In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, KLRU will present a special screening of the acclaimed film Mariachi High at Crockett High School on Thursday, September 13 at 7 p.m.  Crockett High School’s own Mariachi de Oro will perform and Kelly Sheehan, Executive Producer of Mariachi High, will be in attendance. Mariachi del Sur from Bedichek Middle School will also perform. The screening is free and light refreshments will be served.

Mariachi High presents a year in the life of top-ranked members of Zapata High School’s championship ensemble Mariachi Halcon in the South Texas border town.   This is an exuberant coming-of-age documentary about the brightest, most driven and talented Mexican American teenagers never seen on screen. At a time when the Latino dropout rate is the highest nationwide, intolerance towards immigrants is growing and public school funding is being cut, Mariachi High turns a much-needed affirmative lens on teens who are pursuing excellence through a connection to their cultural heritage.

Mariachi De Oro, made up of students from Crockett High School, is a nine-member band and will perform at the screening.  Led by Joseph Baird, the group has performed at Gov. Rick Perry’s inauguration, at the University of Texas and for Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell.

Last night in Studio 6A, KLRU together with ITVS announced the next group of women and girls to be profiled for Women and Girls Lead: Austin.  Nationally, Women and Girls Lead is a public media campaign spearheaded by ITVS that uses the power of storytelling to spark conversation, debate and action on the challenges faced by women and girls in the 21^st century.  KLRU’s digital shorts shine a light on stories profiling local women and girls who serve as models of leadership in their communities.

The women to be featured in 2012-2013 are:

Katherine Craft
Julieta Garibay
Rina Hartline
Peggy Kelsey
Amy Koch
Esther Reyes
Ndeye Boury Silla
Marissa Vogel

Complete bios below.

Special thanks to everyone who attended KLRU’s announcement event.


Katherine Craft is the founder of Conspire Theater. This program inside the minimum and maximum-security units at the Travis County Correctional Complex in Del Valle provides incarcerated women a healing and empowering experience through the arts. Craft teaches theater arts, creative writing, team-building and interpersonal relationship skills to more than sixty women at the jail annually.

From her nomination letter: “As a theatermaker and as a teacher, she not only serves the women in the jail by leading her weekly workshops, but by acting as an advocate for one of the most easily marginalized, ignored, and dismissed populations among us.”

Julieta Garibay is one of the nation’s young leaders and advocates for passage of the DREAM Act. She has risked deportation by becoming a public face of undocumented youth in our nation. As a student at the University of Texas-Austin, Julieta was a co-founder of the Undergraduate Leadership Initiative, an advocacy group comprised of fellow undocumented students, supporters, and family.

From her nomination letter: “Julieta has withstood tremendous pressures yet has hung onto her love for this country as the land of opportunity, and onto her heartfelt desire to help others, both as an advocate and in the profession she longs to practice, as a bilingual nurse.”

Rina Hartline is director of Texas State Relations for Centerpoint Energy and mentors other women in the fields of energy and government affairs. As the founder of the Association of Women in Energy, Hartline is dedicated to promoting the education and advancement of women and girls in comprehensive energy fields. She is also a student and expects to receive her MBA through UT’s McComb School of Business in 2013.

From her nomination letter: “Rina shows us all that women can be leaders in any field, in any profession and in any environment, if they are willing to take the opportunity to do so.”

Peggy Kelsey created The Afghan Women’s Project to share stories of Afghan women to help change stereotypes. Her photography exhibits are used by organizations worldwide to raise awareness about Afghan Women by seeking out wisdom and sources of strength from women who have experienced repression and hardship.

From her nomination letter: “The project touches the strength, wisdom, brilliance, courage and suffering of a cross section of contemporary Afghan women. It is a study in the resilience of the human spirit and an invitation to humility and compassion for the viewer. It crosses the boundaries of time and culture.”

Amy Koch works as a Floor Supply Specialist for the Materials Management Department at Seton Medical Center Austin. She is a graduate of Project SEARCH at Seton Healthcare Family, a best practice for hiring individuals with developmental disabilities created at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center.

From her nomination letter “Amy’s presence and work ethic break the stereotypes of individuals with developmental disabilities. Her presence at the hospital inspires people daily by overcoming her own barriers and providing excellent customer service in a competitive work environment.”

