Meridian Rocks! Literally…

On July 30, 2014, Meridian and ITVS hosted a screening of Miss Nikki and the Tiger Girls as part of the Global Perspective Film Series. In advance of the screening, Girls Rock! DC offered a tutorial and instrument share — with guitar, bass guitar, keyboard and drums available for rocking out. Volunteers with Girls Rock! DC — which aims to create a supportive, inclusive and creative space to empower girls through music — along with one brave camper on drums — shared their excitement about music-making with a host of Meridian staffers, students with neighboring Camp Sitar, and Girl Scouts, among others.

Once the popcorn emerged and lights darkened, a screening of the documentary Miss Nikki and the Tiger Girls began, which highlighted the journey of an Australian band manager and her attempts to empower Myanmar’s first all-girl band to speak out while living under one of the world’s most repressive military regimes. The film explores the themes of government censorship and women’s empowerment as it follows five young women who struggle to balance their search for a voice with upholding traditional values.

A discussion followed the film and featured Susan Markham, Senior Coordinator for Gender and Equality and Women’s Empowerment at USAID and Eileen Pennington, Associate Director of the Women’s Empowerment Program at The Asia Foundation. Meridian’s Senior Vice President of Arts and Cultural Programs, Dr. Curtis Sandberg, moderated the conversation that ranged from how music can be used as a tool of cultural diplomacy to ideals of beauty and updates on where the tiger girls are today.

Project summary

Meridian Rocks! Literally… | July 2014
Number of Attendees:	67
Impact Areas:	Empowering Women and Girls
Program Areas:	Culture, Diplomatic Engagement
Partners:	Private Sector, Public Sector, NGOs