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Press Coverage

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11/22/2011 | "Sex in an Epidemic' explores troubling history of AIDS"

By Elizabeth Floyd Mair

At first it was a "rare cancer" reported in 1981 in The New York Times to have infected "41 homosexuals" in New York and California. By 1992, just over a decade later, AIDS had killed 200,000 Americans. According to the CDC, more than 1.1 million people in the U.S. today are HIV-positive.

The documentary film "Sex in an Epidemic" by lesbian filmmaker Jean Carlomusto uses archival and new footage to trace the history of the rise of HIV/AIDS and the difficulty of obtaining, in the early years, any accurate information about how the disease was transmitted.

11/20/2011 | "The Either/Orchestra @ the Sanctuary for Independent Media"

TROY -- The name of the Either/Orchestra is something of a misnomer. It may have fit them when saxman Russ Gershon founded the 10-piece little big band 25 years ago, but these days their musical approach is anything but either/or.

Instead, they seem to embrace it all, exploring a wide variety of musical styles and mashing them all up together into one glorious sound. At the Sanctuary for Independent Media on Sunday afternoon, the Boston-based band premiered a sprawling new composition by Gershon, "The Collected Unconscious," which, as he explained to the standing room only crowd at the Sanctuary, was about "mixing Ethiopian music with jazz and Latin music and discovering the similarities and connections."

11/10/2011 | Activist and author to speak about 'Blood on the Tracks'

Brian Willson still S. Brian Willson is a Vietnam War veteran who lost his legs protesting the shipment of U.S. arms to Central America. Now he's touring the country using a pair of prosthetic legs and a three-wheeled hand-cycle to talk about his life and the virtues of a simple lifestyle, which he outlines in his book, "Blood on the Tracks."

The anti-war activist lost his legs below the knee when he was hit by a munitions train during a 1987 protest against the shipping of U.S. weapons to Central America. He and other veterans blocked the railroad tracks in protest; the train didn't stop. In his book, Willson writes about the risky, nonviolent protest methods he and others have embraced over the years to educate people and create political change. He talks about losing his legs for his principles and ends with his commitment to a localized, sustainable lifestyle.

Willson will read from and talk about his book this week at Troy's Sanctuary for Independent Media.

-- Mike Lisi

At a glance

S. Brian Willson

10/13/2011 | "Festival Mixes Food and Stories"

By Bryan Fitzgerald

TROY -- Just off the banks of the Hudson River at 3337 6th Ave., Ellie Markovitch is bringing together young city dwellers with freshly picked fruits and vegetables.

The first harvest for the small Collard City Growers garden is a chance for the 38-year-old RPI student to hand down not just her love of homegrown food but also the stories and bonding that bloom when it's celebrated together.

She was born and raised in Goiania, Brazil, a small farming community 500 miles west of South America's Atlantic coast.

"The fondest memories of my childhood are those with me and my family around my grandfather's farm at harvest time," where main crops were sugarcane and corn, Markovitch recalled. Her mother has seven brothers and sisters; her father 10. Markovitch joked that she has too many cousins to count and can't remember all of their names.

10/06/2011 | Sidi Toure Bring Songs of Mali to Sanctuary for Independent Media

By Tom Keyser

On his first tour (and first visit) to the United States, Sidi Toure, a musician from Mali, will perform tonight in Troy at The Sanctuary for Independent Media. That his only local appearance is at the Sanctuary comes as no surprise.

"Our goal is to bring people here who wouldn't normally have a place to play in the Capital Region," says Steve Pierce, executive director of the facility. "We've tried to develop a venue where you can hear people perform that you wouldn't be able to hear anywhere else."

10/01/2011 | For HVCC student and filmmaker, faith in God is an important part of her life

Madena Henderson: Freshman at Hudson Valley Community College in independent studies. The 18-year-old graduated from Lansingburgh High School in June and works part time at Price Chopper. She lives with her aunt and uncle, Joycelyn and MacArthur Henderson and three cousins, Jasmine Dence, 9, Jeffrey Dence, 8, and Joshua Henderson, 6, on Sixth Avenue near where she worships at the Missing Link Street Ministry at 101st Street led by Pastor Willie Bacote.

Documentary debut: Henderson joined the Youth Media Alliance at the Sanctuary for Independent Media, which is across the street from her church. Her nine-minute documentary, "The Haves and the Have-Nots," is in the national competition Project VoiceScapes sponsored by PBS, POV and Adobe Youth.

What role does faith have in your life?

It's not so much religion as it's God that's very important to me. My faith in God gets me through the day. You have to have faith in something. I've been coming to the Missing Link Ministry for three years. It's important to come to church and be involved. It's a way to give back to the community. I help feed the children.

What brought you to documentary filmmaking?

09/28/2011 | The Sanctuary for Independent Media

By Danielle Furfaro

06/30/2011 | "Joining Forces"

By Stephen Douglas

There’s a new outdoor performance space in Troy between Fifth and Sixth avenues on 101st Street. Freedom Square is a collaborative effort started by The Sanctuary for Independent Media, Missing Link Street Ministry, Troy Bike Rescue and Collard City Growers. This Saturday, Freedom Square debuts with a music festival headlined by the Debo Band.

“We wanted to have a celebration of the new lot and thought what better way than to have some music,” said Steve Pierce from The Sanctuary for Independent Media.

Pierce says that the lot was originally purchased to provide extra parking, but other uses were always a possibility.

“It’s been used for years for different events and we wanted to continue to do that and try to maintain it. So we’re working with some of our neighbors to improve the neighborhood,” he said.

The neighbors include Missing Link Street Ministry which is located right across the street from the Sanctuary.

“We’ve been working with Missing Link the whole time we’ve been here co-sponsoring events, media training and all kinds of stuff with kids. It was a very natural fit,” said Pierce. Missing Link will be in charge of the accompanying barbecue.

05/19/2011 | Writer's Voice for Irate Fans

By Jennifer Gish

Dave Zirin says he's a radical sportswriter.

He's not really that radical. He just speaks for a lot of fed-up fans. And maybe that's radical since we've been abused by team owners for years now.

When Zirin, who will offer a talk with a screening of his documentary "Not Just a Game: Power, Politics and American Sports" on Saturday at The Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, starts railing against publicly funded stadiums and seat licenses, fans should hoist their foam fingers in support.

And he's not just some snooty social commentator who thinks sports are barbaric and crude. He's one of us, just bolder.

05/17/2011 | "Jayme Stone, not your average banjo picker"

By Don Wilcock