Enjoy an Afternoon with Marlee Matlin and the Voices Shaping What Comes Next Saturday. Plus, it’s the Start of the Asian Arts & Heritage Festival

Marlee Matlin, the American actress, author, producer, and deaf activist who became the youngest and first deaf performer to win an Academy Award for her Best Actress performance in “Children of a Lesser God” (1986) is featured in the May 2 production: “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” at 3 p.m. at the Historic Lynwood Theatre.

The movie will be followed immediately by a live panel that brings the film’s themes into direct conversation with local experience. The structure is intentional, say presenters, “watch first, then engage while the material is still fresh.”

The 60-year-old Matlin has built a prolific career in film, TV, and stage with roles in The West Wing, The L Word, Switched at Birth, and the Oscar-winning CODA, while championing accessibility and authentic representation for the Deaf community.

The panel leans heavily into community leadership and lived expertise. Speakers include Brenda Fantroy-Johnson—a former social worker turned information security professional and now Bainbridge Island’s first Black mayor—has built a public career around equity, access, and civic participation. Her path from Detroit to elected office in the Pacific Northwest, documented in her memoir Imagine Me, informs how she approaches policy and community-building now.

Faraji Bhakti brings a different but equally grounded perspective. A multidisciplinary artist and trauma-informed yoga instructor, his work is shaped by early exposure to systemic instability, years of incarceration, and a sustained commitment to healing. Since his release in 2021, he has moved into leadership with Yoga Behind Bars and related initiatives, focusing on regulation, agency, and redefining masculinity through accountability and presence. His contributions tend to connect personal narrative with structural analysis—particularly where trauma, violence, and justice systems intersect.

Access and advocacy within the Deaf community are central to the discussion. Heather McCormick, a Deaf survivor and ADWAS advocate, approaches her work through both lived experience and professional practice. Her background in fitness and caregiving, combined with ongoing studies in social work, informs a focus on boundaries, autonomy, and long-term resilience.

Alongside her is Riley Allen, whose work centers on prevention, education, and direct survivor support. After years as a hotline advocate, she now develops community programming aimed at reducing harm before it occurs—while still carrying the perspective of someone who has navigated those systems personally.

The panel is facilitated by Sam Christy, whose work spans elder care, survivor advocacy, and community-based storytelling initiatives. The throughline across participants is not abstract expertise but proximity—each brings direct experience to questions of access, violence, recovery, and what meaningful support actually looks like in practice.

The programming on Saturday May 2 is anchored by Marlee Matlin, who appears in both films featured that day. Her presence connects a widely recognized cultural figure to a set of issues that are often addressed in fragmented ways—across disability, violence prevention, and representation.

The evening was going to conclude with a free community screening of CODA, but that has been cancelled, according to backers. The film, which holds a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, received three Academy Awards at the 94th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur—only the second Deaf actor to win an Oscar, following Matlin’s own historic win in 1989—and Best Adapted Screenplay. It was to be offered as an open, accessible entry point for the broader community. Organizers did not say why the film isn’t being shown.

The May event sets the tone for a longer arc leading into a follow-up event slated for October 4, backers say. For now, the emphasis is local: a film, a room, and a conversation that continues after the credits.

Beyond Silence: Not Alone Anymore

Location: Historic Lynwood Theatre ,4569 Lynwood Center Rd NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, USA

Date & Time: Sat, May 2nd, 3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m

3 pm – Feature screening of Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore

Post Film Panel Open to All:
Hosted by Council Member Brenda Fantroy-Johnson, this evening brings together leaders, advocates, and survivors for a post-film conversation grounded in lived experience and frontline work.

In conversation:
• Faraji (Blakeney) Bhakti — Artist and Community Engagement Director at Yoga Behind Bars, working at the intersection of healing, justice, and lived experience
• Riley Allen — Abuse Prevention Specialist, ADWAS, focused on advocacy for Deaf and DeafBlind survivors
• Heather McCormick — survivor and speaker offering firsthand perspective on access, resilience, and navigating support systems
• Sam Christy — Event Director, geriatric care manager, survivor, and community advocate bridging care systems, storytelling, and survivor-centered work

Tickets: Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore

Meanwhile, the Third Annual Asian Art & Heritage Festival gets underway this evening – May 1 – with a Karaoke Kick-off at Bainbridge Cinemas. Check out the Festival’s months’ worth of activities by visiting: Events | Asian Arts & Heritage Festival

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