WATCH NOW| Explore how people in different age groups see themselves and their place in America.
Through self-shot video, they share common experiences that bind age groups together and generational differences that put them at odds with one another.
Generation Nation will blend collages of various stories from across the country with a focus on three main stories filmed and told firsthand. The featured participants are:
Arwyn H. is a 15-year-old rising sophomore in Austin, Texas. She is an enthusiastic, straight-A student who considers school her “happy place.” Her positive outlook on school changed in March, when the pandemic forced an abrupt shift to online education, depriving her of the camaraderie, support and focused academic lifestyle in which she thrived. As the new school year approaches, Arwyn is preparing her home space and her mind for school in a way she has never experienced.
Kat P. is a 51-year-old woman in Philadelphia. She has enjoyed a happy and purposeful career in the service industry, and has spent the last decade as a popular local bartender and hotel housekeeper. In March, Kat was furloughed from her hotel job and laid off from her bartending job. Now, she is adjusting to middle age while trying to figure out how best to support her two children, one of whom is autistic.
Marna C. has dreamed of being a professional photographic artist for most of her life, but family and financial responsibilities got in the way. Living in Inverness, Calif., she managed to finally take the time to develop as an artist and has embraced digital photography. As she reaches her golden years, her creative voice aims to capture the beauty of the aging process in herself and in those around her. This year, Marna turns 80 and is determined to finally receive the validation for her work that she’s craved all her life.
ABOUT PBS AMERICAN PORTRAIT
PBS American Portrait, a national storytelling project aligned with PBS's 50th anniversary celebration, invites America to participate in a national conversation about what it really means to be an American today. A digital first initiative produced by RadicalMedia, American Portrait begins as a platform for people to share photos, videos, and text submissions and capture the state and spirit of our nation. Share your story at tv.wkar.org/americanportrait.
Original air date 10/26/20
