Documentary Film
Las Mujeres de Manzo
A feature-length documentary in production spotlighting four lifelong activists who shaped human rights organizing in Southern Arizona.
Watch the Trailer
This first glimpse into Las Mujeres de Manzo introduces the voices and presence of four women whose decades of organizing transformed their community. Through reflection and memory, the story begins to unfold.
Directed by Leslie Epperson, this trailer reflects an earlier development of the project.
The Story
Las Mujeres de Manzo tells the story of four lifelong activists whose collective work spans decades of advocacy, education, and human rights organizing in Southern Arizona.
Their leadership has helped shape immigrant rights movements, influence public policy, and strengthen community organizing locally and nationally — yet their names remain largely unknown beyond the region they have so faithfully served.
This documentary bridges past and present, connecting their visionary leadership to the ongoing struggles and victories unfolding today. It honors the legacy they built and illuminates how their work continues to guide and inspire new generations.
Meet Las Mujeres de Manzo
Guadalupe Castillo
Historian • Educator • Human Rights Activist
As co-founder of the Coalición de Derechos Humanos and Faculty Emeritus at Pima Community College, Guadalupe has devoted over five decades to advancing civil rights, education, and critical public dialogue in Southern Arizona and beyond.
Margo Cowan
RETIRED Public Defender • Community Organizer
As co-founder of No More Deaths and Tucson Samaritans, Margo has spent decades advancing migrant justice through legal defense work and grassroots organizing across Southern Arizona.
Isabel Garcia
RETIRED Public Defense Attorney • Immigrant Rights Advocate
As co-founder of the Coalición de Derechos Humanos and former head of the Pima County Public Defender’s Office, Isabel has been a steadfast leader in immigrant and human rights advocacy for decades, shaping policy and defending vulnerable communities across Southern Arizona.
Raquel Rubio-Goldsmith
Historian • Scholar • Researcher
As former Director of the Binational Migration Institute at the University of Arizona and Faculty Emeritus at Pima Community College, Raquel has woven together rigorous research and grassroots activism, grounding academic work in the lived realities of borderland communities.
Currently in Production
Filming is underway, bringing together present-day interviews and historical archives to document decades of leadership and community activism.
This film is powered by collective support. Donations directly sustain production and ensure that these stories are preserved with care and integrity. Your support helps move the documentary from production to completion.