PBS—Broadcast of THE PUSHOUTS

PBS—This December THE PUSHOUTS, a documentary film supported by California Humanities through a California Documentary Project grant will air on the acclaimed PBS documentary series, VOCES. “I was in prison before I was even born.” So begins the story of Dr. Victor Rios who, by 15, was a high school “dropout,” heroin dealer, and Oakland gang member with multiple felony convictions and a death wish. But when a teacher’s quiet persistence, a mentor’s moral conviction, and his best friend’s murder converge, Rios’s path takes an unexpected turn. Through Rios’ personal lens and its interplay with the stories of the young people of YO! Watts, THE PUSHOUTS interrogates crucial questions of race, class & power—and the promise and perils of education—at a particularly urgent time. Featuring footage filmed over more than 25 years, THE PUSHOUTS weaves Rios’s inspiring dropout-to-professor narrative with stories from YO! Watts, a youth center serving 16-to-24 year-olds who are out of school and out of work. Trading narratives of tragedy and victimization for true stories of grit and resilience, the film highlights the vast potential of young people to thrive when given access to meaningful opportunities and connections to adults who care. THE PUSHOUTS is part of American Graduate, public media’s long-term commitment, made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to help young people succeed in school, career and life. Friday, December 20, 2019 10–11 pm ET 56 Minutes Watch the trailer here. Watch a PBS short about the documentary here.