“Camera in hand, Kristal Sotomayor found herself in the streets of Philadelphia capturing what came to be a historic moment: the end of a more than 10-year-old agreement that allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers access to the Police Department’s Preliminary Arraignment Reporting System (PARS).”

(Philadelphia Inquirer, August 7, 2019)

Presented as a Zoom event attendees watched 'Expanding Sanctuary,’ a documentary that illustrates an often untold story about Latino communities' actions for social change, right here in Philadelphia. Following the viewing, Ms. Sotomayor explained how she came to produce the film. “It’s a powerful and empowering piece that shows what detainment and deportation systems look like in the lives of people,” says Ms. Sotomayor, and how local grassroots organizations took action to make change.

Kristal Sotomayor (they/she) is a nonbinary bilingual Latinx documentary filmmaker, festival programmer, awards manager, and journalist based in Philadelphia. Drawing inspiration from their Peruvian heritage, Kristal’s community-based work practice focuses on Latinidad, immigration, and belonging. They practice transformative filmmaking that humanizes and validates the lived experiences of underrepresented communities.