April 2021

Screening of PBS’s American Portrait with Gigi Perez

In April, HIP and WVIA-TV celebrated Hazleton artist Alba “Gigi” Perez by screening an episode of PBS’s American Portrait at the Hazleton One Community Center.

WVIA produced a video featuring the artist for the program PBS American Portrait that was broadcast on WVIA-TV. The half-hour film highlights 5 regional residents of diverse backgrounds with heart-warming stories of what it means to be an American today.

Gigi Perez was brn in the Bronx, New York, but her family moved to Hazleton when she was six. Always interested in art, she has painted many portraits and murals, and she opened the first “paint party” studio in Hazleton. Although she has experienced an unwelcoming attitude from some people, she maintains optimistically that “The best thing about being an American is you can surround yourself with all kinds of people with different cultures and traditions.”

The free event included a screening of the program and a discussion with Ms. Perez along with free refreshments. Representatives of WVIA demonstrated how easy it is for everyone to tell their own story online in the PBS American Portrait national conversation.

Watch the feature below!