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  La Maestra: Maria Luisa Michel Almonte

  Chicago, Communities, Eleanor Boyer, Latinx, Videomakers

  Maria Almonte immigrated from Mexico to Chicago’s Pilsen–Little Village neighborhood in 1950. An
  artist/teacher, she supported her family from her flower shop business and became a leader in the
  educational and cultural life of the community. She taught traditional arts, crafts, and practical skills

  like dress-making in settlement houses, in community workshops and in her own studio. At the age of
  70 she continued to teach and act on her belief that artistic expression is a powerful tool for
  developing cultural identity and individual self-esteem. The video shows Ms. Almonte in community-
  sponsored workshops teaching neighborhood residents how to make traditional cut-paper ornaments
  and how to design clothing. In the hall of a local church her students model their creations and receive
  recognition. Produced, directed and edited by Eleanor Boyer and Karen Peugh. Partially funded by
  the Illinois Arts Council and the Center for New Television with a Joyce Foundation grant.
  Gold Can Award, Chicago Access Corporation, 1986; Certificate of Merit, Chicago International
  Film Festival, 1984

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  Neighbor Ladies

  Black, Communities, Politics

  In the 1950’s white Americans were fleeing inner cities, spurred on by a legal but unscrupulous real estate technique known as blockbusting. In places such as the Mount Airy neighborhoods in Philadelphia, PA, real estate companies would identify a majority white neighborhood and purposely sell a house to an African American. The agents would then blanket the neighborhood with flyers or even make phone calls to white homeowners alerting them to the ‘changing’ nature of the neighborhood, encouraging them to sell immediately before house prices dropped. The result of this was panic selling. Entire neighborhoods could be flipped in less than a month, creating racial distrust while lining the pockets of real estate agents and companies. Neighbor Ladies shares the stories and strategies of community activists and regular people who decided to organize and fight back against the system.

  LeAnn Erickson is Professor of film and video production in the Department of Film and Media Arts at Temple University and has been an independent media artist and filmmaker for over 35 years. Her work has appeared on public and cable television and in media and art galleries, and has won national and international recognition in video and film festivals. In 2010 she completed ‘Top Secret Rosies: The Female Computers of WWII’, a feature length historical documentary that has screened internationally and is distributed by PBS, Inc. In 2014 she released ‘The Computer Wore Heels’, an interactive iPad bookapp that shares the Top Secret Rosies story with young adults. Currently she is developing two television series pitches and an animated documentary on the life of fitness guru Jack Lalanne.

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  [Carol Marin 1984-1985 Composite]

  Carol Marin

  Multiple news clips of Carol Marin’s work as anchor for Chicago’s NBC affiliate Channel 5.

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  Cicero: Community of Controversy

  Chicago

  News Reporting on the town of Cicero a Community of Controversy

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  [Carol Marin Steps down after Channel 5 hires Jerry Springer as news commentator]

  Carol Marin, Chicago

  Composite of several stories on the resignation of Carol Marin from WMAQ-TV in protest of being asked to co-anchor with Jerry Springer, including: 5/4/97: Carol Marin Interview on Good Morning America after stepping down; 5/4/97: CNN – Reliable Sources; 5/5/97: The Late Show with Tom Snyder.

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  NBC 5 Chicago (WMAQ-TV): Carol Marin’s Last Broadcast, May 1st, 1997

  Carol Marin, Chicago

  Carol Marin’s last broadcast for NBC 5 Chicago (WMAQ-TV) on May 1st, 1997. Marin’s resignation, done in protest of the hiring of Jerry Springer as a news commentator, gained national attention.

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  CBS 2 Chicago (WBBM-TV): Carol Marin’s Last Broadcast, October 30th, 2000

  Carol Marin, Chicago, Politics

  Carol Marin’s last broadcast for CBS 2 Chicago (WBBM-TV) on October 30th, 2000, including coverage of the 2000 US presidential election.

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  [Election Coverage, March 20th, 1990]

  Carol Marin, Chicago, Politics

  A taped broadcast of the first hour of Channel 5’s (WMAQ-TV Chicago) coverage of the 1990 Cook County and Illinois primary elections featuring Carol Marin and Ron Magers as co-hosts.