The remaining historic farmland in the South Valley of Albuquerque, New Mexico is being rapidly devoured by commercial and residential development. Under the leadership of Franciscan Sister Joan Brown, this community of Hispanics, Native Americans, and Anglos is fighting back. During the festival of San Ysidro, patron saint of agriculture, they gather to consecrate the land that nourishes them and bless the waters that help the crops grow. Religious ritual and sacred celebration become a seedbed for their effective environmental action.
Active Voice, a pioneer in the sophisticated use of documentaries as community organizing tools, has worked with the producers of RENEWAL to design an innovative engagement campaign to increase the impact of the documentary in American communities, houses of worship, business, civil society and governmental settings.
The Center for Independent Documentary is the fiscal sponsor of the RENEWAL Project.
The Forum on Religion and Ecology is an international, multi-religious project exploring religious worldviews, texts, and ethics in order to broaden understanding of human-Earth relations. Through its scholarship, conferences, publications and outreach, the Forum has been an inspiration to the RENEWAL Project.