Indie Lens Pop-Up, presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS, WSIU and the Carbondale Public Library will host a screening of Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Katja Esson’s “Razing Liberty Square,” featuring a panel discussion with Lauren Becker, Planner & Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Carbondale for a conversation about three prevalent issues facing communities nationwide – climate change, housing insecurity, and economic inequity – driving redevelopment in Liberty City, Miami.
Until recently, it was home to the oldest segregated public housing project in the United States, Liberty Square. Now, it is ground zero for a burgeoning trend: climate gentrification. As rising seas threaten Miami’s luxurious beachfront, wealthy property owners are pushing inland to higher ground, creating a speculators’ market in a neighborhood previously ignored by developers and policymakers alike. Located 12 feet above sea level, Liberty City becomes more attractive with each rising tide and as a result, the original Liberty Square is demolished, displacing residents and erasing a decades-old community.
WHAT: FREE preview screening of “Razing Liberty Square” followed by a community discussion at Carbondale Public Library, 405 W Main St, Carbondale, IL 62901
WHO: Presenters: Indie Lens Pop-Up, WSIU, Carbondale Public Library
WHEN: Wednesday, January 17, 5pm to 7pm
NOTE: Dinner provided
After the screening, there will be a candid conversation about the dramatic changes happening in Miami’s Liberty Square and how these are a lens on issues of significance beyond that community - the affordable housing crisis, the impact of systemic racism, and climate gentrification.
Indie Lens Pop-Up, WSIU, and the Carbondale Public Library aim to spark enlightening conversations that shed light on social issues affecting communities around the United States.
“Razing Liberty Square” will debut on January 29, 2024, at 9pm on PBS stations, including WSIU-TV and the PBS App (check local listings).
For more information, visit: https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/razing-liberty-square/
About Indie Lens Pop-Up and Independent Lens
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a community series that brings people together for film screenings and conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS's INDEPENDENT LENS, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws residents, leaders, and organizations to discuss what matters most. Learn more at pbs.org/indielenspopup.
INDEPENDENT LENS is an Emmy® Award-winning PBS documentary series. With founding executive producer Lois Vossen, the series has been honored with 10 Academy Award nominations and features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. Stream anytime on the PBS App. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens.
