'Inocente': A documentary about a young, undocumented immigrant

Eighteen-year-old Inocente Izucar is one of an estimated 1.8 million undocumented children brought into the United States by their parents. Up until recently, she was also part of another staggering statistic: one of 1.5 million homeless American youth. But Inocente isn't just a number—she's a vibrant young artist who's putting a face on the issues of immigration and homelessness. Shine Global's award-winning documentary follows her as she establishes her life in San Diego (after moving 30 times in nine years) and uses art as a therapeutic means to deal with her legal and familial struggles. We spoke to Inocente about why she's share her story and how her life has changed since filming commenced.

How did this documentary come about?
"The director approached me. One in 45 kids are homeless. I said yes because I thought it was time to put a face on the issues of homeless and undocumented immigrants."

What are some of the misconceptions that people have about your life as an undocumented immigrant?
"For me, I was brought here not on my own terms, so it's not like I wanted to come to the United States and be undocumented. It's been hard for me because I didn't know that it was a bad thing if you were undocumented. It was hard for my mom to get a job; it was hard for us to find a place to live. It's not easy being undocumented. It makes life ten times harder."

What were the circumstances under which you were brought to the States?
"My dad basically kidnapped my brother and me. He brought us from Mexico to the United States—I don't know how we crossed the border. Later, my mom came on her own looking for us. My dad was abusive, and he was deported. We didn't have a place to live, so that's when we started living in shelters."

Immigration is such an important topic in the upcoming presidential election. How do you think this issue is treated in the news?
"As I've gotten older, I've watched the news more and seen families get separated because parents are undocumented and kids are born here. I've been one of the lucky ones to never get deported or separated from my family—well, except for my dad, but that's okay with me. I've seen my friends' families get separated. You have to think of the human side of it—what if this happened to you?"

Were you nervous to have your story broadcasted publicly?
"No, because I was younger when they filmed it—I was fifteen. I didn't care what people thought about me. I did it for the good of spreading my message. I'm eighteen now. They filmed for about a year and a half of my life."

During this hard time, at what point did you turn to art and see its healing power?
"I've always known I was an artist and submitted my art to contests. I didn't start painting until I was fourteen in an after-school program. I got the push to experiment with my art."

Can you describe your art?
"My art is very happy. Because I've had such a dark past, you would think I paint dark art, but I try to make my things very colorful. If you paint sad stuff, it'll just make you sadder."

How has your life changed since filming commenced?
"It's given my art a lot of exposure. It's been very inspirational to a lot of people, which was the main cause for the film. It's been good for me to see the positive impact. I still live in San Diego, but I've lived by myself for about seven months. My mom lives five blocks away from me. We're still in touch, but we have the separation needed for our relationship."

What are your goals for the next year?
"I got a visa, so I'm in the United States legally now. In a few years, I can apply for my green card. I want to put a face to all the issues going on and be a voice for people who don't have one. I want to inspire people and show them that life does get better."

Do you have any advice for teens going through hard times?
"I'm sure people get tired of hearing this, but never give up hope. Everyone has those times when you feel like the whole world falls on you, but it always gets better."

Is there anything that you think was left out of the documentary?
"I have different dreams now. I still want to do art, but I want to go to college to study sign language and join the circus. Those are my goals. As I've gotten older, I've developed new interests."

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This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.