The WSU Inclusion and Diversity Office, WSU International Services Office, WSU VOCES, Southeast Technical College, and Anoka Ramsey Community present On the Border of a New America: Wall of Shadows with guest speaker Barbara Martinez Jitner. The event will be held in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month. Further details are available below.
Winona State University Event
- Topic: On the Border of a New America: Wall of Shadows
- Date: Tuesday, September 27, 2011
- Location & Time: Winona State University, East Hall Kryzsko Commons – 7:00 p.m.
- Co-Sponsored by: WSU Inclusion and Diversity Office, WSU International Services Office, Southeast Technical College, Anoka Ramsey Community College and WSU VOCES
- Contact: Mr. Alexander Hines at (507) 457-5595 or by email at [email protected]
- Free and Open to the Public
- Guest Speaker: Barbara Martinez Jitner
Anoka Ramsey Community College Event
- Topic: On the Border of a New America: Wall of Shadows
- Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2011
- Location & Time: Anoka Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids Campus – Courtyard Commons at 10:00 a.m. & Cambridge Campus – G-202 at 1:30 p.m.
- Contact: Mr. Marcellus Davis at (763) 433-1695 or by email at [email protected]
- Free and Open to the Public
- Guest Speaker: Barbara Martinez Jitner
About On the Border of a New America: Wall of Shadows
Latinos are transforming the face of America and have made enormous contributions to our national heritage in the arts, sciences, and military. The history of Latinos in America even predates the founding of the United States. Latinos are one of the oldest and newest residents of this country. On the Border of a New America: Wall of Shadows tells the story of two such Americans. Jose has lived in the U.S. his entire life, but was wrongfully deported and is now trapped on the border. Manuela must cross the border because of an economic crisis in her homeland and come to the U.S. Barbara Martinez Jitner’s presentation explores the remarkable legacy of Latinos in the U.S. and how what is happening at our southern border has not only effected this community, but has penetrated the entire country, creating a new dichotomy in the Latino national identity.
About Barbara Martinez Jitner
The real life hero of Jennifer Lopez’s film, Bordertown, Martinez Jitner posed as a factory worker on the U.S./Mexico border in order to uncover a dark world of grueling poverty and sexual abuse that leads to murder. Bordertown is a political thriller about the murdered factory workers in Juarez, Mexico. The film was inspired by Martinez Jitner’s critically acclaimed documentary, La Frontera which was released in 2007.
Barbara Martinez Jitner is one of the first Latina executive producers of a prime-time network television series. The Emmy-nominated American Family made history when it debuted in 2002 as the first Latino drama on broadcast television. Writer/director Martinez Jitner wrote the PBS premiere episode that garnered unanimous critical acclaim including, USA Today calling it "a rare dramatic hour," TV GUIDE saying, "this series premiere packs a wallop," and garnering a People magazine "Pick of the Week." Martinez Jitner went on to write 10 and direct 7 of the show’s first 22 episodes.
Martinez Jitner is also the first Latina ever to be nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Emmy as an executive producer/writer/director for a miniseries, which she received for American Family. She is currently slated to executive produce and write the HBO miniseries Rain of Gold, adapted from Victor Villasenor’s original text. She is also going to be the executive producer and writer of a miniseries for ABC starring Jimmy Smits, which discusses the themes of immigration and the border. She is currently penning a script for Antonio Banderas about last spring’s infamous immigration march, A Day Without An Immigrant. A collaborator of Academy Award nominee Gregory Nava (El Norte, Mi Familia), Martinez first began working with Nava on his feature film Selena, based on the life of the slain Tejano superstar, and directed the music videos for the feature. She served as the 2nd Unit Director and the Visual Effects Production Supervisor on both Selena and Nava’s Why Do Fools Fall In Love starring Halle Barry.