Taking place in 100 cities and online, Community Cinema is a national initiative that aims to help engage communities through films from the Emmy Award-winning PBS series that touch key social issues.

WKAR communications manager Bill Richards said the station began featuring Community Cinema screenings and discussions last year to strengthen the connection between WKAR and the community.

“It’s really a great opportunity for us to go beyond just airing programs that discuss important issues,” Richards said. “Through Community Cinema we are able to invite the community in to talk about what these issues mean locally with community experts.”

Throughout the academic year, Richards said WKAR airs six independent films from Independent Lens and holds discussions on the issues presented within the film.

This first film of this year’s series, “The Graduates/Los Graduados,” explores the triumphs and struggles of six Latino and Latina high school students from across the U.S.

WKAR station manager Susi Elkins said the members of the discussion panel were selected by an advisory group of members in the community and across campus.

Tuesday’s discussion, lead by Elkins, featured Rubén O. Martinez, the director of the MSU Julian Samora Research Institute, Lansing Eastern High School senior Jose Gallo and Lansing School District superintendent Yvonne Caamal Canul as panelists.

The event brought out about 40 Michigan community members from as far away as Saginaw to participate in the discussion.

First time attendee, Bobby Deleon, of Saginaw, Mich., came out to get involved in something he said is a potential unifier in a community filled with diversity.

“These kind of events need to be introduced to our community,” Deleon said. “Times are changing and the more we (as Mexican-Americans) get involved, the better we stand a chance to learn how to live in America.”

The next Community Cinema film, “The State of Arizona,” will air in January and focus on volatile themes of immigration and race.