Jerry Norman (Photo courtesy of Midland: Our City, Our Stories.)
Midland: Our City, Our Stories premieres Sept. 8 on Basin PBS
The new 4-part docu-series, Midland: Our City, Our Stories, which will share stories of life in Midland through the lens of its diverse community, will premiere at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, on Basin PBS.
New 30-minute episodes will air every Thursday at 7 p.m. this month. Each episode is followed by a 30-minute live town hall, according to Basin PBS.
Midland: Our City, Our Stories is an initiative that came out of the Abell Hanger Foundation’s Midland Diversity Council. Earlier this year, the organization sought nominations of stories of local residents that need to be heard. The series aims to spark “a dialogue about our past and current cultural context and our aspirations as a community,” according to the Council.
On Facebook, the Midland: Our City, Our Stories initiative shared a few hints at some of the content we can expect, including interesting history such as the 85-cent steak at Furr’s, how Summer Mummers got its name, and when and where black education started in Midland (answer: 1931 within the Greater St. Luke Church).
The series involve residents including Margie Titus, Emma Threat, Jerry Norman and Charlene Mcbride. Mcbride, the first female president of the Hispanic Chamber of Midland, “wanted to share the Hispanic culture and history through a local organization,” according to the initiative. “Her focus on economic development expanded the diverse community in Midland which we are thankful for today.”
Stories selected by council were destined for a multi-media project airing both on Basin PBS and in radio profiles on Marfa Public Radio, according to a February news release. In-person gatherings for more in-depth conversations are planned, the release states.
Midland Storytelling Festival also collaborated on the project. Additional support was provided by the Midland Hispanic Cultural Center, Midland African American Roots Historical/Cultural Arts Council, Inc., Midland Historical Society and Elite Sports, according to the Midland Diversity Council.
For more information, visit the Midland: Our City, Our Stories website here.
See Facebook updates on the series here.
