Manzanar Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust

a partnership with Columbus, Indiana Human Rights Commission

Join us for a documentary showing of "Manzanar Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust" in partnership with The Columbus, Indiana Human Rights Commission.

At the foot of the majestic snow-capped Sierras, Manzanar, the WWII concentration camp, becomes the confluence for memories of Payahuunadü, the now-parched “land of flowing water.” Intergenerational women from Native American, Japanese American and rancher communities form an unexpected alliance to defend their land and water from Los Angeles.

The Owens Valley was originally called “Payahuunadü” by the Indigenous people, who settled along the banks of the valley's rivers, creeks, and springs. In the early 1900s, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power took control of the valley's water resources to supply the growing city of Los Angeles. 

This documentary explores the cultural and environmental impact of diverting water from its original course to feed large cities like Los Angeles. 

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