IMPACT STORY
Pioneer PBS and Legacy Funding Raise Up the Voices of Western Minnesota Heroes Past and Present
Heroes Past: Eight Women Together Alone
In 1977, the Willmar 8 walked off their jobs in America’s first-ever bank strike over repeatedly being passed over for promotion while training in their male bosses. Nearly five decades later, these women reconsider their legacy and the state of women’s rights today.
Heroes Present: Luck & Love: A Rodeo Story As a pro rodeo athlete, Tanner Aus balances his grueling schedule on the road in pursuit of his rodeo dream with family life in small-town Minnesota.
These two half-hour documentaries show the impact small town and rural Minnesota voices can have on a national stage.
During an event in Willmar, some of the surviving women of the Willmar 8 reflected on the impact of their bravery in standing up to inequality. The event drew over 275 RSVPs. Linda Mickelson, an audience member at the Willmar 8 event, and a former employee of First National Bank in Willmar at the time of the strike, told the women, “Watching the documentary made me want to cry, because I and fellow employees were going through the same thing at our bank but we would have lost our jobs if we had joined the strike. The community needs to know we did support you.” She added that she believed the Willmar 8’s stand helped her and many like her in their careers. At the studios of Pioneer PBS, Tanner Aus, Granite Falls hometown hero’s story was warmly received by a sold-out crowd of 280 people. After seeing the documentary, a business owner let Tanner know he wanted to add his sponsorship to Tanner’s journey. Tanner in turn decided to become a member of Pioneer PBS. We had two follow-up screenings during Western Fest’s PRCA Stampede rodeo.
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