‘Two American Families’ Sneak Preview and Panel

Since 1992, Bill Moyers has been following the story of two hard-working families in Milwaukee — one black, one white. A remarkable portrait of perseverance in the face of factory shutdowns and job loss, Two American Families, which airs on Frontline on Tuesday, July 9, 2013, raises unsettling questions about the changing nature of the U.S. economy and the fate of a declining middle class.

On June 20 in Washington, D.C., Frontline hosted a special preview and discussion of the film to explore what happened to the American dream, and whether current policies are enough to help the millions of Americans living on the edge of poverty.

Guest panelists included Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Tom Casciato and Kathleen Hughes, who produced Two American Families; Erin Currier, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Economic Mobility Project; Margaret Simms, a senior fellow at The Urban Institute; Hedrick Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of the new book Who Stole the American Dream; and Scott Winship, fellow, Brookings Institution.

The discussion was moderated by Frontline Executive Producer David Fanning. Watch the event below.

Recorded June 20th, 2013.