Nazenet Habtezghi
Directing
Biography
Nazenet Habtezghi makes her directorial debut with Birthing A Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney. The journalist-turned-independent filmmaker has contributed to numerous highly acclaimed documentaries for PBS, HBO and Netflix. Prior to working in documentary film, she launched Essence Magazine’s video platform with an interactive web series and executive produced a subsequent TV One special. Based in Brooklyn, she received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma.
Known For
Follow documentarians Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate one of the most bizarre unsolved serial killer cases of our time – the deaths of ten sex workers discovered on Gilgo Beach, Long Island.
The Killing Season
In recent years, more than 2,500 books have been removed from school districts around the US, labeled as banned, restricted, or challenged, and made unavailable to millions of students. By no accident, the themes targeted are the usual scapegoats of the American Right—LGBTQ+ issues, Black History, and women’s empowerment—impeding the power of future generations to develop their own thoughts and opinions on critical social issues. By weaving together a lyrical montage of young readers and authors, THE ABCs OF BOOK BANNING reveals the voices of the impacted parties, and inspires hope for the future through the profound insights of inquisitive youthful minds.
The ABCs of Book Banning
Birthing A Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney explores the story of forced reproduction in the antebellum South and reveals the agency of Mary Gaffney, an enslaved woman who takes control of her body and fertility.
Birthing a Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney
Black trans people are among the most marginalized of marginalized Americans. But those closest to the nation's most pressing problems are often able to craft innovative solutions. An award-winning journalist travels across the country to spotlight three Black trans leaders on the front lines of change.