Selena Gomez is Taking a Stand with Netflix Docuseries on Undocumented Immigrants
Historically, the actor and singer Selena Gomez isn’t one to get political
Photo: Instagram/stuartvevers
Historically, the actor and singer Selena Gomez isn’t one to get political. Sure, she’ll open up about the negative effects of social media, the importance of mental health, therapy, and body positivity — but when it comes to speaking on today’s social-political climate, the Mexican-American star has remained relatively quiet, until recently. Yesterday, Selena Gomez shared on Instagram that she and her team were “humbled” to produce a Netflix docuseries, titled Living Undocumented, that will focus on the immigration crisis in the U.S.
“The immigration issue is more complex than one administration, one law or the story you hear about on the news,” she continued in her Instagram post. “These are real people in your community, your neighbors, your friends — they are all part of the country we call home. I can’t wait for you guys to see this and hope it impacts you like it impacted me.”
According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gomez said she chose to produce Living Undocumented because over the past few years, “the word ‘immigrant’ has seemingly become a negative world. My hope is that the series can shed light on what it’s like to live in this country as an undocumented immigrant firsthand, from the courageous people who have chosen to share their stories.”
The Netflix docuseries, available to stream globally on October 2, will feature the story of “eight families who agreed to let film crews chronicle their lives as they faced potential deportation. Their stories range from harrowing to hopeful and humanize the complex U.S. immigration system, while the families endure in their quest to pursue the American dream.”
Ultimately, we’re thrilled that Gomez is bringing awareness to this issue considering her massive following — including those from the Latinx community.
Last year, Stuart Vevers, the creative director of Coach, released a picture of Gomez wearing a “We Are All Dreamers” t-shirt. Aside from that social media moment, Gomez hasn’t expressed much support about undocumented people or vocalized her opinion about immigration.
We know it can be tough to speak up about certain issues but during an administration like this one, we’ve got to set our fears aside in order to stand up for one another and other marginalized communities affected by the Trump administration’s inhumane policies. We applaud her for taking a stand and highlighting the stories of undocumented families.
Gomez’s mom, Mandy Teefy, is also named as a producer on the project along with executive producer, Aaron Saidman. “Living Undocumented is designed to illuminate one of the most important issues of our time,” said Saidman to THR. “But rather than discussing this issue with only statistics and policy debates, we wanted viewers to hear directly from the immigrants themselves, in their own words, with all the power and emotion that these stories reflect.”
Watch the full trailer below and don’t forget to stream on October 2.
