Gesa Power House Theatre presents a Power House Movie screening of the documentary film A Valley Divided on Wednesday, June 23 at 7:00PM.

In the Yakima Valley, the nation’s fruit basket, where populations are increasingly majority-Latino, elected representatives are still overwhelmingly white.

A Valley Divided explores the ways in which the Latino community in Eastern Washington is finding its voice and demanding equal representation at the ballot box. The new documentary, directed by Madeline Gunderson, reveals the entrenchment of decades of political discrimination and holds up a mirror to the larger story of a changing United States.

Although Yakima County’s population is about 50 percent Hispanic, the county had had just one Latino county commissioner in its history. A 2020 lawsuit against Yakima County alleges that its at-large voting system dilutes the agency of Latinos, in violation of the state Voting Rights Act, and pushes for ranked choice voting.

Power House Movies showcase award-winning festival favorites, feature-length narratives, documentaries, and undiscovered gems, paired with exclusive content from the movie makers themselves – most often in conversation with our Director of Film Programming, Warren Etheredge.

General admission tickets ($15 adults, $10 students) are available online at www.phtww.org or by calling the box office at 509-529-6500. This event will include some additional short films and have a total runtime of approximately 75 minutes.

Seating for each screening is capped at 100 patrons, as allowed under Washington’s Safe Start Plan. Additional precautions including required mask use for unvaccinated patrons and physical distancing between households will be observed.

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Season Sponsors:

       

KAPP-KVEW TV, Pacific Power, Northwest Public Broadcasting, Hayden Homes

Additional support provided by:
Walla Walla County, Port of Walla Walla, City of Walla Walla

Each Coldwell Banker Office is Independently Owned and Operated

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About Gesa Power House Theatre

The historic Gesa Power House Theatre is a 300-seat performing arts venue, located in downtown Walla Walla. The 120-year-old building was once the Walla Walla Gas Plant, built to produce coal gas used to light the streets, businesses, and homes of Walla Walla. In 2011 the Gesa Power House Theatre building was transformed into a state-of-the-art playhouse for live performance. The interior design of the theatre was inspired by Shakespeare’s own intimate Blackfriars Theatre in London, England.

The Gesa Power House Theatre is on the Washington State Building Preservation Commission list of State historic buildings and on the National Register of Historic Places. The venue also hosts a variety of other cultural events, musical concerts, and private events (including weddings).

For additional marketing and media information, including interviews and hi-res images, contact:

Bradley Nelson
Media Contact
Phone: 509.529-6500
webmaster@phtww.org

Gesa Power House Theatre
111 North Sixth Ave.
Walla Walla, Washington 99362