Here are your weekend must reads. A new film tells the story of an undocumented Filipina country singer. Timely book asks how white evangelicals can worship at the altar of President Donald Trump. Health care is also a racial justice issue, says a NCR columnist.

In 'Yellow Rose,' an undocumented Filipina sings for her American dream

In "Yellow Rose," a new film from documentary filmmaker Diane Paragas, the lead character is an undocumented 17-year-old Filipino-American, who navigates migration and race, while trying to reach her American dream of becoming a country music singer.

"Paragas infuses the story with a convincing realism through unobtrusive camerawork and effortless dialogue, and by maintaining a simple, even-keeled narrative," writes Precious Blood Br. Antonio Sison in his review of the film. "This is the clear strength of the film - it feels authentic."

Sarah Posner's 'Unholy' implicates Catholics as well as evangelicals

Sarah Posner's timely, meticulously researched Unholy intertwines two stories. As its subtitle asks, how can white evangelicals, longtime strong advocates of character in political leaders, worship so fervently at the altar of President Donald Trump? The answer to that question requires historical examination of the religious right movement, which has now amalgamated with the "alt-right," Posner proposes, to form the base of the Republican Party.

As the "unholy" tag indicates, the other story Posner tells suggests that the religious right's alliance with Trump has proven to be less than holy. Citing abundant evidence, Posner concludes that "religious right leaders have given moral cover to the president's racism and white nationalism" and "have helped make the unthinkable - an overtly racist American president - a reality."

You can read the rest of the book review here.

We are in the middle of our Fall Member Drive, in which we ask our loyal readers to consider joining our community of NCR Forward members. For just $5 a month, you can get a ton of benefits, such as special events, member polls, question and answer sessions and more. You can find out how to join here.

More headlines

As a community organizer in health care, Young Voices columnist Adele McKiernan says that with Black Lives Matter at the forefront of our minds this year, let's not forget that health care is also racial justice issue.
ICYMI: A new endeavor of intentionally training sisters in Africa for data collection and church research will change the landscape of religious life.
ICYMI: At Global Sisters Report, Colleen Gibson, a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, writes that the cataclysmic shift of the pandemic has led to new work - to discern where God is calling us.

Weekend wrap-up

Every Saturday, NCR posts a Scripture reflection from either St. Joseph Sr. Mary M. McGlone or Dominican Sr. Carol J. Dempsey. In today's reflection, McGlone writes that today's Gospel reminds us that "the relationship between church and state is never simple." You can sign up to receive our Scripture reflections two months in advance or you can get an email each Saturday.

See you next weekend,

Stephanie Yeagle

NCR Production/Online Editor

[email protected]

Twitter: @ncrSLY

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