Louisiana Spotlight
A new quarterly documentary-style series produced by LPB
Louisiana Spotlight is the evolution of the longstanding LPB public affairs program Louisiana Public Square. With this new format, Louisiana Spotlight allows viewers to explore complex issues in a deeper, more personal way, with stories told by the very people facing the challenges head-on.
“Louisiana Spotlight takes all of the good things about the discussion dynamic of Louisiana Public Square and transports viewers out of the studio and into the story so they can see first-hand what’s at stake during that discussion,” says Linda Midgett, LPB Executive Producer. “The struggle facing the people of Pointe-Aux-Chenes is exactly the kind of story we are looking to explore deeper, and this journalistic approach is the best way to do it.”
Louisiana Spotlight: The Plight of Pointe-Au-Chien
LPB explores the challenges facing the people of Pointe-Aux-Chenes and the Pointe-Au-Chien tribe. From climate change to an ongoing battle for federal recognition, this new LPB quarterly series will immerse you in their story and explore solutions.
Encores: 10:00pm - Friday, February 25, 2022 on LPB
From fears about the effects of climate change to the fight for federal recognition and cultural preservation, Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB), presents Louisiana Spotlight: The Plight of Pointe-Au-Chien, the debut program in a new quarterly documentary-style series produced by LPB. The hour-long program next airs Friday, February 25 at 10:00 PM statewide. Viewers can stream the program here or with the LPB App.
Both the town of Pointe-Aux-Chenes and the Pointe-Au-Chien tribe are facing multiple challenges, and destruction brought by Hurricane Ida is escalating the need for solutions. With a combination of documentary-style journalism and intimate studio discussion, this Louisiana Spotlight will immerse viewers in their story so the impact can be experienced first-hand.
Says LPB’s Ben Johnson, the director and producer: “I hope this story reveals just how unique and beautiful Pointe-Aux-Chenes and its people are. I want it to highlight the rich history of the Pointe-Au-Chien Tribe, and their centuries long fight for equality. I also hope this show acts as a wake-up call to the immediacy of finding solutions to climate change. Pointe-Aux-Chenes is on the frontline of climate change, and if we give up fighting for this small community, the frontline will just come for the next town or city.”
Our Host & Panelists:
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LeBlanc, DrakeCo-Founder and Creative Director of Télé-Louisiane.
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Kelley, PhD., Laura D.A tribal historian, author, and professor at Tulane University.
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Ferguson-Bohnee, PattyA member of and lawyer for the Pointe-Au-Chien tribe.
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Verdin, ChristineA tribal leader and lifelong resident of Pointe-Aux-Chenes.
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Billiot, AlexA tribe member and local crabber.
Alex Billiot crabs on the waters of the Terrebonne Basin
Alex Billiot on the waters of the Terrebonne Basin
Coming Soon: An LPB original Louisiana Spotlight Film (90 min.)
A Native American bayou community struggles to preserve an eroding shoreline that threatens to wash away their culture; the result of decades of systemic injustices by the state of Louisiana and the federal government, that Hurricane Ida’s devastation has only exacerbated. Now, the fate of the Point-Au-Chien Indian Tribe is left in the balance.