Join WXXI and Move to Include for a special FREE screening of Matter of the Mind: My Alzheimer‘s, followed by a panel discussion at The Little Theatre.

About the Film:
Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s is an intimate portrayal of three families confronting the unique challenges of Alzheimer’s and how this progressive neurodegenerative disease transforms roles and relationships. Whether it’s a partner becoming a caregiver or an adult child shifting into being their parent’s caretaker, these stories show how families evolve when a loved one is diagnosed.

Indie Lens Pop-Up presents this free screening:
On Monday, April 28 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. 
At The Little Theatre, Theatre 1
240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY

The film will be followed by a moderated panel discussion. ASL interpretation will be provided for opening remarks and post-screening panel discussion. This film is presented with open captions.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Racquel Stephen, WXXI News Health, Equity and Community reporter.

Panelists include:
Katy Allen, Lifespan’s Division Leader Caregiver Services and Director of the Finger Lakes Caregiver Institute Spending time with her live-in grandmother as a teen and seeing first-hand the impact of caregiving impacted Katy Allen’s life and career. Always having had a love of older adults and an interest in society and aging, Katy has spent the last 30 years in Aging Services program administration developing and overseeing programs for older adults and care partners. She joined Lifespan of Greater Rochester in 2016. She oversees caregiver services for Lifespan and directs the Finger Lakes Caregiver Institute, which provides programs, services and support to care partners of older adults in Monroe County and the Finger Lakes region.

Ann Marie Rogers, Business Owner at Seniors Helping Seniors® South Rochester, NY

Matt Mann, Alzheimer’s support advocate, a board member of the Rochester Finger Lakes chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and an advocate for funding of Alzheimer’s research, care, and education. Matthew first became involved when his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2008. Losing his father to the disease in 2018, and having several other family members diagnosed as well, Matthew has continued to share his family’s story through video, social media, and getting involved with fundraising and events. This year marks the 18th year he and his family have participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, a fundraiser that supports Alzheimer’s Association programs for families, and research.

Join WXXI for a special FREE screening of WE WANT THE FUNK!, a film directed by Stanley Nelson, followed by a panel discussion.

Watch the Trailer:

About the Film:
WE WANT THE FUNK! is a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul, and early jazz roots, to its rise into the public consciousness. Featuring James Brown’s dynamism, the extraterrestrial funk of George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic, transformed girl group Labelle, and Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, the story also traces funk’s influences on both new wave and hip-hop.

Indie Lens Pop-Up presents this free screening:
On Monday, March 31 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. 
At The Little Theatre, Theatre 1
240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY

Moderator: Doug Curry: Host of Blacks & Blues with Doug Curry on WRUR 88.5 The Route. Doug is a native New Yorker, born in Harlem, and raised in the Bronx. He is a 1974 graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.  He  is a poet and writer, radio host, and, since 2016, an actor.  Since 1982 Doug  has been the voice and  radio host of ‘Blacks & Blues,’  heard Friday nights from on The Route (WRUR-FM 88.5 and WITH-FM 90.1) from 9pm to Midnight as well as online, and other terrestrial radio in Western and Central New York, and in international blues capitol, Chicago, Illinois.  Since 2016, Doug has voiced film and audio books,  and  appeared in  a variety of dramatic  roles onstage and remotely for such theater entities as Blackfriars Theater and its Hourglass Reading Service, the Bronze Collective,  the Off-Monroe Players,  the Penfield Players, and  Rochester Institute of Technology’s  NTID, as well as a for variety of creative directors and producers.  Doug is currently a board member for Rochester group, Just Poets, as well as its Vice President.  Outside of the creative world, Doug Curry has been an automotive sales professional since 1987.

