Our impact extends far beyond the screen.
We create media that is more than powerful information. It is also innovative entertainment that appeals across diverse and inter-generational audiences.
In response to a growing demand and need for mental health information and support for students, especially adolescents, WNET’s Kids Media and Education department asked Audacious Women Productions to produce a suite of videos for educators, school staff, and school-based mental health professionals, to provide baseline information and strategies to support the mental well-being of students. Our team interviewed psychiatrists, researchers, and policy experts to produce eight videos to share expert perspectives on suicidality, racism, LGBTQ+ discrimination, social media, self-harm and more.
The Student Mental Health Matters Toolkit is now live and available on PBS LearningMedia, a free portal of educational resources that is used by 1.6 million teachers nationwide. You can access the toolkit here.
To address why women are vastly underrepresented in U.S. history and social studies classrooms, and provide teachers and parents access to the educational support they need to reverse this trend, we convened the Where Are the Women? Summit in 2021.
Watched by nearly 8,000 to date, the Summit was presented by UNLADYLIKE2020 in partnership with PBS’s flagship biography series American Masters, WNET, National Women’s History Museum, National Council for the Social Studies, National Council for History Education, National Women’s Hall of Fame, and National Women’s History Alliance, with educational content provided by PBS LearningMedia and funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
We have conducted over 50 screenings and audience engagement events since 2020, reaching more than 40,000 local, regional and national audiences, in partnership with women’s and girls’ organizations, arts and cultural organizations, museums, historical societies, educational institutions, and media networks.
Post-screening panel discussion with Charlotte Mangin, NYU historian Michele MItchell, actor and playwright Madeline McCray, and Sandra Rattley (from left to right).
Our educational resources, available in both English and Spanish, have unprecedented appeal, with the UNLADYLIKE2020 suite of lesson plans and educational resources on PBS LearningMedia earning more than 10 times the average users/monthly than similar social studies content, and users spending 2 to 3 times longer on a page.
Our work was recognized with the Telly Award and Imagen Award, and nominated for the Webby Award and NAACP Image Award; screened at prestigious film festivals including the AFI Docs Film Festival, Athena Film Festival, Bentonville Film Festival, and Women Deliver Film Festival; was mentioned in over 100 publications and media platforms including The Atlantic, Essence, Forbes, Good Morning America, Ms. Magazine, Real Screen, Refinery29, Telemundo, The 19th, and USA Today; and attracted the attention of the women’s rights community.
Charlotte Mangin (right) with Gloria Steinem (center) and Lorraine Toussaint (left) at the Athena Film Festival.
Inspired by our work, over 40 middle and high school students in Lincoln, NE created UNLADYLIKE2020 murals and drawings on the windows and sidewalks of the Nebraska History Museum. These activities were staged in partnership with History Nebraska, Leadership Lincoln, and the Lincoln chapter of Girls Inc. with funding from Humanities Nebraska.
Active partnerships
Audience Feedback
“This is one of the most amazing series of videos on women I have ever seen. Thank you!”
“I love this program so much I’m watching it for the third time! So fascinating and informative!”
“UNLADYLIKE2020 is a pot of gold, especially for educators like me. Once the students see these women’s stories, their minds are blown.”
“Thankfully, “Unladylike2020” was created and has enlightened me. Love this format! It’s wonderful that the stories of these amazing women are being told in this medium.”
“The UNLADYLIKE2020 series is a truly phenomenal resource that demonstrates what is possible with historic content. The series weaves together research, art and history in a way that pulls in the audience and connects them to the past. I highly recommend this resource for community and classroom educators who seek to inspire their audiences by bringing history to life.” — Leasa Graves, The National Women’s History Alliance
“The Changemakers is destined to become a favorite teaching tool from K-12 to college. This is a powerful, primary source-based documentary film with an amazing artistic presentation that frankly, I’ve never seen before. This beautiful blend of history and art will make it stand out many years beyond the 2020 Centennial.” — Gabriela González, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History, The University of Texas at San Antonio
“Kudos, brava on a fabulously important show. THANK YOU on behalf of all women and girls for the uplifting and inspiring films!!!”