Oct. 1st – Eager students discuss film on the day before it opens in Florida
Left to right: Students of Booker T. Washington Senior High, Alexis Moseley from Commissioner Sally Heyman’s office, City Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, Rosenwald filmmaker, Aviva Kempner holding the Visitor Certificate of Appreciation from the office of County Commissioner, Sally Heyman, Miami-Dade NAACP President, Dr. Shirley B. Johnson, and Pastor Williams, photo courtesy of The Ciesla Foundation
Left to right: Alexis Moseley from County Commissioner Sally Heyman’s office, Dr. Shirley B. Johnson, Miami-Dade NAACP President, Rabbi Marc Labowitz, Aviva Kempner, Director/Writer of Rosenwald, Principal William Aristide, City Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, Pastor Kenneth L. Washington
To celebrate the October 2nd theatrical release of the new film, ROSENWALD, the Historic Booker T. Washington Senior High School in Miami, Florida, hosted a student meet and greet with the film’s director, Aviva Kempner, the NAACP Miami President, Dr. Shirley Johnson, City Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, Pastor Williams, and Rabbi Labowitz. The event was initiated as a way to bridge the gap of diversity and bring awareness to the students about how philanthropist Julius Rosenwald was influenced by the writings of educator Booker T. Washington, the schools namesake. The students were able to participate in a discussion from very important community leaders as they talked about the themes in the film such as the meaning of charity, the importance of education, social responsibility, and how Rosenwald’s efforts helped educate many prominent African American figures such as Tony Award winning playwright George Wolfe, poet Maya Angelou, U.S. Representative John Lewis, Anita Hill and Pulitzer Prize winner Eugene Robinson.
The students were encouraged to dream big and take part in making a change within their community in the same spirit of Julius Rosenwald. The County Commissioner Sally Heyman’s office presented Aviva Kempner with a Distinguished Visitor Certificate of Appreciation for bringing this important film to South Florida. The students in attendance will be going as a school sponsored field trip to watch the film once it opens at the AMC Aventura 24 Theater.