Panelists

Scott Wallace, Host of Rejuvenation with Scott Wallace Fridays 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on The Route, WRUR 88.5 FM Scott Wallace shares his vast personal collection of R&B, Soul and Funk every Friday night. This love of music started for Scott when he was just a toddler.  Scott’s Grandfather was a pianist and his Grandmother’s employer also owned a record store in Elmira, NY.  They would allow Scott and his cousin to listen to records for hours at a time, without making any purchases. Over the next two decades Scott grew an intense love of music. All he wanted as gifts for his birthdays and holidays were records. Scott’s radio career began in 1982 as a fill-in DJ on WRUR. In February of 1983, an opportunity opened to take over an Oldie’s show.  Scott changed the name to Rejuvenation and the last 42 years is history.  Rejuvenation provides an introduction to a significant American musical genre and Scott takes listeners on the journey every week.

James “Jimmie” E. Highsmith Jr. is a Grammy-nominated saxophonist and a native of Rochester, NY. With a career spanning over 25 years, he is renowned for his work in the smooth jazz genre and has shared the stage with notable artists such as Najee, Alicia Keys, and Wynton Marsalis. His discography includes 11 top-selling smooth jazz albums, including the Grammy-nominated “The Anthology of Sound.”James “Jimmie” E. Highsmith Jr. is a Grammy-nominated saxophonist and a native of Rochester, NY. With a career spanning over 25 years, he is renowned for his work in the smooth jazz genre and has shared the stage with notable artists such as Najee, Alicia Keys, and Wynton Marsalis. His discography includes 11 top-selling smooth jazz albums, including the Grammy-nominated “The Anthology of Sound.”

Tricia Gonzalez is a vibrant force in the Rochester community, seamlessly blending her passion for music and social justice. As a dynamic two-tone ska singer, Tricia’s music pulses with the same rhythmic energy and rebellious spirit that defined the funk era. Beyond the stage, she’s a dedicated advocate for antiracism and local civil rights, bringing her unwavering commitment to equity into every aspect of her life. For 20 years, Tricia has been a dedicated educator within the Rochester City School District, specializing in literacy, the science of reading, and project-based learning. She expertly embeds these areas into any curriculum she develops. She actively brings in and supports educational projects, such as VSW’s CHAPBOOKS and CCSI’s “Our Local History” units, and supports projects like Junior Achievement’s BizTown, empowering both students and fellow teachers. Tricia’s dedication to education extends beyond the classroom; she served on the Blue Ribbon Commission for Graduation Measures and is the newsletter editor for AMTNYS. Tricia’s unique perspective, informed by her musical background, dedication to community empowerment, and extensive teaching experience, makes her a compelling voice in discussions about the cultural impact of music and its role in shaping social change.

Join WXXI for a special FREE screening of Home Court, a film by directed by Erica Tanamachi, followed by a panel discussion.

About the Film: The coming-of-age story and rise of Ashley Chea, a Cambodian American basketball prodigy
Ashley Chea’s life intensifies amid college recruitment, injury, and triumph.

Indie Lens Pop-Up presents this free screening:
On Monday, March 10 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. 
At The Little Theatre, Theatre 1
240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY

Watch the Film Trailer:

Panel Discussion to follow the screening.

Moderator:
Dr. Christina Heyon Lee, EdD, Coordinator, Global Education and International Services & Co-chair IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability) Council at Monroe Community College. Dr. Lee is an educator and community collaborator who builds strategic partnerships and co-creates curricula at the intersections of global learning, DEIB, and social justice.

Panelists:

Dr. Katie Rizzone MD, MPH, Associate Professor Orthopaedics and Pediatrics, at University of Rochester Medical Center & Team Physician SUNY Brockport and University of Rochester Bio: I am a board-certified primary care sports medicine physician. I care for patients who have sports injuries to the shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist, hip, knee and foot and ankle. I also am faculty of the URMC Concussion Care clinic, treating concussion in kids and adolescents. I specialize in diagnosis and management of bone stress injuries/stress fracture and safe return to sport after these injuries. I started the RUN URMC running medicine team, which offer gait analyses for runners, walkers and athletes looking to improve performance through optimizing their gait biomechanics. I also offer specialized treatment for knee osteoarthritis, including injections like cortisone, viscosupplementation, platelet rich plasma (PRP) in addition to performing cooled radiofrequency ablation (cRFA) on the geniculate nerves of the knee to help with chronic knee pain. I also perform nerve hydrodissection in various areas for chronic pain from impinged nerves. My belief is that everyone is an athlete, no matter their age or fitness level, and my focus is helping patients to reach their goals. I have been a team physician for several high school, collegiate, and professional sports teams and am currently the team physician for the SUNY-Brockport Golden Eagles and the University of Rochester Yellow Jackets in addition to being a physician for US Rowing.

