Labor Beat producer needs help with project... 'From Madison to Chicago...'
One our our talented Labor Beat producers, Andrew Friend is asking for our help and the progressive labor movement in general. He needs financial help. He wants to show the valuable labor lessons from Wisconsin to Chicago. "The fightback by everyday people was and continues to be inspiring, but many are asking, "What are the important lessons to learn from these fights, especially where one (Wisconsin) failed to achieve victory?"
One of the many protests in the rotunda of the state capitol building in Madison Wisconsin on February 21, 2011. The lessons of "Madison" are being revisited as the lessons of the Chicago Teachers Strike of 2012 continued to be learned. Substance photo by Garth Liebhaber.You can view the trailer video at: http://ow.ly/eK0OT and give him a call if you think you can help financially. Sunday he needs to have $10,000 to continue this important project.
Here is the message Andrew has circulated:
Hello my fellow Labor Filmmakers,
Last month, I launched a project at Kickstarter.com to help fund my new documentary project. It's a tall goal of $10,000, but that's what I need to do this film justice. I've raised over $2,100 in pledges so far, and I have some bigger donors finalizing their support this week (hopefully CTU and Haskell Wexler), but I still need hundreds of people to chip in with whatever they can afford, because... with Kickstarter, if we don't hit the goal, we get nothing. We have less than a week remaining.
My film, tentatively-titled Labor's Living Lessons, will examine the parallels and contrasts between two of the biggest grass roots struggles of recent memory: the uprising of Wisconsin public workers in 2011 and the long brewing war around public education in Chicago (one battle of which was the recent 2012 teachers strike). I'll also address the bridge movement of Occupy Wall Street. In the name of fiscal concerns, opposing political parties have orchestrated these two similar assaults on time-treasured living standards and quality of public service. The fightback by everyday people was and continues to be inspiring, but many are asking, "What are the important lessons to learn from these fights, especially where one (Wisconsin) failed to achieve victory?"
That's why I've begun this film. I've already conducted 15 retrospective interviews and need at least 4 more. The editing will need my full attention and I must purchase an extensive amount of news media clips. In short, it is a massive task, much larger than my first feature-length documentary Workers' Republic. This is why the project needs your support, and that of whichever organizations you can mobilize during this final week. Ask yourself, "What would the fight for economic justice in America look like if the lessons of these two struggles were learned by millions?" Isn't that a project worth supporting?
This short URL leads to a film teaser and description where you and your allies can donate: http://ow.ly/eK0OT I hope you can help me reach my goal and bring this film to the working people everywhere that need to see it.
In Solidarity,
Andrew Friend
312-316-4458
(please email or call with any questions)
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andrewfriend/labors-living-lessons-the-chicago-teachers-strike
