The Freedom Film Series Presents Rising Voices July 9
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamie Glavic
(513) 333-7511
(513) 802-7355
jglavic@nurfc.org
Assia Johnson
(513) 333-7555
(513) 787-2110
asjohnson@nurfc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CINCINNATI, OH (June 23, 2016) – The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, in partnership with The Language Conservancy and the Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Film Commission, announced Rising Voices as the next film in the Freedom Film Series. The screening of the documentary is Saturday, July 9 at 1:00 p.m. in the Harriet Tubman Theater. Following the screening, guests are invited to engage in a critical discussion about language, culture and identity from the perspective of Native Americans, in conjunction with the Mascots exhibit. This event is free and open to the public, however, registration is required. The Freedom Film Series is sponsored by Chubb Group of Insurance Companies.
Rising Voices tells the story of the of the Lakota people, a Native American tribe from the northern plains of North America. The documentary serves as an outlet for the Lakota tribe to voice their true concern for the preservation of their language, culture and the many challenges currently facing their community. With a combination of passion and dedication, linguists and members of this community join together in the hopes of not only saving their native language, but ultimately restoring it back to its rightful place in Lakota and American culture.
Mascots, curated in partnership with Xavier University, explores the history of mascots depicting Native Americans in athletics, addressing the current debate of team names and cultural appropriation.
“Rising Voices demonstrates the power of voice when used as an agent of change," says Dr. Michael Battle, executive vice president and provost of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “This screening will educate the community and stress the importance of the movement for stewardship of our native languages and their crucial role in preserving our nation’s history, past and present.”
Rising Voices screens Saturday, July 9 at 1:00 p.m. in the Harriet Tubman Theater and is free and open to the public. Registration is required. The Freedom Film Series is sponsored by Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. For more information and to RSVP, visit freedomcenter.org.
###
ABOUT THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August 2004 on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have utilized educational resources online at freedomcenter.org, working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center launched a new online resource in the fight against modern slavery, endslaverynow.org.
