The New Metropolis: Building a Sustainable and Healthy Bay Area in the Age of Global Warming

A film and community engagement event at the Cerrito Theater
Saturday, February 4, 2012, 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

A screening and community dialogue about the film, The New Metropolis, which explores land use policy issues through stories from America's cities and first suburbs will take place at the Rialto Cinemas Cerrito on Saturday, February 4, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (doors open at 9:30 a.m.) A light lunch and community discussion continues from 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Nong Thon Vietnamese restaurant in El Cerrito, following the screening. The event is free and open to the public. The forum is being presented by the City of El Cerrito Environmental Quality Committee and co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters, and Torrice Productions. Registration is encouraged.

The New Metropolis: Building a Sustainable and Healthy Bay Area in the Age of Global Warming will bring together policy makers and community members to discuss strategies for urban and suburban revitalization and environmental sustainability in the Bay Area.

Award-winning filmmaker Andrea Torrice will show segments from her recent PBS series, The New Metropolis, as well as premiere a new segment about the Bay Area.

The panel includes (partial list):

• Janet Abelson, El Cerrito Councilmember;
• Carl Anthony, architect, author, regional design strategist, and former director of the Ford Foundation's Sustainable Metropolitan Communities Initiative and the Regional Equity Demonstration in the United States;
• Ann Cheng, El Cerrito Councilmember;
  
• Mark DeSaulnier, State Senator;
  
• John Gioia, County Supervisor, Contra Costa County;
• Patricia Jones, ABAG (Association of Bay Area Governments)

Documentary director Andrea Torrice remarked, "I hope The New Metropolis helps inspire people to move beyond talking to taking concrete action in the Bay Area,” Torrice said. “The films have been amazing tools for communities to get together and create change for the better, and they put a human face on complex issues: land use, race, and climate change."

"The event will provide an opportunity for us to come together and imagine new patterns of land use and transportation that can support healthy communities in El Cerrito, in the East Bay, and the Greater Bay Area region," noted Carl Anthony.

This event is part of the Environmental Quality Committee’s Eco-Film series. The Eco-Film series was developed to educate, inspire and encourage community participation in a wide range of environmental quality and sustainability issues.

This event is part of a series of dialogues taking place across the country about community revitalization. It is made possible in part through the generous support of the Ford and Surdna Foundations.

Date: Saturday, February 4, 2012
Location: Rialto Cinema Cerrito Theater
10070 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530

Time: 9:30 a.m. Doors open
10:00 a.m. Program begins with welcome, panel, film, and community response
12:30 a.m. Reception and Community dialogue continues at Nong Thon (TBC) restaurant

Nong Thon Vietnamese Restaurant
10086 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, 94530
510-647-8038

Tickets: Free, but registration is encouraged. Register by sending your name and number of tickets to green@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

For information: www.el-cerrito.org/eqc/newmetropolis or 510-215-4318. This event is wheelchair accessible.

Bay Area Invitation

Website Resources

Breakthrough Communities
City of El Cerrito Environmental Quality Committee
League of Women Voters
Public Advocates
Torrice Productions
Urban Habitat