Podcast
unseen: Life as a Blind Immigrant
“unseen: Life as a Blind Immigrant” is the four-chapter, immersive podcast based on audio description for our film, written by Cheryl Green and voiced by Nefertiti Matos-Olivares. A cinematic experience that does not rely on vision and sight, this groundbreaking show puts you inside Pedro’s life, while exploring immigration, disability, and new ways to experience a podcast.
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Episodes:
Chapter 1: Life as a Blind Immigrant
On a hot, summer day, Pedro takes the bus to his university. When a passenger notices the dog next to him, Pedro explains that he gets assistance from his guide dog because he is blind. As he arrives on campus, Pedro heads to the registrar. He pays for tuition out of pocket as an undocumented student. Pedro has faced numerous challenges, being both undocumented and blind, but his mentors have given him resources to follow his dreams. This inspires Pedro to pursue a career in social work, like his mentors, to help others just like himself. While Pedro is in school, Donald Trump gets elected president in 2016, further jeopardizing Pedro’s already precarious status in the U.S.
Chapter 2: Barely Getting Started
In 2017, the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. occurs in Las Vegas. As a social work student, Pedro becomes a frontline responder, specializing in Spanish-language mental health services for immigrant survivors. At home, Pedro discusses the barriers he faces in the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant, preventing him from receiving support to go to school even though he is putting his training into important use. Unexpectedly, Pedro’s mentor informs him about a scholarship from the Mexican consulate, which gives Pedro $5,000 to finally graduate after 7 years. Unlike his classmates however, Pedro has no real prospects after graduation due to his immigration status.
Chapter 3: The Things We Can’t Control
A few years after graduating with a bachelor’s degree, Pedro’s grandmother suddenly passes away. Although he eventually earns a Master’s in Social Work, Pedro wonders whether his sacrifices were all worth it, since his grandma passed away while he was studying. This guilt causes Pedro to wallow in depression. As his immigrant parents also age with no access to healthcare or a comfortable retirement, Pedro struggles to pursue his aspirations in life, while his loved ones are content just to see him succeed, expecting nothing in return.
Chapter 4: Me, Authentically
At work, Pedro expertly teaches other blind individuals the skill sets they need to lead a life with vision loss (e.g. using a cane, reading in Braille). In spite of that, Pedro tells his boss that he often feels unworthy of the opportunities he has received in life. Looking back at his life, Pedro reflects on his goals as a young student, and how he is now living a version of that, in spite of the uncertainties.
BONUS EPISODE: unseen, A Serenade for Your Spirit
Wherever we turn for the last several months, it's almost impossible to not notice the 2024 US elections. Unfortunately, the discourse has left out (if not dehumanized altogether) the communities our show uplifts: people with disabilities, undocumented immigrants, and perhaps even you who is just trying to get by in your everyday life. For this bonus episode, we want to give you a pause from all that. We’re reflecting on what the outcomes of the elections mean to us. But rather than tell you what we think or how you should feel, we offer a song for your spirit instead. We hope this offering speaks to you somehow.