WILL - Community Cinema - February 28, 2011
This is the discussion following the screening of "Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story" February 24, 2011 at the Champaign Public Library.
This is the discussion following the screening of "Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story" February 24, 2011 at the Champaign Public Library. Illinois Public Media partnered with Access Initiative, Champaign and Peer Ambassadors to present this screening.
Tracy Dace and Shalonda Sayles represented Peer Ambassadors and Carol Bradford and Shandra Summerville represented Access Initiative on the panel. Jack Brighton of Illinois Public Media moderated the discussion. There were about 75 people in the audience.
In 2004, Cyntoia Brown was arrested for murder. There was no question that a 43-year-old man is dead and that she killed him. What mystified filmmaker Daniel Birman was just how common violence among youth is, and just how rarely we stop to question our assumptions about it. He wondered in this case what led a girl - who grew-up in a reasonable home environment - to this tragic end? Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story explores Cyntoia's life.
WILL - Community Cinema - January 31, 2011 ~
This is the discussion following the screening of "For Once in My Life" at the Champaign Public Library, January 27, 2011. Illinois Public Media partnered with Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries to present this screening.
Mike Steinhauer, vice-president of Workforce Development and Rehabilitation for Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries and Tiffany Revelins, consultant for adults and children with autism and manager of two group homes in Champaign-Urbana, led the discussion, moderated by Henry Radcliffe, from Illinois Public Media. There were about 50 people in the audience.
For Once in My Life is the story of a unique band of singers and musicians, and their journey to show the world the greatness – and killer soundtrack – within each of them. The 28 band members have a wide range of mental and physical disabilities, as well as musical abilities that extend into ranges of pure genius. In a cinema vérite style, the film explores the struggles and triumphs, and the healing power of music, as the band members' unique talents are nurtured to challenge the world's perceptions.
