WTTW partners with the award-winning POV documentary series to present this free screening and discussion in connection with the film Tribal Justice.

This documentary, a co-production of Vision Maker Media and American Documentary/POV and produced by Anne Makepeace, follows two Native American judges, Abby Abinanti (chief judge of the Yurok Tribal Court and the first Native American woman admitted to the State Bar of California) and Claudette White, chief judges in two of the more than 300 tribal courts across the country. The film reveals how they are reaching back to traditional concepts of justice in order to reduce incarceration rates, foster greater safety for their communities, and create a more positive future for their youth. By addressing the root causes of crime, they are modeling restorative systems that are working, and mainstream courts across the country are beginning to incorporate indigenous customs and beliefs into their justice systems. As Abinanti says, “We are village people. We have village values. And those values compel us to take care of each other, our families, and our country."

This is a free event.