Episode Details

After 13 years of dedicated work and self-funding, Shelley Morrison (beloved for her role as Rosario on Will and Grace) and her husband Walter Dominguez are finally premiering their documentary "Weaving the Past: Journey of Discovery" at Pasadena's Laemmle Playhouse Seven Theaters. The film chronicles Walter's personal quest to uncover his grandfather's involvement in the Mexican Revolution and find family members lost for nearly a century. What began as a family history project evolved into a powerful educational tool that examines one of history's most violent revolutions, where one in five Mexicans died between 1910 and 1920. The documentary explores how this conflict drove waves of refugees northward, fundamentally shaping the cultural landscape of the American Southwest and creating immigration patterns that continue to influence policy debates today.
The couple's 41-year marriage has been strengthened through this collaborative journey, with Shelley serving as executive producer and learning technical skills while in her late seventies. Early screenings have generated remarkable responses, with young people expressing newfound desire to interview their elders and history teachers incorporating the film into curricula. Shelley's activism extends beyond the documentary, having successfully campaigned to save a historic church in downtown Los Angeles that Walter's grandfather helped establish in 1911. Their grassroots approach prioritizes making the film accessible to educators and community groups, believing that connecting personal family histories with broader historical contexts makes learning compelling and relevant. The documentary proves that understanding our shared past provides wisdom for navigating present challenges, from immigration crises to questions of cultural identity and preservation.