‘And Now We Rise’: The story and work behind this documentary

Publicity poster for “And Now We Rise,” with the image of Samuel Johns. (Image courtesy of Affinity Films)

Affinity Films’ recent documentary aired in late April at the Bear Tooth. It tells the story of a grassroots movement in Anchorage to help dislocated rural residents, stranded in Anchorage, find a way back home.

Samuel Johns figures in this story. He is a young Ahtna Athapaskan hip-hop artist living in Anchorage who, through a Facebook group called ‘Forget Me Not’ that launched in 2015, began to help rural Alaskans displaced in urban Anchorage find plane tickets back home.

The documentary travels with Johns through Anchorage city streets, to the grassroots movement at Standing Rock in protest of an oil pipeline planned beneath the water source for the Standing Rock Sioux. It also follows Sam to White Mountain to visit with one young man he helped relocate from Anchorage to his home community.

Sam is looking to the future. He’ll share some of his music, and lessons learned on his journey so far.

HOSTKathleen McCoy

GUESTS:

  • Samuel Johns, hip-hop artist, community activist
  • Nara Garber, Affinity Films director of photography
  • Arthur Stevens, board member of Forget Me Not

LINKS:

PARTICIPATE:

  • Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2:00 – 3:00pm)
  • Send e-mail to hometown@alaskapublic.org before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
  • Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air
    LIVE: Monday, May 13, 2019 at 2:00 p.m
    REPEAT: Monday, May 13, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
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