Qian (Chen) Rappazzo, Student Athlete & captain on SUNY Brockport Swim Team Bio: I was adopted from China at the age of 2 to a Caucasian family. I grew up in a predominantly white community but was encouraged to stay involved in Chinese culture by my family. As a child I was involved in a Chinese community center where I learned traditional Chinese dance and had language lessons. As a grew up I became more involved in other sports like swimming and lacrosse. Eventually I fully committed all of my time to swimming and took a step back from the Chinese community center. I currently swim as a college athlete at SUNY Brockport and have recently reconnected with my Chinese culture. Last year I started looking for my biological family and was lucky enough to be reunited with them. In February 2024, I made a trip back to China with my mother and aunt and was reunited with my biological family. Now that I have returned to America, I have a deeper connection to my Chinese roots and have a new complex relationship with being an Asian American. 

Stephen Lian, Head Varsity Football Coach at Brighton High School and 6th Grade Teacher at Twelve Corners Middle School. A proud child of immigrant parents, I am a Rochester native (graduating from Pittsford Mendon High School). I attended Kenyon College (Ohio), where I played 4 years of college football and graduated with a BA in Psychology. After college, I earned an MS in Elementary Education from Nazareth College and have been a teacher in Brighton for 20 years. I have been coaching high school football for 25 years, 10 years in Pittsford and 15 years in Brighton, where I have spent the last 13 seasons as Head Coach. During that time, I have been named League Coach of the Year (2016, 2024), All Greater Rochester Coach of the Year (2024), Buffalo Bills Coach of the Week (2016, 2021, 2024), Buffalo Bills Rochester Region Coach of the Year (2024), Buffalo Bills Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Nominee (2024), and have the most wins all time in Brighton High School History. In 2024, I was the first Asian American head coach in history to win a Section V Football Championship and Far West Regional Championship. I am also involved in coaching youth football, serving as Vice President of the Brighton Junior Bruins Youth Football and Cheer organization. 

Dagny Johnson, Student at Brighton High School. Bio: I am 17 years old and a senior at Brighton High School. Nine years ago, I picked up fencing and have been doing it ever since. I train at the Rochester Fencing Club with my coach, Medhat Elbakry. Over the years I have worked hard with my coach to reach my goals. I have made multiple podiums while competing nationally and internationally for Team USA. I am extremely grateful for the dedication my coach has given me along with the endless support from my parents, Barbara and Craig Johnson.

Join WXXI for a special FREE screening of Bike Vessel, a film directed by Eric D Seals, followed by a panel discussion.

About the Film:
Knowing his dad miraculously recovered from three open-heart surgeries after discovering a passion for cycling, filmmaker Eric D. Seals proposes an ambitious idea: Bike together from St. Louis to Chicago. 350 miles. 4 days. On their journey, the two push each other as they find a deeper connection and a renewed appreciation of their quests for their own health and to reimagine Black health.

Indie Lens Pop-Up presents this free screening:
On Monday, March 3 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. 
At The Little Theatre, Theatre 1
240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY

Discussion Leads:

Phyllis Jackson RN, Community Health and Wellbeing Project Manager, Common Ground Health.

Gary E. Williams, Jr. MPA, MHA serves as Chief Business Officer for Anthony L. Jordan Health Corporation. Williams is a dynamic healthcare administrator with years of successfully leading healthcare organizations through sound fiscal management, and strategic and operational leadership in uniquely challenging multi-practice settings.

Watch the trailer and learn more about the film.