(MILWAUKEE) The Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is proud to be a Community Partner of the “Minority Health Film Festival,” presented by Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. All film showings will take place at the Oriental Theatre, located at 2230 N. Farwell Ave.
The Minority Health Film Festival is the first of its kind in the nation and a new addition to the Milwaukee Film Festival — now in its 10th year. Inspired by health-related conversations happening across the nation, the Minority Health Film Festival was created to extend those conversations in Milwaukee communities. This four-day event features unique film selections, community forums, and an interactive health fair, all related to information about the health status of racial ethnic minority populations.
Milwaukee Alumnae members have been helping promote the films “The Interrupters” and “Spilled Milk” on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 15, at 1:00 p.m., respectively. In “The Interrupters,” it profiles the life of a city dealing with urban violence and the way an activist group worked to curb this violence. In “Spilled Milk,” doctors give straight talk about the inexperience many hospital staffers have with Sickle Cell disease and the consequent stigmas that can plague African Americans seeking treatment for pain.
“How could we not support this spectacular event?” says Dr. Anita K. Sparks, President of the Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. “This project is in alignment with four of the five thrusts of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.: Physical and Mental Health, Social Action and Political Involvement, Educational Development and Economic Development. I’m sure once we have attended the various events associated with this project, we will find that our fifth thrust, International Awareness and Involvement is also aligned. This partnership presents an opportunity to share life-changing information to our membership and to members of the community. It also presents the opportunity to create other projects aimed at building a stronger community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. is excited to partner with the Minority Health Film Festival. We are excited that we could support this project and excited about what we will learn! We are very grateful for this partnership!
In addition to partnering with the Festival, the Milwaukee Alumnae chapter is also partnering with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) to host a free exhibit viewing and reception for “Evicted” on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 6:00 p.m., at the UWM Mobile Design Box, located at 753 N. 27th St. The exhibit is based on Matthew Desmond’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Evicted that details how the threat of evictions and their reality deeply impact our most vulnerable populations.
“The UWM Design Box Experience is an eye-opening experience,” says Dr. Sparks. “We’ve all heard of people being evicted, but many of us may not have stopped to consider the toll being evicted can have on one’s being. I’m hopeful this experience will help us, the members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. mobilize to have a positive impact on others’ lives by helping them to be advocates for themselves. We must use what we learn from this experience to help improve the quality of life of others.”
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was founded in 1913 on the campus of Howard University to promote academic excellence; to provide scholarships; to provide support to the underserved; educate and stimulate participation in the establishment of positive public policy; and to highlight issues and provide solutions for problems in their communities. Today Delta Sigma Theta Sorority has over 250,000 initiated members and more than 900 chapters worldwide, including seven in Wisconsin. The Sorority uses its Five-Point Programmatic Thrust of economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement to create its national and local programs.
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