Taking Root

This four-part docu-series presented by VietLead, sheds light on the little-known yet powerful stories of human resilience that don’t exist in our history books. These are the stories of Southeast Asians who resettled in Philadelphia after the Vietnam War. Tens of thousands of refugees braved the seas to America in search of a new home away from the violence of war, only to experience another kind – intergenerational structural violence. This series not only unearths the trauma passed down through generations but also recognizes the power of a united Southeast Asian community coming together in resistance. Step by step, they deconstructed the narrative presented to them and rewrote their own narrative in America.

It was an honor for Maestro to participate in the post-production of Episodes 1 and 2 of this incredible project. Our team carefully wove the narrative together using first hand accounts of struggles over issues like housing, school violence, deportation, and more. It was a meticulous process in which we worked hand-in-hand with Director Oanh-nhi and Producer Lan Dinh from Vietlead. Entrusted with illustrating this oral history, our animation team took great care to guide the audience through difficult stories with beautiful and thoughtful animations.

Taking Root: Southeast Asian Stories of Resettlement in Philadelphia is a series made with much thought and care. We are grateful to be a part of this journey.