Dawn Porter has yet another project in the works. Earlier this month it was announced that the Emmy-nominated director would helm “Tulsa and the Red Summer,” a documentary about the 1921 Tulsa Massacre that saw white mobs attacking “Black Wall Street,” and now comes word that she’ll turn her camera to women in sports.
A press release announced that ESPN is leading “Fifty/50,” a “landmark initiative stretching across its storytelling platforms highlighting the civil rights journey of women in the sports and cultural landscape” across The Walt Disney Company. Set to “commemorate the 50th anniversary of the June 23, 1972 passing of Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any educational institution that receives federal funding, which gave women the equal opportunity to play,” June 2022 will be declared “Fifty/50 Month,” and a multi-part film from Porter will be part of the “wide-ranging initiative focused on the intersection of women, sports, culture, and the fight for equality.”
Porter’s project will capture “the essence of the path of women’s sports and culture” and “explore the hard-fought battle of equal rights in education and athletics,” the release details. “Each part will offer a riveting look at the decades-spanning fight to nullify Title IX’s significance; the rippling impact of this landmark law across society, access, and equality; and how that struggle continues to evolve and define culture in surprising and historic ways.”
“Title IX is one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in America’s history, but it may also be the most misunderstood,” said Porter. “I wanted to make this film because it speaks not just to my heart, but to issues that remain critical today. This is a story we think we know, but don’t.”
“Trapped,” “John Lewis: Good Trouble,” and “The Way I See It” are among Porter’s credits.
Other “Fifty/50 Month” programming will include long-form reporting, podcasts, and features.
“This initiative is an incredible undertaking by our team to provide a 360-degree view of the journey of women in sports and to underscore our commitment to telling women’s stories,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content. “‘Fifty/50’ promises to be a project about a story in progress, examining where we’ve been and where we’re headed, and I am eager to see it come to life.”
