Monday, March 17, 2008 7:00pm
St. Ambrose University, Rogalski Center
corner of Ripley and Lombard Streets, one block west of Harrison Street
A Free Event
Highlighting the challenges and victories of Haitian women, the fourth annual Ambrose Women for Social Justice (AWSJ) lecture series continues with a "work in progress" screening of "Poto Mitan," followed by discussion with co-producer and co-director Mark Schuller.
The legacy of peace and justice initiatives at St. Ambrose anchors AWSJ programs in a historical context marked by faith, scholarship, and activism. AWSJ promotes education and action for human rights and for the fair and responsible use of resources. Since 2004, AWSJ has sponsored an annual lecture series, bringing national and international speakers to campus, to highlight and discuss some of the most important social and economic justice issues of the day.
Thursday February 7 & Sunday February 10, 2008
Caruso-Woods Frameworks Gallery
813 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara CA 93101
Event on Feb 7th: Free
Event on Feb 10th: $30
"FIRST THURSDAY" - Feb 7th, 5-8pm: Free
In conjunction with Black History Month, Caruso-Woods Frameworks Gallery invites you to FIRST Thursday for imagery and a short preview of Poto Mitan (currently in production) and to meet the people behind its creation. Wine by Kalyra and music by Nnamdi Moweta, host of KPFK's Afro-Dicia. All wine sales will be donated to the film.
"Exclusive Evening with the Artist" - Feb 10th, 5:30-8pm: $30
On Sunday, February 10th, Frameworks will be hosting a more exclusive evening with the film-makers including a 30 minute screening of the work-in-progress and an extensive Q/A session. Included are hors d'oeuvres and a special wine tasting with Rob Fry from Au Bon Climat, one of Santa Barbara's most internationally recognized producers of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc. Tickets are $30 and proceeds go to the documentary.
For tickets and more information about either event, call 805.965.1812 or contact Caruso-Woods Frameworks.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Cafe Club Fais-Do-Do
5253 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90016
$10 Donation - $8 w/RSVP
Come join us for a spectacular joint benefit! An Extravaganza of Art, Music, Film, Dance and Photography Empowerement Works and Tèt Ansanm Productions presents "CARIBBEAN DREAMS"
8 pm Cajun Food & Drink Specials, Silent Art Auction
Haitian Photography Slide Show
Beats by DJ NNAMDI
10 pm Remo sponsored Drum Circle
10.:30 pm Special "work in progress" screening of Poto Mitan & brief discussion with Award winning documentary film maker, Renée Bergan
11:30 pm Live Afro-Caribbean Music by YehDede & Dance performances
12:30 am Beats by DJ NNAMDI
Directions: www.faisdodo.com
Info: www.empowermentworks.org
Reservations: rsvp@empowermentworks.org (Please include # of guests and names.)
Sunday, October 1 - 5 p.m.
Libreri Mapou
5919 NE 2nd Ave, Little Haiti
Award-winning Haitian American author, Edwidge Danticat, will read from her latest book, Brother I'm Dying, Knopf, September, 2007, 288 pages.
"Edwidge Danticat's Brother, I'm Dying will break your heart but put it back together through the healing magic of her clear, compassionate, beautiful writing. Danticat draws us into her family, to share its joys and also its journey to the heart of darkness. But she also shows us the way back: we become brothers and sisters in an even larger family, the human family, bonded together by the power of her storytelling. This is what the best writing can do. And why we need storytellers like her more than ever."
Edwidge Danticat is the author of numerous books, including Breath, Eyes, Memory; Krik? Krak!, a National Book Award finalist; The Farming of Bones, an American Book Award winner; and The Dew Breaker, a PEN/Faulkner Award finalist and winner of the first Story Prize. She lives in Miami with her husband and daughter.
Also, people are invited to a screening of an in-production documentary, Poto Mitan: Haitian Women, Pillars of the Global Economy.
Poto Mitan is a project of UCSB's Center for Black Studies Research, a production of Tèt Ansanm Productions and Renegade Pictures.
