Arkansas PBS > Engage > Pressroom > AETN, UALR Public Radio/KUAR FM 89.1 host Community Cinema; free screening of 'Two Spirits'
Posted 15 Jun 2011
The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) and UALR Public Radio/KUAR FM 89.1 invite the public to a free screening of Two Spirits as part of Community Cinema Monday, June 27, at 6 p.m. at Roosevelt Thompson Library in Little Rock.
Two Spirits, a film by Lydia Nibley, explores the life and murder of Fred Martinez and the ancient Native American two-spirit tradition. The film interweaves the tragic story of a mothers loss of her son with a revealing look at the largely unknown history of a time when the world wasnt simply divided into male and female, and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders.
Martinez told his mother that he felt as if he was both a boy and a girl, and she explained that this was a special gift, according to traditional Navajo culture. But, the place where two discriminations meet is a dangerous place to live, and Martinez became one of the youngest hate-crime victims in modern history when he was brutally murdered at 16.
Two Spirits explores issues of national concern including the bullying and violence commonly faced by LGBT people and the epidemic of LGBT teen suicide, as well as revealing the range of gender expression that has long been seen as a healthy part of the indigenous cultures of North America and of Navajo culture in particular.
The screening will be held at Roosevelt Thompson Library, located at 38 Rahling Circle in Little Rock. A community discussion with Sarah Beth Estes, associate professor of Sociology and coordinator of Gender Studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, will be held following the screening. Additional information is available by calling AETN at 800-662-2386 or by visiting www.aetn.org/engage.
Community Cinema, a free monthly screening series engaging communities through films produced by the Independent Television Service (ITVS), features monthly screenings followed by panel discussions with leading organizations, local communities and special guest speakers. The program is designed to help people learn about and get involved in the social issues raised in the documentaries.
The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) is Arkansass statewide public television network that enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. For more information, visit www.aetn.org, or follow the AETN blog at www.aetn.org/engage. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), and KETZ (El Dorado).