First premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, “Miss Representation” interweaves stories from teenage girls with provocative interviews from the likes of Condoleezza Rice, Lisa Ling, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, and Rosario Dawson, to give an inside look at the media and its message. The film’s motto, “You can't be what you can't see,” underscores an implicit message that young women need and want positive role models, and that the media has thus far neglected its unique opportunity to provide them.

As one of the most influential and universal forces of communication in our culture, mainstream media is educating yet another generation that a woman’s primary value lies in her youth, beauty and sexuality—not in her capacity as a leader. After the film screening, local leaders will facilitate break-out sessions to provide a platform for discussion of reactions, ideas and solutions that pertain to the issues that affect us here in the Raleigh community.

“Miss Representation” had its broadcast premiere on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in October of 2011. OWN rated the film TV-14 DL. Dinner will be provided during this town hall event.