Mayor Benjamin to host Girl Rising screening for International Women’s Day

Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin will host a free film screening of Girl Rising from 6-9 p.m. on March 8 at the Columbia Museum of Art.

“When an ambassador from Girl Rising asked if we wanted to host a screening of the film, we had to take her up on the opportunity,” said Mayor Benjamin. “Girl Rising is one of those films that you simply must see. As a father to two brilliant daughters, it’s so important to educate our city, adults and children, on issues related to challenges women and girls face worldwide.”

Girl Rising is a film (rated PG-13) by Academy Award-nominated director Richard E. Robbins that highlights the journeys of nine unforgettable girls living in the developing world. Through their journeys, viewers witness the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change the world.

The girls in the film confront tremendous challenges and overcome nearly impossible odds to pursue their dreams.

The ambassador from Girl Rising will give be available for questions about the film and the Girl Rising organization.

Though the Girl Rising screening is free to attend, donations to Girl Rising are appreciated. The contributions to Girl Rising go toward the following examples.

• Supporting the production of a local language, re-versioned Girl Rising film so that partners may use it in their own communities, such as how IMA World Health is set to reach hundreds of thousands of people through mobile cinema screenings in the DRC, intertwined with existing health programming
• Re-enrollment programs for hundreds out-of-school girls in India and Nigeria
• Gender sensitization training for teachers – focusing on reducing gender bias in the classroom and empowering teachers to know how to take action in the face of things like child marriage and abuse, trafficking, etc.
• Workshops for journalists to help them better report on peace, stability and education
• Support an after-school program for girls in NYC, focused on themes like courage, the power to dream and equality
• New translations and adaptations of the film for use in new contexts and cultures
• Large scale advocacy in the US such as We Will Rise and campaigns like #62MillionGirls
• Covers screening licenses so we can provide grants for other organizations to share Girl Rising
• Laying the groundwork for new campaigns around the world (like Latin America and the Middle East, both on hold as we work out the funding).

Columbia’s Girl Rising screening is the only free screening of the film in the state of South Carolina.

For International Women’s Day, Mayor Benjamin is not only hosting the Girl Rising screening at 6 p.m. but also the first Books 2 Girls book fair at 4 p.m. For additional information about the Books 2 Girls fair, contact Lauren Harper at [email protected].

About Girl Rising:

Girl Rising is a global campaign for girls’ education and empowerment.

We use the power of storytelling to share the simple truth that educating girls can transform societies. Our mission is to change the way the world values the girl and ensure that girls’ education is part of the mainstream conversation.

Together with partners, we launch high profile campaigns to bring visibility to the issues girls face and inspire people to dismantle the barriers that hold them back.

We raise awareness about the issue, inspire action and make change happen through film and other tools, such as educational and advocacy videos, screening guides and a free school curriculum.

We also focus on getting girls in school through ENGAGE – a dynamic public-private partnership in India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria – and seek opportunities to expand our efforts to other places where our message is especially timely.