A Valley Divided

In the Yakima Valley, the nation's fruit basket, where the population is increasingly majority-Latino, elected representatives are still overwhelmingly white. The documentary "A Valley Divided" explores ways in which the Latino community in Eastern Washington is finding its voice and demanding equal representation at the ballot box.

In the Yakima Valley, the nation's fruit basket, where the population is increasingly majority-Latino, elected representatives are still overwhelmingly white.

The documentary "A Valley Divided" explores ways in which the Latino community in Eastern Washington is finding its voice and demanding equal representation at the ballot box.

Power House Movies will screen the film at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 23, at Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 N Sixth Ave. 

The new documentary, directed by Madeline Gunderson, reveals the entrenchment of decades of political discrimination and holds up a mirror to the larger story of a changing United States.

Although Yakima County's population is about 50% Hispanic, the county has had just one Latino county commissioner in its history.

A 2020 lawsuit against Yakima County alleges its at-large voting system dilutes the agency of Latinos, in violation of the state Voting Rights Act and pushes for ranked choice voting.

Power House Movies showcase award-winning festival favorites, feature-length narratives, documentaries and undiscovered gems, paired with exclusive content from the movie makers themselves — most often in conversation with Director of Film Programming Warren Etheredge.

General admission tickets ($15 adults, $10 students) are available online at phtww.org or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. This event will include additional short films and have a total runtime of approximately 75 minutes.

Annie Charnley Eveland can be reached at annieeveland@wwub.com or 509-526-8313.

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