On-Demand

Speaking Grief Documentary & Resources On-Demand

Moving away from the idea that grief is a problem that needs to be “fixed,” Speaking Grief validates the experience of grievers and guides those wishing to support them. See the on-demand film and extensive resources for exploring the topic of grief.

Speaking Grief explores why the pain of losing a loved one can be so difficult to understand and discuss. The film interviews grieving families from across the U.S., whose losses range from stillbirth to suicide, to address common misconceptions about grief. Through candid personal stories and conversations with experts in the grief field, the film also presents ideas for how family and friends can better support each other through loss.

There is no “right” way to grieve. By sharing diverse representations of bereavement, Speaking Grief illustrates that grief is a universal, yet individual experience.

Watch the documentary on-demand: https://www.speakinggrief.org/documentary

Funding for Speaking Grief is provided by a grant from WPSU Penn State and The New York Life Foundation

Related Resources:

Speaking Grief Documentary:
- Available to view online: https://www.speakinggrief.org/documentary
- Speaking Grief also has a great “Resources” section: https://www.speakinggrief.org/get-better-at-grief
Sesame Street in Communities Tough Topics resources (for young children and families) Discussing Tough Topics including grief, trauma, health, offering comfort and more.
Sesame Street for Military Families: https://sesamestreetformilitaryfamilies.org/
Institute for Nonviolence offers Grief Cafes: https://gandhiinstitute.org/workshops-trainings

Norm & Company: Giovanni LiDestri On-Demand

In 2021, WXXI President Norm Silverstein sat down with Giovanni “John” LiDestri, CEO of LiDestri Food & Drink to talk about his experience immigrating to Upstate NY from Italy, his Fairport-based business, and life in Rochester.

Rooted in hard work and integrity, LiDestri’s history in the Rochester area runs deep, with strong family ties to businesses like Hickey Freeman and Ragu. Today, Lidestri Foods is a flourishing company, providing a tangible economic boost to the local area, while still remaining a family-owned business that continues to put the well-being of its employees and the wider community first.

Norm & Company is hosted by WXXI President & CEO Norm Silverstein, who speaks with long-time Rochesterians as they recount fascinating stories about their lives in the community.

Celebrating African-American Contributions On-Demand

WXXI celebrates Black History and Heritage. We proudly feature contributions from these 40 individuals.
WATCH ALL PROFILES IN THIS PLAYLIST or the individual profiles below.

Watch all the segments on a loop above, or click the links below for individual spotlights.

President Barack Obama

Vice President of the U.S. Kamala Harris

Samuel Cornish and John Russwurm

Althea Neale Gibson

William Edward White

Lucy Diggs Slowe

William DeHart Hubbard

Alice Coachman

Lloyd James Austin III

Ethel Waters

Williams Walker

Rafer Lewis Johnson

Black History & Culture Video Playlist On-Demand

PBS continues to provide programming on-air and on-demand regarding history and current issues for race, racism as resources for everyone to educate themselves and continue the conversation on all the ways that inequality in America shows up in everyday life.

PBS is continuing our commitment to highlight content that will continue the conversation, add historical context to these issues and enable change. Below you will find programs that profile police departments, specials that detail conversations parents of color have with their children, documentaries that cover the treatment of Blacks since slavery and films that shed light on both past and current events.

The History of White People in America

The history of how skin became race, and race became power. (3 episodes below the trailer)

AMERICA REFRAMED Tutwiler

Exploring the Alabama Prison Birth Project at Alabama’s women-only Julia Tutwiler Prison.

LOCAL, USA A Dream Deferred: The Broken Promise of NYC Public Housing

An intimate look at the lives of New York City Housing Authority residents.

LOCAL, USA Beyond the Tap

Examining the costs of one of America’s greatest threats: crumbling water infrastructure.

LOCAL, USA Veterans Coming Home – Health

The health challenges veterans face in transitioning from military to civilian life.

Two Dollars and a Dream

The biography of Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first self-made millionairess.

