Film Screening & Discussion
The Silent Killer: Prostate Cancer in the Black Community
Saturday, September 9th | 1 pm
September is National Prostate Health Month. Health statistics reveal that 1 in 6 African American will struggle with prostate cancer – a rate higher than any other group. Join The Reginald F. Lewis Museum and ZERO Prostate Cancer for a documentary screening of The Silent Killer: Prostate Cancer in the Black Community. Following the film screening there will be a panel discussion featuring the filmmaker Landi Maduro, Eric Morrow, a prostate cancer survivor, Dr. Sherrie Wallington, health disparities researcher specializing in oncology in the Policy, Populations and Systems department and Kris Bennett of ZERO Prostate will moderate the discussion. The panel will talk about the film, how prostate cancer impacts the Black community, and provide suggestions to address barriers to treatment and care. Questions from the audience  will be taken during a Q & A. Light refreshments will be provided.

A CHANCE TO WIN : Are you a Baltimore Orioles fan?  Program attendees have the opportunity to win Baltimore Oriole Tickets for an upcoming home game when attending this event.

About the Participants

Kris Bennett is the new Director of Health Equity, Community Organizing and Engagement at ZERO after years of working in the public health sector, with virtually all of his experience centered around health equity and health disparities. Before ZERO, Kris designed and managed programs in homeless services and community health care. He also worked in the political sector, collaborating with state and local level politicians on health equity and advocacy matters. Kris earned his undergraduate degree from Lesley University, his first Masters in Management from Durham University in the United Kingdom, and is currently working towards a dual MSW and MPH from the University of Alabama. Kris came to ZERO because he was excited to work with so many people who are passionate about ending prostate cancer. As a Black man in America with a personal tie to cancer, Kris understands how scary the idea of prostate cancer can be, let alone a diagnosis. He’s passionately invested in devoting his time and skills to helping eradicate prostate cancer for all.

ZERO Prostate Cancer hosts the Prostate Cancer in the Black Community film series throughout the country, using public viewings to highlight and raise awareness about prostate cancer within the Black community.

Eric Morrow was diagnosed in 2021 with very high risk, locally advanced prostate cancer, at age 49. A husband and father with two teenage children, Eric opted for an aggressive treatment program including robotic assisted radical prostatectomy, two years of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT, hormone therapy), and external beam radiation therapy. He will complete ADT in October 2023 and remains optimistic about his long-term prognosis and future prostate cancer research and treatment developments. Professionally, Eric served as an Air Force officer for 20 years, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2013. He then spent nine years as a sales rep and executive in the medical device industry before taking a sabbatical in 2023 to devote more time to family and advocacy efforts. Eric is a ZERO Prostate Cancer Champion and a Consumer Reviewer with the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program’s Prostate Cancer Research Program. He volunteers as a patient advocate with the Center for Prostate Disease Research at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Bethesda. He currently works from home in Bowie, Maryland.

Landi Maduro is an awarding winning writer, director, and producer who has worked in the film industry for over 10 years. She has continued to direct and produced short films, features, music videos, small business commercials, business tutorials, and documentaries since launching her production company, Bluechild Entertainment, in 2012. Her documentary The Silent Killer: Prostate Cancer In The African American Community is currently streaming on Tubi TV and Amazon Prime. The award-winning documentary was screened for the Congressional Black Caucus and has been used by healthcare professionals and scholars to educate on the health disparities African American men face in dealing with prostate cancer. She is also the proud Founder & President of Women of Color Filmmakers; a 501c3 nonprofit organization that garners support, skill-building, and networking for female filmmakers as they pursue careers in film and television.

Dr. Sherrie Flynt Wallington is an associate professor (tenured) and health disparities researcher specializing in oncology in the Policy, Populations and Systems department. Dr. Wallington teaches and conducts research on health communication, social determinants of health, and community-based participatory research strategies that focus on prevention, health disparities, and clinical trial recruitment and engagement. She has a particular interest in cancer, particularly prostate, breast, and HPV-associated cancers. The American Cancer Society, the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Cancer Institute support her research. She has authored several peer-reviewed publications and serves as a scientific grant reviewer for the NIH and other national foundations. In addition, she is a program evaluator and consultant on NIH-funded, governmental, and foundation grant awards.

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Note: This program is a free event. To view museum exhibitions, tickets must be purchased at the front desk.
This program is in conjunction with Blacks in White: African American Health Professionals.