ABC Owned Television Stations premieres Our America: Hidden Stories with Ava DuVernay starting Sunday, July 14. The one-hour special “sheds light on the interconnected issues of caste through the lenses of racism, sexism and other various human hierarchies in America while drawing from the themes in [DuVernay’s] landmark film Origin,” ABC Stations said. “The special aims to engage, inform and inspire viewers to connect on a human level.”
Interviews happen in Los Angeles, Houston and New York, and touch on the making of Origin, book bans and caste in America. There’s also a student roundtable that sees DuVernay sit with college students to discuss their passions and concerns, and “what motivates them to drive societal change.”
The special happens in association with DuVernay’s Array Filmworks.
KABC Los Angeles debuts it Sunday, July 14 at 3 p.m. ABC Localish has it Monday, July 15 at 8 p.m. ET. KFSN Fresno and WABC New York premiere it July 20 and WLS Chicago features the special July 21. KTRK Houston launches Hidden Stories July 27 and WTVD Raleigh-Durham has it July 28.
WPVI Philadelphia debuts it August 4.
Our America: Hidden Stories with Ava DuVernay streams on Hulu July 19.
DuVernay’s films include Selma, A Wrinkle in Time and Origin. The latter came out in 2023 and is based on the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. While investigating the issue of caste and its influence on society, the film sees a journalist face unfathomable personal loss and uncover what ABC calls “the beauty of human resilience.”
Her TV work includes Queen Sugar and When They See Us.
Our America: Hidden Stories With Ava DuVernay is executive produced by DuVernay, Tammy Garnes, Paul Garnes, Tilane Jones and Nzinga Blake, executive producer, Race & Culture, ABC Owned Television Stations.
Previous Our America specials from the ABC stations include In the Black and Indigenous and Urban.