Coming Together: Sesame Street Resources on Racial Literacy

Sesame Workshop continues its major commitment to racial justice with new resources and content called “Coming Together” to help families talk to young children about race and identity.

All kids need a strong individual and group identity, but racism hurts the healthy development of both, as well as our entire society. Whether you and the children in your care are directly affected by racism or you’re allies of those who are, engaging honestly and directly with little ones is the beginning of building racial literacy (the skills needed to talk thoughtfully about race and to identify and respond to racism).

Please note: All of the resources listed below and available through Sesame Street in Communities are designed for co-viewing, co-learning, and co-participation – meaning that to create the most meaningful experience and takeaways, adults and children should use them together.

I Am Somebody Song:

I Am Somebody (Giant Song) #ComingTogether

You and Me Makes We Song #ComingTogether

#ComingTogether Playlist

Coming Together is rooted in extensive research and consultation with experts to develop a groundbreaking Racial Justice educational framework and curriculum for young children. Like the science-based whole-child model that Sesame Street is known for, this framework will help guide and inform the creation of new Sesame Workshop content going forward—including future seasons of Sesame Street. This collection of resources are designed to provide families with the tools they need to build racial literacy, to have open conversations with young children, to engage allies and advocates to become upstanders against racism, and more, Coming Together includes a racial justice educational framework, ongoing research, and a rolling release of new content.

Where to Find Coming Together Resources: You can find all of the resources connected to Coming Together and Racial Justice by following the below links.

All of the resources live within Sesame Street in Communities’ Racial Justice topic page (all of these materials are available in English/Spanish)
- Explainer Article: What is Racial Literacy?
- Never Too Young Article: Ages & Stages of Racial Understanding
- Parent/Caregiver Article: Raising an Upstander
- Meet Real Families: The Preston Foster Ogletrees Family and The Marañas
- Grownup Workshop: Helping Parents/Caregivers Talk About – And Stand Up Against – Racism
- Explainer Video: Explaining Race

Learn More: Sesame Street in Communities Race, Ethnicity, and Culture Resources

Norm & Company: Betty Strasenburgh On-Demand

In 2017 the longtime Rochester activist and philanthropist Betty Strasenburgh joined WXXI President Norm Silverstein for a special episode ofNorm & Company. She talked about her tireless support of numerous arts and cultural organizations in our community, projects she helped bring to fruition as a long-time Rochester resident, and her memoir that chronicles her life’s journey. Inspired by her role model, Eleanor Roosevelt, Strasenburgh has in her own words, “worked to make a contribution and tried to leave this world a little better.”

A WXXI member for more than 45 years, Betty was a strong advocate for public media in Rochester. An honorary trustee, major donor, a campaign supporter and advisor, a production funder and a member of the legacy society, Betty was one of WXXI’s greatest champions.

Parenting Minutes

Parenting Minutes is a series of short videos from the WNET Group/Channel THIRTEEN (WXXI’s sister station serving New York City) that focuses on key topics related to early childhood learning and raising children.

Parenting Minutes are short videos that focus on key topics related to early childhood learning and raising children. Videos are available in multiple languages, including: English, Spanish, Bengali, and Chinese.

Explore the full collection of Parenting Minutes videos and resources here.

Here are a few of WXXI Education’s favorite Parenting Minutes videos in English and Spanish:

Family Discovery Walks:
See how one family spends time together and promotes curiosity on a “discovery walk”.

Sharing Feelings:
Hear how one family makes time to share feelings each day to promote a healthy dialogue around emotions and mental health.

Routines:
See how one family creates a family schedule to help set a routine for the week.

Explore the rest of the Parenting Minutes videos and resources here.

Parenting Minutes is a production of The WNET Group. ©2016-2021 THIRTEEN Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved. Major funding for Parenting Minutes has been provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Learning Heroes with support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Additional funding is provided by Helena Rubinstein Foundation, The V & L Marx Foundation, and The Henry and Lucy Moses Fund.