Saturday, October 6, 2007 - 2:45 pm
Lynn University
3601 N. Military Tr., Boca Raton, FL
A Free Event
Sharing powerful, compelling lives of five courageous Haitian women activists, documentary Poto Mitan aims to inspire, educate, and challenge solidarity, global justice, and women's activists. This personal/feminist portrayal of working conditions within Haiti's export-processing zone also highlights novel forms of collective organization for women workers. Haiti provides a good backdrop for understanding globalization because of the early penetration of global capital; in 1982, dictator Duvalier created the export-processing zone, precursor to Reagan's Caribbean Basin Initiative. Each woman's life history explains a particular aspect of Haiti's current crisis: health care, rural exodus, gender inequality and violence that the film ties together.
Running time for this work-in-progress will be approximately 30 minutes long Discussion will follow the screening of another film, about Fondwa, Haiti.
This event is one of many at the annual conference of the Haitian Studies Association.
August 11, 2007 - 7:00 pm
Center Stage Theater
751 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara, California
Tickets: $12 ($10 students/seniors)
"Because When God is Too Busy: Haiti, me and the World" is a powerful one-woman performance which challenges preconceptions of what it means to be Haitian and human against tensions of migration, racism, sexism and homophobia. In the tradition of radical black feminists, Haitian-born poet-performer Gina Athena Ulysse seeks peace through self-definition.
"...an extraordinarily gifted artist, that rare talent whose words are as moving on the page as they are on the stage. A thought-provoking and fabulous show."
Ulysse's performance is a fundraiser for a new documentary film, Poto Mitan: Haitian Women, Pillars of the Global Economy. "Like most subaltern women, everyone else has spoken for Haitian women. Yet, we have a history of speaking for ourselves," says Ulysse. "I support Poto Mitan because it offers us a rare glimpse into how Haitian women in the struggle understand their complex conditions and what they are doing for themselves."
Donations made to the film before October 1, 2007, will be matched by the Macy Trust. "Because When God Is Too Busy" is being sponsored by the UCSB Center for Black Studies Research.
Tickets available in person, online, or by phone through the Center Stage Theater Box Office (805) 963-0408 (V/TDD) or www.centerstagetheater.org
Sunday, April 1, 2007 - 7:00 pm
The Lyric Stage
140 Clarendon St., Boston, Mass.
$10
A performance by Haitian-American spoken word artist, Gina Athena Ulysse called Because When God is Too Busy: Haiti, me and the World , with Marc Arena, Kaneza Schaal, Chelsea Smith and special guests singer Katia Ulysse performing original Kreyòl songs, and dancers Martine Vassor-Johnson and Irmina Ulysse.
Tickets are available at the Lyric Stage box office only on the evening of the performance. For better seats arrive between 6:00 pm and 6:30 pm.
To reserve the best available seats and for more information visit: www.ginaathena.com
Directions and parking information for The Lyric Stage.
We are seeking to raise $7500 toward finishing the film Poto Mitan, largely through sponsorships. To find out how you can sponsor this event please visit: www.ginaathena.com
Thursday, November 9, 2006 - 7:00 pm
Santa Barbara Central Public Library - Faulkner Gallery
40 E. Anapamu St, Santa Barbara, California
$5 Suggested Donation
This benefit evening will include the premiere screening of the trailer for Poto Mitan, a panel discussion about grassroots women's movements in Haiti, and Q & A with the filmmakers, Renée Bergan and Mark Schuller, and Mary Becker, a local filmmaker and president of a large and successful NGO that works for Haitian women. There will also be a showing of the showcase version of Renagade Pictures' Sadaa E Zan (Voices of Women), winner of the Santa Barbara International film festival's Social Justice Award.
The inspiring stories of the five activist women portrayed in Poto Mitan will change the way you think about Haiti and global labor. These important stories must be told.
Make a difference! Your support is needed. $500 supporters will be credited in the film. Donations of $200 or more will recieve a copy of the film. Poto Mitan is co-produced by the UCSB Center for Black Studies Research and all donations are tax deductable under 501(c)(3).
For more information: (805) 893-3914