The Fall Sustainability Series presents Taking Root on Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Athena Cinema Downtown.
“The story weaves a compelling and dramatic narrative of one woman’s personal journey, Wangari Maathai in the context of the turbulent political and environmental history of her country. Raised in the rural highlands of Kenya, educated in the United States during the 1960s civil rights era, and the first woman to receive a PhD in East and Central Africa, Maathai discovered the heart of her life’s work by reconnecting with the rural women with whom she had grown up. They told her that their daily lives had become intolerable: they were walking longer distances for firewood; clean water had become scarce; the soil was disappearing from their fields; and their children were suffering from malnutrition. Maathai thought to herself, “Well, why not plant trees?” Trees provide shade, prevent soil erosion, supply firewood and building materials, and produce nutritious fruit to combat malnutrition. With this realization Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, a grassroots organization encouraging rural women to plant trees,” says the Athena website.
Athena Cinema, Environmental Studies, and the Alden Library present the sixth year of the Sustainability Film Series, working in partnership with many sponsors. These free Wednesday screenings of documentaries are open to the public.
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