Esther Reyes is Executive Director of the Austin Immigrant Right’s Coalition and has helped lead a statewide effort during the 2011 Texas Legislature to protect the human rights of Texas’ undocumented immigrants. Her work as part of the Human Rights Leadership Development Program” provides basic human rights education and promotes racial and social justice in Austin. She is also Senior Editor of TODO Austin magazine where she works to build bridges between Austin’s various communities.

From her nomination letter: “Reyes strives in her executive and advocacy roles to increase education and training opportunities. Austin Latinos are seeking a next generation of leaders and Esther Reyes’ story is one which will not only inspire that community, but all under-served populations in the metro area.”

Ndeye Boury Silla is one of our community’s outstanding 15-year-olds. The daughter of Senegalese immigrants, she raised more than $900 to purchase school supplies for children in her parent’s native country. She also helped start a book club with other children of African immigrants and is an overall leader in her family and community.

From her nomination letter: “Her fearless aspirations are a great example of how change is made.”

Marissa Vogel started the non-profit organization Little Helping Hands, which creates and manages volunteer opportunities for younger children and their parents. Through Vogel’s organization families can sign-up for volunteer activities suitable for children making it simple for parents/caregivers looking to introduce children in early childhood to the rewards of helping others and caring for our environment.

From her nomination letter: “The families involved in Little Helping Hands feel like it has changed their lives, allowing them to get involved in the Austin community and expose their children to the many needs of the community.”

Jim Lehrer from PBS NewsHour with Austin High School students

Guest blog by Laura Laufer
senior media arts student at Austin High School

Having been involved with the PBS Student Reporting Labs for the last year as a junior, it was a real treat to be able to tour the KLRU studio and view one of the tapings for Overheard with Evan Smith with Jim Lehrer as the guest. It was only a year ago when my teacher was showing me a video clip of Mr. Lehrer addressing me and my classmates about the journey we were about to take working with the PBS NewsHour Extra website. Having only seen a high school media studio it was mind blowing to walk around the maze of KLRU’s office to see studios the size of our classroom and a control board that looked like something off of a spaceship. It was not only the size that was impressive, but the staff of KLRU is truly amazing; being able to watch them in their element was enjoyable and enlightening. (See photos from this taping on KLRU’s Flickr page)

The taping was my favorite part, listening to Jim Lehrer crack jokes about all of the politicians he’s interviewed was the highlight of my day. My parents were also jealous that I got to sit in on such an influential political figurehead which made the gloating that much more enjoyable. It was a learning experience as well. Being the youngest crowd there Overheard gave insight to the class about the inner workings of political interviews, a process that had never been explained to us.

Before the taping, Erika Aguilar gave us a tour of the KUT studio and showed us where they record bands, interviews, and eat bagels! (morning story meeting table). It felt really cool that we also had a story meeting table and did the same thing they did, bouncing ideas off each other as a team to get the best ideas on what to put on air.

The Austin Highs Media team is so lucky to have been able to work so closely with our mentors, KLRU’s Lynn Boswell and KUT’s Erika Aguilar with the Student Reporting Labs to create our own NewsHour Reports. The experience last year, producing our news stories, was very difficult, but well worth the stress. That year taught me how to be a serious journalism and media student and gave a voice to my classmates and I, a group of individuals whose point of view often gets over looked. That experience gave us a chance to see what it means to be a journalist, and to see all the hard work that goes into finding a story that is worth creating.

Learn more about the Student Reporting Labs.

PBS Kids Raising Readers Library Corner at Si Se Puede Learning Center

All materials have been donated by KLRU-TV, whose dedication to fostering a love for reading among children comes to life in the materials it publishes and television shows it produces. Christina Collazo, Executive Director at Sí Se Puede, views this commitment as being closely aligned with her organization’s efforts to promote reading and English-language learning in school and at home. “Given that most of our young students don’t speak English at home, we have the opportunity to give children a head-start in the language before they enter kindergarten,” says Collazo. “A library with engaging books in both English and Spanish is a great way to get our kids excited about bilingual reading and learning.”

Benjamin Kramer, Director of Education for KLRU-TV, echoes Ms. Collazo’s enthusiasm. “When centers like Sí Se Puede and initiatives like the Library Corners come together, we create opportunities for young children to develop from their first days as bilingual speakers, readers, and writers, and as sophisticated readers and viewers of television and other media.” Kramer added, “Multilingual literacy and smart viewing practices are great attributes to have, but of course, they need to be nurtured. Here is a shining example of just that.”

