Eight PBS event – Panel of AZ Makers for Women’s History Month – downtown Phoenix, March 7th

Live event follows upon national premiere of PBS’ special “MAKERS: WOMEN WHO MAKE AMERICA” and locally produced interviews with accomplished Arizona “Makers”

PHOENIX — (Feb. 28, 2013)  Eight, Arizona PBS and City of Phoenix co-host a live panel discussion featuring speakers from among Eight’s local “MAKERS” series March 7, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Downtown Civic Space Park in the AE England Building (Light Rail accessible from Van Buren stop), as part of the City of Phoenix’s Evening Community Connections Series honoring Women’s History Month. The event is free and open to the public, and also includes a free screening of a shortened version (runtime 30 minutes) of the 3-hour PBS special MAKERS: Women Who Make America. Professional development certificates are available for educators.

Eight, Arizona PBS received a grant from WETA and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to produce four locally focused episodes, featuring accomplished Arizona women, who broke new ground in their respective fields.  The Arizona “MAKERS” include Judge Roxanne Song Ong of Phoenix Municipal Court, the first woman and first minority in the nation to preside over a city court system, multi-award-winning author and Pulitzer Prize nominee Stella Pope Duarte, broadcast journalist Mary Jo West and Ambassador Barbara Barrett.

“Eight is proud to showcase some of Arizona’s groundbreaking women,” said Jennifer Burke, Eight Arizona PBS producer of the Arizona MAKERS series. “Our state has a lot to be proud of, including the accomplishments of these women, who are great role models for the next generation.  We are very pleased to present the stories of these remarkable women on Eight, Arizona PBS, as well as on our website, and live at this exciting event.”

Viewers of the landmark PBS special MAKERS: Women Who Make America can relive, or perhaps experience for the first time, the story of how women have helped shape America over the last 50 years through one of the most sweeping social revolutions in our country’s history — in pursuit of their rights to a full and fair share of political power, economic opportunity and personal autonomy. The documentary builds on the multi-platform video experience from PBS and AOL: MAKERS.com.