WHY NOW?
Current events demonstrate the vital importance of our nation’s court system, as well as a desperate need for deeper public understanding about the way that system works. The arts and humanities have always played a key role in public education about complex topics, and we hope to use this film to address that need.
WHY US?
In 2009, Shirley Abrahamson sat down with Justice Ann Walsh Bradley to record her oral history, in which she tells the story of her life—from growing up in New York City to becoming the Chief Justice. These recordings have not yet been released to the public, but we have gained exclusive permission to use them for the film, and we will be constructing the film’s narrative around the stories and insights they contain.
IMPACT CAMPAIGN
We are planning to create a suite of resources that can be used in classrooms across Wisconsin and across the country, specifically designed to teach children about the role of judges in our society and the inner workings of the justice system.
Inspired by, and building upon Abrahamson’s educational programs such as Court with Class and Tootsie the Goldfish, these resources will include lesson plans, a viewing guide for the film, and a sequel to the Tootsie the Goldfish game.