At the Mexico-Texas border, The Sidewalk School and its unwavering founders defy all odds to offer free education, safety and security to vulnerable children seeking asylum living in Matamoros, one of Mexico’s most dangerous cities.

Told entirely through a verité lens, THE SCHOOL OF HOPE will follow Felicia Rangel-Samponaro and Victor Cavazos as they work tirelessly to keep the school open, offering the children a daily glimmer of hope. As first responders and care workers, they bear witness to realities and decry misinformation, the precious oasis they have created subsisting precariously amid life-threatening circumstances and hateful policies.

Floating between Felicia and Victor’s chaotic daily life and the stories of two students facing huge stress and uncertainty, we witness vibrant moments of connection. We follow the students’ journeys as they navigate fear, trauma, displacement, forge friendships and build community and resilience.

With THE SCHOOL OF HOPE we aim to challenge the narrative of fear and division, offering a nuanced portrayal of child asylum seekers as they truly are: children deserving of love, protection and opportunity. THE SCHOOL OF HOPE will spotlight the immense global importance of cultivating early childhood experience serving a wider premise about children’s rights and needs worldwide.