On WORLD, Women’s History Month is about shining a spotlight on how women and girls across cultures and societies uplift themselves and their communities by finding strength and camaraderie amongst one another. This March, Stories from the Stage features Extraordinary Women storytellers from all walks of life – a pediatric neurosurgeon, a disability rights advocate and recording artist, and one of the Lost Girls of Sudan. Also, watch films like Girl Talk, Running with My Girls and Fannie Lou Hamer’s America to get up close and personal with the next generation of young women, political candidates of color and an icon who pave their own ways in the world.
Although stories of individuals transitioning from incarceration to reintegration and the experiences of those who support them are not new to WORLD, we’re refocusing our efforts into a content theme titled Liberated Lives. The March 28 premiere of A Woman on the Outside – social worker Kristal Bush helps to reunite families divided by incarceration – launches the collection of films that will continue through April.
Throughout the month, join WORLD as we showcase the mighty change that occurs when women assert their power in business, the arts, education, and beyond.
WATCH LIVE
NEW Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
March 3 and 10 on TV | Available now on the PBS app
PBS SoCal and Variety take you inside the biggest movies and TV shows of the past year through candid conversations with today's hottest actors. Hosted by Variety Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis and Variety Chief Correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister, each episode brings together pairs of actors engaging in intimate one-on-one discussions about their craft and work.
Girl Talk: A Local, USA Special
March 4 on TV | Available now on PBS Passport, Apple TV+ & Prime Video
Set in the cutthroat, male-dominated world of high school debate, this is the compelling story of five girls on the diverse, top-ranked Massachusetts team at Newton South. Often talked over, underrepresented and judged differently than their male counterparts, each girl learns to navigate gender biases, reminding us that equal rights and freedom of expression are worth fighting for.
NEW Extraordinary Women | Stories from the Stage
March 4 on TV, online & on the PBS app
What does it mean to be extraordinary? Defy the odds and redefine benchmarks of success. Homeless at 19, Natalie builds a career as a pediatric neurosurgeon; Rebecca, one of the "Lost Girls of Sudan," finds a path to creating positive change; and Lachi fights discrimination as a disability rights advocate.
Eyes on the Prize
March 7 and 14 on TV | Season 1 now streaming on the PBS app
Sharing the definitive story of the civil rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men and women whose extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American life, and embodied a struggle whose reverberations continue to be felt today. Narrated by political leader and civil rights activist Julian Bond (1940-2015).
NEW Be the Change | Stories from the Stage
March 11 on TV, online & on the PBS app
Change isn't only forged by the mighty; the bold actions of everyday individuals often spark it. Nagin Karimian champions the cause of women's rights in Iran; Lisa Iezzoni and three heroic health aides share the life of a COVID-19 patient; and Mikhala Iversen channels the legacy of jazz and Creole into a vibrant retelling of New Orleans' history.
NEW You're Hired! | Stories from the Stage
March 18 on TV, online & on the PBS app
The unexpected twists and turns of professional life can lead to revelation and finding a true path. Raised in a restaurant family, Jennifer Cummings Hillery discovers her expertise lies beyond the dining room; Bobbie Wayne learns that aiming high can actually make the incredible happen; and Harry Harding ditches the big-money world of sports agents for a more compassionate calling.
NEW unseen | POV
March 20 on TV, online & on the PBS app
As a blind, undocumented immigrant, Pedro faces uncertainty to obtain his college degree, become a social worker, and support his family. Through experimental cinematography and sound, unseen reimagines the accessibility of cinema, while exploring the intersections of immigration, disability, and mental health. A co-presentation with Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB).
NEW Minnesota's Alt-Meat Revolution: A Local, USA Special
March 25 on TV, online & on the PBS app
As the demand for plant-based alternatives to meat grows, so does the demand for new methods of farming and food production. In the small rural town of Dawson, Minnesota, “alt-meat” is nothing new - soybean processing dates back to the 1950s. Now, PURIS, North America's largest manufacturer of pea protein (think “Beyond Burger”), has moved into town with a promise to revolutionize the agricultural system. What impact will it have on the residents of Dawson and surrounding rural communities?
