If you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need,
then the darkness around you, will turn to the brightness of noon.
– Isaiah 58:10

Offering sanctuary to the “stranger” is at the core of most religious traditions; sustaining them in an age of violence and cruelty is how we hold onto our human hearts.

Brightness of Noon: The Intersect of Faith, Immigration and Refugees, a two-part documentary, highlights the stories of undocumented immigrants and refugees – who fled economic despair and unfathomable violence only to face an uncertain future in the United States – and the faith groups who are posing a question to us all, “Are we willing to take some risks in order to protect human life and basic rights?”

Part I focuses on people of various faiths addressing the plight of undocumented immigrants.  Narrated by acclaimed actor-activist Bambadjan Bamba (The Good Place, Black Panther) the one-hour documentary premiered on ABC-affiliated stations across the country Feb. 18, 2018.

Part II began airing on ABC-affiliated stations starting February 17, 2019 and was rebroadcast in February and March 2020. Narrated by actress and activist Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill, Chicago PD), the film shares the compassionate response of the majority of major faith-based institutions toward asylum seekers and refugees – a response that cares, nurtures, educates, often providing sanctuary for those living in fear of returning to their homelands.

Sophia Bush

About the narrator

Sophia Bush is an actress, activist, director and producer. After making her big screen debut opposite Ryan Reynolds in 2002’s National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, Bush shot to fame on the WB’s One Tree Hill, which ran for nine seasons. During that time, Sophia also got behind the camera and directed three episodes.  In 2014, Bush was tapped by Law & Order mastermind Dick Wolf to star in his Windy City-based police procedural, Chicago P.D., for a three season stint. Other notable tube appearances include Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Nip/Tuck, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Drunk History. Among Sophia’s film credits are John Tucker Must Die (2006), The Hitcher (2007), Chalet Girl (2011) and a voice role in The Incredibles 2 (2018). Bush is also a passionate activist, having visited Syrian refugees in Jordan and advocating for government policies that promote welcoming displaced and vulnerable people escaping violence in their home countries. Bush is a proud supporter of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, a foundation committed to the preservation of biodiversity within the Maasai tribal lands of East Africa; promotes a wealth of programs dedicated to wildlife conservation in Africa; and lends her time and energy to Art of Elysium, a non-profit that enriches the lives of children battling serious medical ailments.