04/09/2026
Please take a moment to support and follow this incredible documentary project, of , led by students and young creatives from the Berks County area. This beautiful and deeply meaningful film preserves the stories of the first Puerto Rican families who settled in Reading honoring their struggles, sacrifices, resilience, and the contributions that helped shape the city while paving the way for future Latino generations.
What makes this project even more powerful is that it not only teaches young people the art of filmmaking and storytelling, but also reconnects them with their roots, identity, and the migration journeys that built our community. These are the stories that deserve to be protected, celebrated, and passed down for generations to come.
The team hopes to complete the documentary by early 2027 while also creating a digital archive so these voices and memories are never lost. They are currently working to raise $50,000 to support production and make possible a student trip to Puerto Rico to visit the towns where many of Reading’s elders came from and trace the roots of their migration stories. Please support, share, and help preserve this beautiful piece of our history. Our stories matter, our elders matter, and our roots deserve to live forever 🇵🇷
A student-led documentary project is capturing the stories of Reading’s early Puerto Rican community, highlighting the challenges and contributions of those who helped shape the city. The film, Roots of Solidarity, features interviews with local elders and is being produced through a youth arts program with support from the Berks Latino Chamber of Commerce. Organizers hope to complete the documentary by early 2027 while also creating a digital archive to preserve these stories for future generations.
The project hopes to raise at least $50,000, which would go toward production expenses and phase two of the project — a student trip to Puerto Rico to visit the towns where the Reading elders came from and trace the roots of their migration stories.
Read more: https://berksweekly.com/news/student-led-documentary-preserves-the-stories-of-latinos-who-settled-in-reading-decades-ago/
Photo courtesy of Joshua Dipini / JD Visual Productions: Students interview Rosa Julia Parra of Palo Magazine for “Roots of Solidarity.”
