Screening of documentary “Sisterz in Zion” set Feb. 18

The Janet C. Anderson Gender Resource Center at Idaho State University is pleased to announce a screening of the BYU documentary "Sisterz in Zion" followed by a discussion led by Return Sister Missionaries, LDS Church.

The event is part of the Anderson Center’s celebration of Black History Month. The screening will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at noon in the Salmon River Room of the Pond Student Union at Idaho State University. This screening is free and open to the public.

February is Black History Month. This screening is shown in order to raise awareness about the diverse experiences of young women of color. The film Sisterz in Zion is a one-hour documentary following the experiences of 26 young Latter-day Saint women from New York City who travel to Utah to attend a session of Especially for Youth (EFY) at Brigham Young University (BYU).

According to the film’s producers, “the need to negotiate cultural difference is a dominant theme throughout the entire documentary." All the EFY participants, whether they are from New York City or elsewhere, are in a position where they must find common experiences and beliefs as well as find ways of expressing their own individuality.

In its depiction of youth striving to make sense of their world, "Sisterz in Zion" is reminiscent of a coming-of-age film. The youth discover different patterns of living, identify ways to overcome differences by finding common ground in their religious convictions, and, at the same time, retain a sense of their own unique identity as they confront expectations and assumptions unlike their own.

For more information on the BYU documentary screening please contact Heidi Harold, at the Anderson Gender Resource Center at 282-2805.