dhillon
26-year-old male, Sikh
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"I am a 33-year-old Native American woman who is often lost in the trauma that American citizens often commit on/to one another. Your words on 'I will take from you what you take from me'! Americans truly do live on these values. I am going to school to become a social worker. I have pledged to myself and for future generations to start a revolution on the way we treat each other not just Americans but all citizens. It is my belief that we are all a part of the human race. Thank you for putting such a strong young voice to such an old old issue."
Cynthia Edison
33-year-old female, Native American, traditional religion, American citizen
San Francisco
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"This is a very important story. Thank you for your courage, strength, determination and desire to share it. I have been touched in my heart. I learned about Sikhs and Sikhism in detail for the first time. Thank you for that. Thank you for sharing you. It has been a pleasure meeting you."
Maria Apodaca
42-year-old female, African-American, Christian, American citizen
San Francisco
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"I was very moved by all of these stories, and I think that you and others telling these types of stories are the only way to get people to think about these issues."
33-year-old female, white, Christian/spiritual, American citizen
San Francisco
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"What a touching, amazing film! So well put together and very tastefully done. I learned so much and have a desire to learn more. Congratulation on such a wonderful accomplishent."
21-year-old female, Hispanic, Christian, American citizen
San Francisco
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"Extremely powerful film - very well done. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to see this film and thankful that you made this incredible documentary."
46-year-old white female
San Francisco
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"Truly amazing. Thank you for your knowledge, courage, dedication, and passion. You are an inspiration. Thank you."
19-year-old female, American-Spanish-German, Jewish, American citizen
San Francisco
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