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Las Marthas

Season 15 Episode 12 | 55m 32s

In the lingering aftermath of the U.S.-Mexican War, the border town of Laredo, Texas created an annual debutante ball unlike any other. Today the Martha Washington Ball presents girls in elaborate dresses that take up to a year to create. This film follows two Mexican American girls carrying this gilded tradition on their shoulders in a time of economic uncertainty and tension over immigration.

Aired: 02/17/14 | Expires: 03/19/14
Extras
A filmmaker investigates assisted dying through the lens of disabled voices missing from the debate.
Follow the fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment with a pivotal legal battle in Virginia.
Phil Sharp’s RNA breakthrough sparked a revolution in science, health, and biotech.
A Milwaukee woman’s journey from addiction to healing reshapes recovery for her community.
One woman’s journey from heroin addiction to healing, recovery, and hope.
A food blogger cooks up his family's garnachas recipe after a jaunt to a Latin American grocery.
Camp Widow is a place for widowed people to find both camaraderie and unexpected joy.
A family-run grocery in New Jersey brings people from all over for delectable treats from Italy.
At a Caribbean grocery in Brooklyn, the "island vibe" infuses the spirit of the neighborhood.
The family behind a Middle Eastern Brooklyn grocery makes a hearty mansaf meal.