As  a producer, Dr. Etem created short documentaries, digital archives, and  multimedia platforms to document stories of marginalized communities.  She filmed protests against authoritarian government leaders,  anti-Islamophobia movements, human rights violations of refugees, and  advocated for disability and abortion rights as well as immigration  reform. Her short documentaries were screened at film festivals (such as  the Virginia Film Festival) and received the attention of media and  government agencies (Inside Higher Ed, The Department of Homeland  Security, New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s Office for Policy &  Strategic Planning, New American Economy).  She also worked for the  Black Film Center & Archive, the City Lights Film Series and the In  Light Human Rights Documentary Film Festival.

Feelings, happenings, and urgencies motivate Dr. Etem to produce audio-visual stories and practice accountability in the communities that she belongs to. And she belongs to many places; as Maya Angelou says, “You only are free when you realize you belong no place, you belong every place.” As an immigrant, Dr. Etem learned that home is where she goes. Her experiences in the U.S., Italy, and Turkey helped me to develop responsibility for advocating for social justice. In my filmmaking practice, Dr. Etem engages with social issues and injustices around her communities. Seeing how inequality impacts public, she practices deep listening, uses her creative and academic research skills to communicate those issues to wider audiences. It is important for Dr. Etem to contribute towards social justice and work on solutions to make a positive change happen.