Children and parents will be able to spend time together at the library during the center’s “Mommy and Me” time, as well as check out materials to take home. Reading while relaxing on the inviting cushions, surrounded by Dr. Seuss and The Hungry Caterpillar decor, will also serve as an incentive for students to record the number of minutes they spend reading at home. By incorporating the enjoyment of reading into every-day learning, Sí Se Puede hopes to engage young minds in discovering their potential, reaching their goals, and imagining future possibilities.

“We’re excited for Ben to help us shape the future of KLRU’s educational services,” said Bill Stotesbery, KLRU CEO and General Manager. “During his career, Ben has shown that he strives to bring quality instruction and intellectually stimulating curriculum to all students, particularly those who depend upon resources outside of the home for their access, and recognizes the importance and power of using multimedia technologies for learning. This philosophy fits perfectly with KLRU’s mission to provide livelong learning opportunities to the Austin area.”
Kramer holds a Bachelors from Princeton University, a Masters from Harvard University Graduate School of Education and a Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin. He has been principal or assistant principal at several schools including The University of Texas Elementary Charter School, Austin’s International High School, Mathews Elementary School and Hill Elementary School. He has also taught at Texas State University in the Masters program in education and community leadership.

In addition to more than 11 hours of curriculum-based kid’s programming daily, including Vme’s Spanish-language children’s programing, KLRU’s current educational services include conducting workshops to help parents provide early learning skill development in their children, providing materials to teachers to help them gain additional knowledge for the classroom, and distributing books to families that could not otherwise afford them. KLRU participates in numerous national PBS initiatives that help strengthen the station’s educational role in the community and under Kramer’s leadership, the station will find additional ways to help build a stronger educational foundation for the future of Austin.

About KLRU:
KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, presents quality multimedia content that engages people in the thoughtful exchange of ideas, the expression of the arts, and enjoyable lifelong learning opportunities, resulting in a more vibrant community and a higher quality of life. In addition to providing locally produced and quality national television programming, KLRU is also a non-profit organization helping to build a stronger community through educational workshops, community engagement projects and public events. Known as the producing station of the longest-running live music television show AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, KLRU has also worked on several other national productions including OVERHEAD WITH EVAN SMITH and documentaries like CITIZEN ARCHITECT and LAST BEST HOPE. Get more information about KLRU at klru.org.

KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, the Center for Child Protection, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas and Blue Cross Blue Shield invite the public to attend a special screening of the film before it airs nationally.

To reserve your seat, please email rsvp@cactx.org

Screening of When the Bough Breaks
AT&T Conference Center, 1900 University Ave.
Monday, October 17 – reception at 5:30 and screening at 6:30 p.m.

Austin Attorney Beryl P. Crowley has been elected KLRU Board Chair, replacing Trisa Thompson, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility at Dell Inc. Ms. Thompson remains on the KLRU Board and assumes leadership of the station’s Board of Trustees Emeritus. Also elected were Vice Chair Catherine Robb, of counsel with Sedgewick LLP, Attorneys at Law, and Secretary Margie Kintz, community volunteer and formerly head of the Intel Foundation.

Eleven individuals were elected to the KLRU Board.

• Oliver Bell , CEO of Oliver Bell, Inc. and Chairman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice
• Laura Beuerlein, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Heritage Title
• Ken Cho, Co-founder and Chief Straetgy Officer, Spredfast
• Susie Dudley, Amelia Bullock Realtors
• Christine Mattsson, President, The Mattsson-McHale Foundation
• Rodney Gibbs, Founder and CEO, Ricochet Labs
• Tom Green, actor, investor, and philanthropist
• Michael D. Marin, Partner, Boulette and Golder, L.L.P.
• Bettye Nowlin, philanthropist and community volunteer
• Hector de Jesus Ruiz, CEO of Bull Ventures LLC and former CEO of AMD
• Bobbi Topfer, philanthropist and development professional

About KLRU:
KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, reflects, celebrates and inspires Central Texas through creative excellence, community engagement and lifelong learning. In addition to providing locally produced and quality national television programming, KLRU is also a non-profit organization helping to build a stronger community through educational workshops, community engagement projects and public events. Known as the producing station of the longest-running live music television show AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, KLRU has also worked on several other national productions including the documentaries CITIZEN ARCHITECT and LAST BEST HOPE. Get more information about KLRU at klru.org

Enjoy a preview of Vme programming throughout the week and special festivities planned on select weekends beginning Saturday, Sept. 24, through Oct.15. Children and their families are invited to participate in several fun activities, including taking part in arts-and-crafts, learning new songs, meeting popular PBS characters, and joining in on puppet shows, face painting and balloon sculptures.

