HAPPY SPRING EQUINOX… ITVS Community Cinema features TAKING ROOT: The Vision of Wangari Maathai

TAKING ROOT... March 2009 Community Cinema film

S.T.A.M.P.’s Guerrilla Griots Human Rights Media Arts Center is one of over 40 venues throughout the United States who participate in a free, monthly screening series in partnership with ITVS and PBS.  Community Cinema creates accessible opportunities for civic engagement and public education around important social issues.

To bring in spring, Community Cinema featured TAKING ROOT: The Vision of Wangari Maathai.  TAKING ROOT tells the dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy—a movement for which this charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration.  On March 20th, over 100 people from the Greater Ithaca Area packed a small screening room downtown to watch the film; listen to the inspiration of TAKING ROOT Musical Composer Samite of Uganda; learn from two sisters from Kenya who participated in The Green Belt Movement; and, share local, fair-trade, and organic fare provided courtesy of GreenStar Community Projects.

The post-screening community discussion focused on Samite’s inspiration to create the music featured in TAKING ROOT, in addition to the challenges he faced being an Ugandan who only briefly lived in Kenya and who was not fluent in the native language.  Never give up… a theme he repeated constantly regarding all the magical moments which helped him surpass the hurdles in creating his first film score.  He remarked that he was “truly inspired” by the film and the work of Wangari Maathai, with whom he is friends.

Samite of Uganda with the Kamau Sisters of Kenya

The Kamau sisters spoke passionately about their involvement in the Green Belt Movement, and the power of the people to make change.  Guerrilla Griots is all about challenging the status quo, so we were in excellent company to celebrate the Spring Equinox–the energetic embodiment of change!

Green Guerrillas in good company at March 2009 Community Cinema

Refreshments for the evening (both pre/post screening) were provided courtesy of GreenStar Cooperative Market’s not-for-profit Community Projects initiative.

fair-trade and organic fare offered at Community Cinema

Elizabeth Karabinakis coordinated local, fair-trade, and organic fare for all to enjoy, with the support of Ithaca Bakery, Moosewood Restaurant, and the following family farms: Cayuga Pure Organics, Finger Lakes Farmstead, Kenyan Highland, Littletree Orchards, Lively Run Goat Dairy, Organic Valley Northeast, Remembrance Farm, and Silver Queen Farm.

GIVE THANKS to all who participated in this fabulous event!

Guerrilla Griots have hosted four wonderful seasons of ITVS Community Cinema.  If you are ever in the Ithaca area on a Third Friday from September through May, join us!

local, fair-trade, organic fare offered at Community Cinema

~ by guerrillagriots on March 21, 2009.