August 18 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

 

When We Win Film Series: FREE JOAN LITTLE – Bay Area Premiere with Film’s Director, Yoruba Richen

Sliding Scale Tickets: $15 – $35 | No one turned away for lack of funds | FREE for La Peña Members

Tickets available online and at the door until we reach capacity.

This month’s gathering is the Bay Area’s premiere of FREE JOAN LITTLE by Yoruba Richen and benefit for California Coalition for Women Prisoners. Content warning: sexual assault.

Explore with us: How does the legacy of Joan Little’s defense inform our current movements to resist sexual violence within the carceral system today?

Special guests

All are welcome. Seating will be theater-style.

Benefit for California Coalition for Women Prisoners

CCWP is a grassroots abolitionist organization—with members inside and outside prison—that challenges the institutional violence imposed on women, transgender people, and communities of color by the prison industrial complex (PIC). We see the struggle for racial and gender justice as central to dismantling the PIC and we prioritize the leadership of the people, families, and communities most impacted in building this movement.

About the Film:

FREE JOAN LITTLE (2025)

Content includes topic of sexual assault.

FREE JOAN LITTLE tells the story of the 1975 groundbreaking case of Joan Little who was the first woman in U.S history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault. At 20 years old, Joan (pronounced Jo-Ann) Little was incarcerated in North Carolina when she killed a white jailer who she said tried to rape her. Her trial drew international attention, becoming a rallying point for civil rights, women’s rights and prison reform. The case brought together activists, including Angela Davis and Rosa Parks, and catalyzed an international conversation about sexual assault and racial justice that has reverberations to this day. With rare archival footage, contemporary interviews and the folk anthem that carried her cause, FREE JOAN LITTLE captures the spirit of resistance that made history. The film features Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple) as the voice of Joan and is produced by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Christalyn Hampton (The Devil is Busy).

“Somebody has to make the sacrifice in order for there to be a change in the system.
So it may as well be me.” – Joan Little

Accessibility:

  • La Peña is a wheelchair-accessible venue with step-less entry, wide doorways, and accessible restrooms.
  • Restrooms are all-gender.
  • Masks are strongly encouraged. If you’re experiencing COVID-19, cold, or flu-like symptoms, please consider staying home to protect our community. HEPA air purifiers operate throughout our space.

We strive to make La Peña a welcoming, accessible space for everyone. For accommodation requests, please contact us at least one week in advance, and we’ll do our best to support you. Email us at programs@Lapena.org.

Getting to La Peña:

  • Public Transit: The 18 bus line stops directly across the street (Shattuck & Woolsey), and Ashby BART is just two blocks away.
  • Parking: Free street parking is available, or park at the Ashby BART station for a fee.
  • Bike-Friendly: Bike racks are available outside La Peña.

Questions?

Details

Venue