WXXI President & CEO Chris Hastings hosted a Community Town Hall on Thursday, March 12. He shared his vision for the future and talked with Julio Sáenz, WXXI’s Chief Content Officer, Cara Rager, MS. Ed., Director of Early Learning, and Evan Dawson, host of “Connections” about our commitment to serving this region. He also took questions from the community.
Indie Lens Pop-Up: The Librarians Screening • The Central Library
Join WXXI & Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County for an Indie Lens Pop-up FREE screening of THE LIBRARIANS, a film by by Kim A. Snyder (director/producer), Janique L. Robillard (producer), Maria Cuomo Cole (producer), and Jana Edelbaum (producer). The film focuses librarians across the U.S. examining how book review policies are shaping their communities.
The film explores a case of Texas lawmakers seeking to review a list of books and librarians finding themselves on the frontlines of a national battle. Across the U.S., librarians face the impact of uniting against library collection standards that include restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. Drawing on historical context, THE LIBRARIANS explores the broader implications for education and public life.
The screening will be followed by panel discussion moderated by Emily Clasper, Director of Rochester Public Library & Monroe County Library System.
Panelists: TBD
Indie Lens Pop-Up presents this free screening:
Friday, April 24 from 1-3pm
The Kate Gleason Auditorium of the Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County
115 South Avenue, Rochester, NY
Parking Information for Central Library
ASL interpretation will be provided for opening remarks and post-screening panel discussion. This film is presented with open captions. For more information on parking and accessibility, please visit https://thelittle.org/accessibility/. Additional accommodations may be requested during the registration process. Please contact Sarah Murphy Abbamonte, Project Manager for Move to Include, at sabbamonte@wxxi.org with any questions.
Film Webpage:THE LIBRARIANS is available to watch on-demand through 5/9/2026 for free on the PBS Player and PBS App.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of 8 Above & THE LIBRARIANS documentary, DP Amy Bench
Caption: Suzette looking into her locked office after being terminated for refusing to pull books from the shelves (2022)
Our Sponsors
Sponsored By
This program is made possible by a grant from ITVS for Indie Lens Pop-up and in partnership with WXXI and Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County and the Monroe County Library System.
Make a Circle Screening & Discussion
Join WXXI and Monroe Community College (MCC) for a special screening and community conversation around the film, Make a Circle, at the MCC Downtown Campus on Wednesday, April 8. This engaging evening will bring community members together to reflect, connect, and explore the film’s themes in a welcoming space.
Event program: Doors will open at 6 p.m. The screening of the film, Make a Circle, will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by a panel discussion at 7:30 p.m. The panel will feature local early childhood professionals including: Ann Marie Stephan (Executive Director of Rochester ChildFirst Network), Tiffany Howard (Early Childhood Professional at Friendship Children’s Center), and Crystal Campo (Family Child Care Provider). And, the panel will be moderated by WXXI News Reporter, Noelle Evans. The evening will also include a community resource fair with local, regional, and New York State early learning partners. Light refreshments will be provided.
Family-Friendly: To help make this experience more accessible for adults with young children, a family-friendly viewing space will be available. Adults will need to stay with their children at all times.
Please register using the form below. All registered participants will receive a follow-up email with confirmation and additional event details.
The screening and discussion are free and open to the public but registration is required.
Make a Circle Screening Event
Join WXXI and Monroe Community College for a special screening and community conversation around the film, Make a Circle. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please use the form below to register. Questions? Contact Rachel Rosner at RRosner@wxxi.org
About the Film
From an award-winning filmmaking team, Make a Circle follows a group of child care providers who are determined to change how society values the education of its youngest citizens. With a mix of humor, outrage, and passion, Make a Circle captures the unfolding stories of Patricia, a leader of a new union for child care providers, as she fights on behalf of a largely immigrant workforce; Charlotte, another union member who tirelessly lifts up the low-income families in her care; and Anne, the director of a large preschool, who finds novel ways to value and support her teachers when jobs at Starbucks are offering higher pay. Within their stories are interludes that offer a cinematic glimpse into the unique, imaginative world of the young children in their care. The film culminates as thousands of child care union members march on their state capitol demanding better working conditions, just as their contract is set to expire. Weaving together the magic they create in the classroom, the struggles they endure at home, and their unwavering activism for their profession, Make a Circle is a moving portrait of life as an early childhood educator and a promising blueprint for fixing our broken child care system.
Henry David Thoreau • WXXI-TV
Henry David Thoreau helped define modern environmentalism and nonviolent resistance, yet his life has been obscured by myth.
Henry David Thoreau airs Monday, March 30 from 9 to 11 p.m. and Tuesday, March 31 from 9 to 10 p.m.m on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI and PBS apps.
This new, three-part, three-hour film directed by Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers, and executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley, examines the life and work of the 19th-century writer. Set against the political and social tensions of the mid-19th century, the film traces Thoreau’s journey from his early days in Concord, Massachusetts to his deep engagement with the moral crises of his time, including industrialization, slavery, war, and environmental degradation. Through his essays, journals, and landmark works such as Walden and Civil Disobedience, he became an inspiration for generations of writers, thinkers, and activists.
White With Fear • WXXI-TV
Examine how some of America’s conservative political machine uses racial fault lines to gain power.
White With Fear airs Tuesday, March 24 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI and PBS apps.
Told by operatives in the rooms where it happened, this film takes a deep dive into the decades-long quest by some of America’s conservative political machine to amass power by exploiting racial fault lines.
Independent Lens “Keep Quiet and Forgive” • WXXI-TV
A sexual assault survivor confronts Amish silence on abuse and helps others seek justice.
Independent Lens “Keep Quiet and Forgive” airs Monday, March 23 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI and PBS apps.
The film chronicles the courageous journey of Lizzie Hershberger, a former Amish woman who breaks her silence about sexual
abuse in her community and ignites a nationwide movement among Amish survivors.
Growing up in Amish Bluff Country in Southern Minnesota, Lizzie was immersed in the traditions of her Swartzentruber Amish community, where “forgive and forget” was a guiding principle. However, sexual abuse is widely regarded as an open secret in many Amish communities. While some communities have begun supporting victims, many continue to silence survivors, pressuring them to forgive their abusers publicly and discouraging police involvement in favor of handling abuse internally. The film follows Lizzie as she bravely sets out to challenge this culture of silence.
Photo: Lizzie Hershberger talking with Katrina Borntreger
Eudora • WXXI-TV
Explores the life of the renowned writer Eudora Welty through intimate photographs and charming interviews with family and friends set against the backdrop of Jackson, Mississippi.
Eudora airs Monday, March 23 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI and PBS apps.
The film offers viewers a portrait of adventure, daring, humor and love as it introduces them to an iconic writer from an intimate perspective, going beyond the surface to share insight into her life and legacy.
From That Small Island: The Story of the Irish • WXXI-TV
Shot on location in 17 countries worldwide, this ambitious, groundbreaking documentary that tells the story of the Irish from the very first inhabitants to the present day, tracing the ebb and flow of people into and out of the island.
From That Small Island: The Story of the Irish airs Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the PBS and WXXI apps.
Produced by the same team behind the multi-award-winning 1916: the Irish Rebellion, the series provides a compelling narrative of Ireland and its people. Narrated by Colin Farrell and featuring an original score by Colm Mac Con Iomaire, FROM THAT SMALL ISLAND is a journey through time, identity and the enduring spirit of a people whose story continues to shape the world.