NEW Greener Pastures | Independent Lens
March 27 on TV, online & on the PBS app
A story of perseverance and survival within the farming industry in the heartland following four multigenerational family farms in the Midwest.
NEW A Woman on the Outside | America ReFramed
March 28 on TV, online & on the YouTube & PBS apps
After watching nearly every man in her life disappear into prison, Kristal Bush channels her struggle into reuniting other Philadelphia families divided by incarceration. But when her father and brother come home after decades behind bars, she confronts the greatest challenge yet - can she unite her own family without losing herself?
NEW Sol in the Garden | POV Shorts
March 28 on TV | Available now on the PBS app
After 16 years of incarceration, Sol is released from prison, when she discovers that coming into her own freedom can be as challenging as living behind bars. Through a community gardening collective of formerly incarcerated horticulturalists in East Oakland, Sol strives to recover her humanity and sense of self.
NEW The Cancer Detectives | American Experience
March 30 on TV, online & on the PBS app
The story of how the life-saving cervical cancer test became an ordinary part of women’s lives is as unusual and remarkable as the coalition of people who ultimately made it possible: a Greek immigrant, Dr. George Papanicolau; his intrepid wife, Mary; Japanese-born artist Hashime Murayama; Dr. Helen Dickens, an African American OBGYN in Philadelphia; and an entirely new class of female scientists known as cyto-screeners.
WATCH ONLINE
Fly with Me | American Experience
March 1 on TV | Available now on the PBS app
Watch the story of the pioneering women who became flight attendants at a time when single women were unable to order a drink, eat alone in a restaurant, own a credit card, or get a prescription for birth control. The job offered unheard-of opportunities for travel and independence. These women were on the frontlines of the battle to assert gender equality and transform the workplace.
NEW Third Base to Faith
March 8 on YouTube
13-year-old Nabeel sets out to accomplish two things: take his local baseball team to the championships and memorize the 604-page Quran. The film explores how a second-generation American born son and his immigrant father find connection through the sport of baseball while the young boy navigates how to practice his faith in an American context.
Queen Kidjo | AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange
March 16 on TV | Available now on YouTube & the PBS app
Experience a guided tour of the life and indomitable spirit of international music icon and activist Angélique Kidjo. This film features archival footage of the globally recognized artist appearing with superstars Miriam Makeba, Celia Cruz, Youssou N’dour, Ziggy Marley, Philip Glass, and Peter Gabriel; as well as cameo appearances by contemporary music stars including Alicia Keys and Yemi Alade.
Defining Moments | Stories from the Stage
March 25 on TV | Available now online & on the PBS app
Defining moments can be brief, but what they teach are lessons that last a lifetime. Michelle’s outlook transforms when she becomes the subject of a community art project; at 18, Annie assumes the burdens of her Chinese immigrant family; and Elena takes a chance on love & life when she moves to the US from Moscow.
Running with My Girls | America ReFramed
Available now online, on YouTube & on the PBS app
Tired of watching local government ignore their communities’ interests, five diverse female activists run for municipal office in Denver - one of the U.S.’s fastest-gentrifying cities. A story about an engaged community outrunning the deep pockets of the political establishment, the film demonstrates that building a new kind of political power is not just aspirational but possible.
Fannie Lou Hamer’s America: An America ReFramed Special
March 21 on TV | Available now online & on the PBS app, Apple TV+ & Prime Video
A portrait of a civil rights activist and the injustices in America that made her work essential. Through public speeches, personal interviews, and powerful songs of the fearless Mississippi sharecropper-turned-human-rights-activist, explore and celebrate the lesser-known life of one of the Civil Rights Movement’s greatest leaders.
She Persisted | Stories from the Stage
Available now online & on the Facebook & PBS apps
Through the whispers of doubt, nevertheless, they persisted. In Afghanistan, Mahboba journeys to her classroom against all odds; Crystal climbs the ladder of higher education, aided by some secret admirers; and Joan learns that it’s never too late to radically change her life.
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