2010-2011 Writers at Rutgers Reading Series

Spike Lee is a notable writer, director, producer, actor, and author who revolutionized both the landscape of independent cinema and therole of black talent in film. Widely regarded as a premiere African-American filmmaker, Lee is a forerunner in the 'do it yourself' school of filmmaking.

Spike's latest endeavor is the follow-up documentary If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise, which revisits the recently storm-ravaged Gulf Coast region as residents attempt to rebuild in their cities while also demanding assistance and accountability from their political leaders. This film comes on the heels of When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, the groundbreaking firstdocumentary that followed the plight of Americans stranded in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The release of If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise will coincide with the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in the summer of 2010.