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Tuesday, August 4 • 4:30pm - 6:30pm
A Most Beautiful Thing Documentary Screening w/Q&A (Live)

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Called one of the best documentaries to unveil at South by Southwest by Brian Tallerico of Roger Ebert, A MOST BEAUTIFUL THING, narrated by the Academy-Award/Grammy-winning artist, Common; executive-produced by NBA Stars Grant Hill and Dwyane Wade along with Grammy-award winning producer 9th Wonder; and directed by award-winning filmmaker (and Olympic rower) Mary Mazzio, chronicles the first African American high school rowing team in this country (made up of young men, many of whom were in rival gangs from the West Side of Chicago), all coming together to row in the same boat.  An amazing story.
 
A MOST BEAUTIFUL THING explores not only the safety these young men found on the water (where, as the captain reflected, “we were in a place where we could not hear the sound of sirens”), but the trauma of violence and cyclical poverty, examining how these young men were able to support each other in reimagining a different future for themselves, and how rowing and the water provided the backdrop for that opportunity. These young men came together, after 20 years out of the boat, to race this past summer, not only to celebrate the team’s founding, but the fact that they are still alive. This is their story.
Moderators
avatar for Marvin Owens

Marvin Owens

Deputy Chief Development Officer/Sr. Director of Corp. Affairs and the Senior Director of Economic Programs, NAACP
Marvin J. Owens, Jr. serves as the Deputy Chief Development Officer/Sr. Director of Corp. Affairs and the Senior Director of Economic Programs for the NAACP. In this role, Mr Owens is responsible for the NAACP's national Economic Inclusion agenda which includes Asset and Wealth Creation... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Grant Hill

Grant Hill

Executive Producer, "A Most Beautiful Thing"
A seven-time NBA All-Star and recent Hall of Fame inductee, Grant Hill is a household name across the country. Now retired from basketball, Grant is an owner of the Atlanta Hawks. He continues to excel off the court - from sports broadcasting, to real estate, to founding a private... Read More →
avatar for 9th Wonder

9th Wonder

Music Producer, "A Most Beautiful Thing"
Patrick Douthit, known professionally at 9th Wonder, is a Grammy Award-winning producer who has worked with Mary J. Blige, Destiny’s Child, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay-Z, among many others. The focus of two documentary films, 9th Wonder has long been acknowledged for his cultural impact... Read More →
avatar for Mary Mazzio

Mary Mazzio

Director/Producer/Writer, "A Most Beautiful Thing"
In all of her films, Mary Mazzio (an Olympian and recovering lawyer), explores the concept of overcoming obstacles, whether it is a fight for social change (A Hero for Daisy, I Am Jane Doe), or issues of poverty and lack of opportunity (Ten9Eight, The Apple Pushers, Underwater Dreams... Read More →
avatar for Arshay Cooper

Arshay Cooper

"A Most Beautiful Thing"
Arshay Cooper grew up on the West Side of Chicago. In 1997, he joined (and later became captain of) the first African American high school rowing team. After dedicating two years of his life to AmeriCorps and then attending Le Cordon Bleu, Cooper returned to his true passion: working... Read More →


Tuesday August 4, 2020 4:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
NAACP Online
  Screening, Civic Engagement Health; Economics; Sports & Entertainment