Events

Since his ALS diagnosis in 2016, activist Ady Barkan and his family have struggled to keep up with insurance paperwork, doctors’ bills, and prescription drugs. Rather than diminish his voice, these experiences have emboldened Barkan to expand his initiatives in new directions. He co-founded the Be A Hero PAC, wrote an autobiography titled Eyes to the Wind, and launched himself into ambitious media projects. This event focuses on Barkan’s video short series Uncovered: Health Care Conversations with Ady Barkan, which explores the complicated obstacles facing healthcare reform in the U.S. through short, personal conversations between Ady and his guests. In addition to videos of Barkan interviewing Democratic political candidates, the series highlights ordinary Americans’ often fraught encounters with the U.S. healthcare system. The series is a collaboration between the Be A Hero PAC, NowThis News, and Crooked Media.

Ady Barkan, series creator Liz Jaff, and director Nick Bruckman will join moderator Rachael King (English, UCSB) for a post-screening discussion.

Courtesy of Chaucer’s Books, copies of Ady Barkan’s memoir Eyes to the Wind will be available for purchase at the event.