Amy Serrano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amy Serrano
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Amy Serrano, New Orleans, 2012
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| Born | November 8, 1966 |
| Nationality | Cuban-American |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts, Sociology and Anthropology |
| Occupation | Author, filmmaker, human rights activist |
| Known for | Documentaries, Books, Human Rights |
Amy Serrano, born on November 8, 1966, is an American filmmaker, writer, and activist who works to protect human rights. She is famous for her documentary called The Sugar Babies. This film showed the difficult lives of children working in the sugar industry in the Dominican Republic.
Growing Up and Learning
Amy was born in Cuba in 1966. Her family faced hard times and challenges there. She had to leave her home and family. She moved to Miami, Florida, as a political refugee.
Amy went to Florida International University. She studied Sociology and Anthropology. This helped her learn about different cultures and people. She focused on Latin American and Caribbean studies.
In 2007, Amy moved from Miami to New Orleans, Louisiana. She wanted to focus more on her writing there.
Making Movies
Amy's first job in film was as a producer. She worked on a PBS documentary called Adios Patria? The Cuban Exodus. This film shared the stories of Cubans who left their home country. It showed how they arrived in South Florida. Famous actor Andy Garcia narrated the film.
Amy also helped create another PBS show. It was called Cafe con Leche: Voices of Exiles' Children. This film looked at the lives of young adults. They were the children of the first Cubans who came to the United States.
She directed and produced A Woman's Place: Voices of Contemporary Hispanic-American Women. This PBS show featured many inspiring Hispanic-American women.
Amy wrote, produced, and directed a movie called Move!. This film was made in Rome, Italy. It was shown at film festivals and on TV in Europe. Move! was made of short films by 11 different directors. They explored human emotions and feelings.
Amy also created The Sugar Babies. This film is about the descendants of the first Africans brought to the island of Hispaniola. They worked in the sugar industry. The film showed their difficult lives. After the film came out, Amy faced many challenges.
Amy also directed a short film called Of Hope, Courage and Justice: A Global Mosaic of Women in Human Rights. She was also an associate producer for Havana: Portrait of Yesteryear. This film was nominated for an Emmy Award. Gloria Estefan narrated it for PBS.
Other Cool Projects
In 2009, Amy was asked to create a photo essay. It was about a new group of people in Louisiana. She spent time with the Garifuna people. Then she wrote and produced From Punta to Chumba: Garifuna Music and Dance in New Orleans. This project showed how women keep their culture alive through music and dance.
In 2013, Amy released her first book of poems. It was called Of Fiery Places and Sacred Spaces. Her poems have been published in many magazines and anthologies.
In 2016, she wrote the introduction for a photography book. It was called Alchimie Photographique by Diego Quiros. In 2017, she edited the Into the Woods Anthology and wrote its introduction.
In 2024, Amy published a new book called Saudades: Anthological Contemplations of Persons, Places, Identity and Time. This book uses poems, short stories, and art. It explores the deep feeling of "saudade." This Portuguese word means a strong longing or bittersweet nostalgia. It's a feeling that many people around the world can understand.
Amy has also been a leader in many groups. She was a Senior Fellow for the Human Rights Foundation. She was also a Fellow for the National Hispana Leadership Institute. She has served on boards for women's empowerment groups. She also helped start a human rights organization.
Currently, Amy is working on a new film. It is called AIRMAN: The Extraordinary Life of Calvin G. Moret. This film tells the inspiring story of a Tuskegee Airman from New Orleans. It shows his love for his country and for people.
Awards and Honors
Amy's leadership has been recognized by the City of Miami. They even declared October 27 as "Amy Serrano Day."
Clinique Cosmetics chose Amy as one of eight women for their "Evolution of Woman" exhibit. This national art show featured women chosen by Clinique. Photographer Sandi Fellman took their pictures. The exhibit traveled across the country.
Amy has been featured in Glamour Magazine [Spanish Edition] three times. She was even named Woman of the Year.
She received the Tesoro Award in Art and Culture. She also earned a Fellowship with the National Hispana Leadership Institute. A book about Hispanic-American leaders in the United States featured Amy.
The Florida Hispanic Yearbook has profiled Amy. MEGA TV also called her "one of the most influential and recognized Hispanics in the United States." Vanidades Magazine featured her as a "Mujer Vanidades."
About Her Life
Amy Serrano was married to Heath T. Peterson. Sadly, she became a widow during the Covid pandemic.
