Attendees at next month’s (March 13-22) South by Southwest Conference & Festivals in Austin, Texas will have the opportunity to view the premiere of Mary Mazzio’s latest documentary, A Most Beautiful Thing. 

The feature is narrated and executive produced by multi-talented Grammy and Academy Award-winning artist, Common, executive produced by NBA legends Grant Hill and Dwyane Wade, and tells the story of the first all Black high school crew team in America. 

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Award-winning author Arshay Cooper is in Terre Haute this week.

Cooper is a member of the first all-black rowing team in the US.

He has been visiting area schools to talk to kids about his experiences.

On Friday he shared some of it with people at Fairbanks Park.

They learned all about rowing and even did some of their own on the Wabash River.

On Saturday, it's all about the kids.

The crew will be at Fairbanks Park from 10:00 a.m. until noon.

I called up Arshay Cooper recently, intending to feature him in a piece honoring Black History Month.  In the days since, it has been fits and starts here at my screen, as I struggle with what this month really means to me as a rower, and to me as an American, to me as a person grown up female.  Speaking with Arshay has sent me down some rabbit holes, which is a good thing.

“Their eyes have no soul, like life has been sucked out of them. They are as thin as drinking straws and speak no words, only noises. I’m petrified every time I tiptoe past them.” That’s how Suga Water author, activist and self-proclaimed messenger of hope Arshay Cooper describes the drug addicts in the West Side of Chicago building where he grew up. Stockton and Sacramento youth and their mentors are ready to hear his hopeful message: “You can be the product of your effort, not of your environment.” His life story, being made into a major motion picture, is a testament to the truth of that message.

The chance to meet a girl he liked prompted Arshay Cooper to attend an informational meeting about rowing for his Chicago high school.

“Black people don’t even swim and they want to put us in the middle of the river, rowing?” he said to his friend Preston.