MC Hosts Professor Andreas Widmer

On Friday, December 2, the Marin Catholic community had the privilege of hosting the esteemed Catholic University Business Professor Andreas Widmer for a screening of the movie Poverty Inc. and an enlightening Q&A session afterwards.
On Friday, December 2, the Marin Catholic community had the privilege of hosting the esteemed Catholic University Business Professor Andreas Widmer for a screening of the movie Poverty Inc. followed by an enlightening Q&A session.

Poverty Inc. is an hour-and-a-half long film about how the West’s donor population (often unknowingly, but sometimes knowingly) exerts power over the communities to which they provide aid. The filmmakers utilized numerous case studies and moving anecdotes to explore the multi billion dollar poverty industry. At the end of the film, viewers are able to square up to the question posed in the movie’s slogan: “Fighting poverty is a big business. But who profits the most?” Poverty Inc., which was released in 2014, has won countless awards, including the $100,000 Templeton Freedom Award, and the €5,000 Best Documentary Award from the FIFE Environmental Film Festival in Paris. If you missed the screening, you can access the film on platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon.

The event, which took place in the John Paul II Student Center, drew upwards of 240 students. Parents, and teachers -- all curious about how their roles in the nexus of worldwide business, economics, and poverty affect those in other parts of the globe. The discussion with Professor Widmer (who is also featured in the film) was particularly fascinating. Viewers left feeling their eyes were opened. One parent stated “my head is spinning in a good way”. AP Macro kids want to think of Entrepreneur ways to help Africa. Can we “teach them to fish instead of dumping aid”?

An additional positive outcome of this event is that Marin Catholic now has a blossoming relationship with the Catholic University of America. Professor Widmer will be hosting ten Marin Catholic students to Washington D. C. with him this summer for the Entrepreneur Week, for only $300 per student.

Lastly, Marin Catholic graduate Elisabetta Colabianchi sold Mozambican Fair Trade jewelry made by woman in the startup (Kurandza) she helped them launch. This screening and Q&A session couldn’t have taken place without the hard work of AP Macroeconomics and Global Studies 9 teacher Mr. Joseph Tassone.  Mr. Tassone, “Thank you to all who took the time … to attend the movie and extend your learning to the real world outside of the Marin bubble.”

If you student is a sophomore or junior and interested in the week in D.C. next June, please contact Mr Tassone jtassone@marincatholic.org.
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