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'Displaced' documentary highlights I-94 impact
The documentary, "Displaced", highlights the impact the construction of Interstate 94 had on the Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul. FOX 9's Soyoung Kim has the full story.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A new short film takes a look at how highway construction across the country impacted the communities it runs through.
Interstate 94 ripped through Rondo in St. Paul, but that is just one of the areas featured in this piece.
Vibrant communities ripped apart
The backstory:
The short film is called "Displaced: Reimagining Our Nation’s Infrastructure."
It is a collective of stories told through the eyes of residents in multiple communities impacted by highway construction across the country. The stories shared remember when construction devastated homes and businesses decades ago and also describe the lasting impact that can be seen today.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, one million people were displaced due to the Highway Act of 1956. It disproportionately impacted people of color and low-income communities.
Looking back to look ahead:
ReConnect Rondo said they led this project to let communities impacted know they are not alone. The organization said the goal is to bridge ideas together to build towards a stronger future. It features stories from residents across the country, including communities from California, to Texas, to New York.
"These communities are doing phenomenal work to reconnect their own communities," said Timothy Hunt, ReConnect Rondo’s Marketing Communications Director. "It’s about economic prosperity. It’s about having a sense of place, having a sense of belonging. That’s important to everybody."
What you can do:
Anyone interested in checking out the film can visit their website.
The Source: The organization said this film was made possible by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ (AASHTO) Center for Environmental Excellence.