Last year, Ed Young, who retired last year after more than 40 years as the pastor of the Houston megachurch Second Baptist, delivered a sermon filled with anti-immigrant rhetoric.

That message caught the attention of Texas native Nik Dodani, whose acting credits include movies like Twisters, Atypical, and Escape Room.

Second Baptist Church YouTube/Screen Capture

Dodani took it upon himself to direct a short film focusing on the Bayou City’s positive response to the sermon.

In an interview with Houston Matters producer Laura Walker, Dodani talks about Houston Rising, how Pastor Young’s speech “struck a lot of nerves” but also, in Dodani’s view, brought out the best in some Houstonians.

The film is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video as a part of third season of The Asian American Foundation’s series Heritage Heroes.