Launch event for new website resource — 

The complete victim impact statements of the survivors of Larry Nassar

Ann Arbor District Library (343 S. Fifth Avenue) 

7pm, Thursday, November 8.

231 720-0930 for event information

Meet some of the courageous victims who spoke out against predator Larry Nassar, leaders of Michigan organizations fighting sexual assault and Ann Arbor journalists covering this important story. 

Wayne County SAFE’s Trinea Gonczar and three other Larry Nassar victims, Larissa Boyce, Jessica Smith and Christina Baker Barba will conduct a panel discussion on the impact of these historic cases at a launch event for inourownwords.us. They will be joined by Natalie Rogers of Reclaim MSU, Michigan Radio Reporter Kate Wells, Detroit News Reporter Kim Kozlowski, Lansing’s State Journal’s Matt Mencarini, State News Editor Marie Weidmayer and Alexa St. John, editor of the Michigan Daily. 

The event launches inourownwords.us, a new website featuring more than 200 victim impact statements presented at Nassar’s sentencing hearings in Ingham and Eaton Counties. inourownwords.us includes a valuable searchable database created by the Heartland Independent Film Forum with the support of its media sponsor, the Michigan Daily. The site includes more than 1,400 pages of unabridged victim impact statements from these hearings as well as a timeline and media links. These powerful first hand accounts offer a unique opportunity to understand how a trusted physician and family friend could abuse his position of authority for more than 20 years. This one of a kind resource helps students, their professors, families, journalists and attorneys research this case and understand how we can work together to make sure that this decades long pattern of abuse never happens again. 

Please join us at this free Ann Arbor panel discussion to hear Nassar’s victims talk about these landmark cases that have led to life sentences for the former physician. You will learn how a culture of denial made it so difficult for Nassar’s victims to stop his devastating pattern of abuse. Speakers will also describe positive steps being taken at campuses across the country to stop sexual assault. 

For more information on this free event call (231) 720-0930.

Visit our facebook event page.

This free Waterwalk screening features cast members and producer/screenwriter Roger Rapoport.  The Eclipse award-winning film showcases the story of the first canoe team to retrace the 1673 Marquette/Joliet discovery route of the Mississippi from St. Ignace, Michigan to St. Louis via Lake, Michigan, Green Bay, the Fox, Wisconsin.    Shot across Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, the panoramic voyage of discovery traces a father and his adopted son's attempt to navigate this treacherous 1,000 waterway pioneered by Father Jacques Marquette and fur trader Louis Joliet.  Waterwalk stars Robert Cicchini and Chase Maser.

Much of the feature  was shot in Wisconsin with major scenes in Marinette, Oconto, Green Bay and 15 other Wisconsin cities.   The film is based on Steve Faulkner's classic memoir.

The screening will include an informative talk on the 1673 Marquette/Joliet journey and the true story that inspired this feature drama.  A preshow discussion includes several prominent Wisconsin actors in the cast which includes Mary McDonald Kerr,  Deborah Staples, John McGivern, Lee Ernst, Laura Gray, Richard Riehle, John McGivern,  Eva Balistrieri, Torrey Hanson, Angela Iannone, April Paul, Jacqui Troy, Shayne Steliga and Sidd Valicharla.  There will also be a brief update on Coming Up For Air (2019), the production team's next made in Wisconsin and  Michigan film which stars Deborah Staples and Door County actors Neil Brookshire, Carrie Hitchcock, Doug Mancheski, Torsten Johnson and Mark Corkins.

Bjorklunden is located at 7590 Boynston Lane, Bailey's Harbor.  Phone (920) 839-2216 or (231) 720-0930 for details.

Mental Health's Impact on Families is the focus of this First Presbyterian Church event. Producer/coscreenwriter Roger Rapoport will be joined by local cast members to show scenes from their made in West Michigan and Wisconsin feature film Coming Up For Air.  This drama, set for release in 2019, opens an important conversation about community resources available to families seeking healthy outcomes for family, friends and colleagues. Mental health experts from our community will lead a timely conversation about how to benefit from counseling and readily available treatment. For more information please call First Presbyterian at (231) 759-1275 or call Heartland on (231) 720-0930