Los Medanos College celebrated Native American Heritage Month in an event hosted this past week in Pittsburg’s Student Union. The event, which was hosted by Student Life, consisted of a screening of a film produced by LMC Alumni Cecilia Mellieon and was followed by a short discussion about the film. The film, which was made entirely by Mellieon, highlighted her ethnic background and personal history through interviews with her family. 

Mellieon made this film in place of her dissertation for a Masters in Anthropology at San Francisco State University and was the first screening for the film. She and her family have an extensive history with LMC as she transferred with a Anthropology for Transfer degree in 2018 and moved on to SFSU. Her kids followed suit and have both attended LMC, so showing the movie here felt like “a homecoming.”

“If you had told me seven years ago that I’d be back here doing this, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Mellieon said, “It feels surreal.” 

The film focused on Mellieon’s childhood with a troubled family and living through an abusive household that is told through various interviews with her brother and mother. She builds a story throughout the film of how native separation affected her father and that experience subsequently shaped his life, which is pictured through emotional interviews and family pictures that transition between points in the film. 

“I begin with myself and my perspective in order to then document a community I am familiar with,” Mellieon said. 

While she slowly builds into the idea of how native separation has affected her family, she also incorporates themes of generational trauma in interviews with her children and the stories they had heard of their mothers childhood. When put together, it made for an emotionally gripping story that highlighted her own personal history as well as the history of her family. 

Following the screening, Mellieon had a short discussion about her educational and ethical journey with the audience and answered some questions. As this is her first time showing the film in front of an audience, Mellieon thought the event went “well.” 

She now aims to achieve her masters in Anthropology and use this film as a teaching tool in the future. Aside from this, Mellieon has submitted the movie in different film festivals and has plans to use the film to teach about generational trauma. 

“I want to show [the film] at more universities and colleges,” Mellieon said.