Schedule of Events

September 24th • 12:30pm-3:30pm

Join Vme and Mexic-Arte in creating Papel Picado, a traditional form of Mexican folk art that children can create and bring home.

September 25th • 1:00pm-2:30pm

Sing and learn Spanish words and songs through “Aprende Cantando” a 45-minute music class hosted by Heartsong Music. Two sessions will be available starting at 1:00pm and 1:45pm.

October 8th • 11:00am-3:00pm

Meet and greet the popular PBS characters Maya and Miguel.

October 15th • 12:00pm-2:00pm

Enjoy a bilingual puppet show, balloon sculpturing & more with Fonzie the Clown.

* All activities will take place at the ground level of Barton Creek Square Mall by the Macy’s entrance.

About Vme:
Vme is the newest Spanish-language addition to Austin’s KLRU lineup and features drama, sports, current affairs, documentary, food, educational preschool content and lifestyle programming. Austin viewers can watch Vme shows on KLRU channel 18.4 and Time Warner Cable channel 610.

For more information about KLRU and Vme, please visit http://www.klru.org/2011/06/klru-adds-vme-to-digital-broadcast-channels/.

Emile Norman at mural.

KLRU is proud to present the following programs for Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.

Stonewall Uprising:  American Experience airs Monday, June 13th at 8:00 pm.During Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, the encore presentation of STONEWALL UPRISING: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE explores the dramatic event that launched a worldwide rights movement. Told by those who took part, from drag queens and street hustlers to police detectives, journalists and a former mayor of New York, and featuring a rich trove of archival footage, this film revisits a time when homosexual acts were illegal throughout America, and homosexuality itself was seen as a form of mental illness. Hunted and often entrapped by undercover police in their hometowns, gays from around the U.S. began fleeing to New York in search of a sanctuary. Hounded there still by an aggressive police force, they found refuge in a Mafia-run gay bar in Greenwich Village, the Stonewall Inn. When police raided Stonewall on June 28, 1969, gay men and women did something they had not done before: they fought back. As the streets of New York erupted into violent protests and street demonstrations, the collective anger announced that the gay rights movement had arrived.

Emile Norman—By His Own Design airs Monday, June 13th at 9:30 pm. This film is a portrait of the artist Emile Norman, who, at age 88, is still working with the same passion that inspired him through seven decades of a changing art scene and turbulent times for a gay man in America. The film chronicles his early days in the San Gabriel Valley, his success in New York City and the freedom he found in Big Sur, where he and his partner of 30 years created a haven for artists that is still growing today.

Independent Lens “Two Spirits” airs Tuesday, June 14th at 9:00 pm.Fred Martinez was a Navajo youth slain in a hate crime at the age of 16. Martinez was also part of an honored Navajo tradition – the “nadleeh” or “two-spirit,” who possesses a balance of masculine and feminine traits.  Weaving Martinez’s story with commentary from his mother, fellow two-spirit community members and activists, this documentary explores the historical, spiritual and cultural significance of gender in the Navajo tradition as it relates to the crime that eventually took Martinez’s life.

The KLRU Community Advisory Board is composed of up to 30 individuals who reflect the diverse interests, concerns, organizations, issues and populations of the Central Texas community. The CAB helps guide KLRU in a variety of ways. Membership in the CAB is open to anyone who lives in the designated market area for KLRU and who has demonstrated an interest in KLRU. Members are selected by the existing CAB after being nominated by the staff, or the CAB, or they may nominate themselves. The role of the CAB is to provide a link between the community-at-large and the staff of KLRU. Members elected to the CAB commit to serve a two-year term.

The duties of the CAB are:

* Act as a liaison between KLRU and the community.

* Raise community awareness about KLRU, its programming and its services.

* Advise KLRU on issues of importance in the community where KLRU may have an impact.

* Encourage community involvement in KLRU projects, activities.

* Ensure that the content of the programming reflects the community.

We are currently accepting applications for consideration of membership to CAB. Applications should be submitted by April 15, 2011 and will be reviewed by the CAB Nominating Committee. The election of new members will occur at the regularly scheduled CAB meeting on August 17, 2011.

Please download the form at http://www.klru.org/about/pdfs/KLRUCABMembershipApplication.pdf and send it to msullivan@klru.org. Applications should be accompanied by a resume. For more information you can go to:

http://www.klru.org/about/cab.php