Tags
4th Estate, ahead of the majority film, Art, Books, Education, Kimberlee Bassford, Music & Film, patsy mink epic awards, Resistance, social justice, Women, women leaders
By Rady Ananda
COTO Report 15Mar2010
The White House Project, an organization dedicated to putting a woman in the White House, has opened up voting for Emerging Artist Award from a field of twelve nominees. I’ve cast my online vote for the film, Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority, by Kimberlee Bassford, and hope you will, too: VOTE HERE. Below is an interview with Bassford, with some clips from the film:
Voting is open thru March 31st. http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/epic/emerging_artist.php
Nearly a year ago, I watched this wonderful documentary about Patsy Mink, Member of Congress from Hawaii, who brought about radical change for women, and for the people of Hawaii. In my review, I wrote:
“Mink forewarned us in the new millennium that post-911 legislation ‘could be used to undermine civil rights.’ There’s no ‘can’ about it; it can and has. She knew from personal experience that the US government could, would and did violate human rights. She watched innocent Japanese-Americans be snatched and imprisoned by US authorities after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
1942 US internment camp for Japanese. H/T to Holiday for Everyday.
“She voted against the 2001 Patriot Act, among 67 Members of Congress. Since only 13% of Congress upheld their oath to the Constitution on this vote, this fact alone is enough to focus on the remarkable life of a remarkable woman.
“But what she will be most remembered for is even more spectacular and far-reaching in its effects. She equalized college entrance for women, many years after being denied admission to medical school based on her gender. She co-authored Title IX of the federal Education Amendments with Oregon rep, Edith Green. In 2002, on the 30th anniversary, Title IX was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.
Bassford writes:
“The top three vote-getters will be invited to The White House Project’s EPIC gala in New York City next month, which celebrates women’s leadership in the media and popular culture (special guests include Meryl Streep, Geena Davis and journalist Sheryl WuDunn among others). In case you are wondering, The White House Project is a national, nonpartisan non-profit organization that aims to advance women’s leadership in all communities and sectors, up to the U.S. presidency. So it would be such a thrill to share Patsy Mink’s story with these women.
“If you could also please spread the word to your networks to vote (feel free to forward this message), I’d really appreciate it.”
Go ahead, support an emerging artist who recognizes a champion of social justice. http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/epic/emerging_artist.php
Practical Populism 