Showcasing Diversity in Tech for the Classroom: Milwaukee Film, Northwestern Mutual Partner for STEM Education Screenings
Coded Bias to be available for students and educators during Black History Month and Women’s History Month
Milwaukee Film’s programming celebrating Black History Month and Women’s History Month will highlight diversity in STEM, thanks to a partnership with Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute.
As part of the sponsorship, Milwaukee Film will provide free virtual screenings of Milwaukee Film Festival 2020 selection Coded Bias during February (Black History Month) and March (Women’s History Month) for local high school and college classes. Special curriculum created by Nadiyah Johnson of The Milky Way Tech Hub for teachers to utilize in the classroom following the screenings will be provided as well.
Coded Bias is one of several selections Milwaukee Film is offering as education screenings for the spring semester. Directed by Shalini Kantayya, the gripping documentary plays like an episode of "Black Mirror" as viewers meet Buolamwini, an irrepressible "poet of code" who, while working at MIT, discovers deep inaccuracies in facial recognition technology when it encounters dark-skinned or female faces.
The screenings, which are usually low-cost opportunities held at the Oriental Theatre, are virtual this year and free to participate, thanks to a grant from the Herzfeld Foundation.
"We are grateful for the continued community support of our Education Screenings program" said Dr. Cara Ogburn, artistic director for Milwaukee Film. "These are incredibly challenging times for teachers and students alike, this sponsorship enables us to offer films and curriculum safely, for free, and in new ways that are flexible to the needs of students and educators in our community."
The Northwestern Mutual, the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute, and the Milwaukee School of Engineering partnership will also offer support for events surrounding Black History Month specifically a Diversity in STEAM Symposium on Feb. 16.
The daylong symposium will feature youth engagement with structural engineer and STEM educator Dr. Nehemiah Mabry, a STEM expert panel discussion in collaboration with FUEL Milwaukee, and a live podcast of 88Nine’s Diverse Disruptors featuring Tarik Moody.
Milwaukee Film's entire Black History Month program is presented by Molson Coors.
For Women’s History Month, support from Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute will be provided for a Women and STEAM Symposium.
Milwaukee Film's Cultures and Communities initiative seeks to engage our entire community in our mission and programs, strengthening the impact of established programs such as Black Lens, Women in Film, Cine Sin Fronteras, and GenreQueer.
Full details and more information on education screenings can be found here for high school educators and here for university students and educators.
Posted by: Tom Fuchs