Immersive Summer Gatherings
Film / Talk / Food Series
In collaboration with the Architecture & Design Film Festival
Saturday, August 2
Program Theme: RESTORATION
EVENT LINEUP:
Film: Frank Gehry: Building Justice
Talk: Theresa Betancourt
Shadows into Light: A generation of former child soldiers comes of age
Food: Extraordinary pizza from our wood-fired oven / Chef, PJ Lauriello
PROGRAMMING INFORMATION:
3:30 FILM:
Frank Gehry: Building Justice
2018 / 70 min / US
Director Ultan Guilfoyle
Building Justice follows legendary architect Frank Gehry and a team of architecture students as they collaborate with former inmates and experts to reimagine the future of incarceration, blending innovative design with a profound exploration of human dignity and social reform.
5:00 TALK:
Directly follows the film 40 minutes
Theresa Betancourt: A generation of former child soldiers comes of age
Join us for an engaging discussion with Dr. Theresa S. Betancourt, author of the newly released Shadows into Light: A Generation of Former Child Soldiers Comes of Age. In this conversation, Dr. Betancourt will share insights from her 22-year-long research on the intergenerational impacts of war-affected youth in Sierra Leone. Her study reveals a remarkable story of resilience, as former child soldiers navigate their personal journeys in the aftermath of the civil war. Through vivid personal stories, Shadows into Light offers a profound look into the deep psychological and developmental effects of war and violence, while also expanding our understanding of resilience in the aftermath of conflict. Building on these insights, Dr. Betancourt explores how service-strengthening initiatives can leverage naturally occurring sources of strength and how culturally informed interventions can support the healing of children exposed to war-related separation and violence.
BIO
Theresa S. Betancourt ScD, MA, is the inaugural Salem Professor in Global Practice at the Boston College School of Social Work and Director of the Research Program on Children and Adversity (RPCA). Her work focuses on the psychosocial impact of adversity on children and families, resilience, and mental health services research. She is Principal Investigator of an intergenerational study of war-affected youth in Sierra Leone and leads implementation science research in Rwanda to examine strategies for scaling and sustaining quality in an evidence-based home visiting intervention to promote early childhood development and prevent violence
(Sugira Muryango). Using community-based participatory research methods, she has co-developed similar family strengthening interventions for resettling refugee families in the U.S raising school-age children. Dr. Betancourt has also served as an advisor for UNICEF, the International Rescue Committee, Amnesty International, the US Institute of Peace, and the World Health Organization, and served as an expert of the International Criminal Court. Dr. Betancourt’s new book, Shadows into Light: A Generation of Former Child Soldiers Comes of Age, was released January 2025 by Harvard University Press.
6 pm Food: Extraordinary pizza from our wood-fired oven / Chef PJ Lauriello
Location: Rochester High School & BigTown Gallery, Rochester, Vermont
Film screenings begin at 3:30 PM
Food served at 6:00 PM at BigTown Gallery
Please park at the school and walk to the gallery