AUSTIN, TEXAS – Today marks Sanitation Workers Day and the countdown to a sunset screening of Trash Dance (2012) at Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms. Help extend the celebration of our local sanitation workers by joining Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) and Forklift Danceworks for a free, outdoor, picnic-style watch party on Saturday, July 10.
 
“Much of ARR’s success and forward momentum comes from its sanitation workers who work to keep the City of Austin and our environment clean,” said Austin Resource Recovery Director Ken Snipes. “After an unprecedented year, we want to show our gratitude to our hard-working field operators who have worked countless, long hours to service Austin residents amidst a pandemic, winter storm, and other hurdles. Participating in this screening is our way of saying thank you to the employees that kept going even as the world seemingly came to a halt.”
 
The documentary Trash Dance chronicled what it took to make trash trucks and workers dance on that tarmac and how hundreds of Austinites in the audience saw sanitation work and workers in a new light. Directed by local filmmaker Andrew Garrison, the film provides a unique look at this year-long collaborative artmaking process led by Forklift Danceworks.
 
“As Forklift celebrates its twentieth anniversary of making dances with workers and communities, we’re honored to rejoin our partners at ARR with this film screening and community conversation,” said Allison Orr, Forklift founder and artistic director. “When I think back to The Trash Project, I’m still in awe of the inherent beauty and artistry of the work that our City’s sanitation workers do, as well as of the willingness of Austinites in our audience to learn more and celebrate our City’s workers. And now, as Austin recovers from COVID, it’s never been more important to highlight the workers who keep our city moving.”
 
As part of the event, audience members will also hear from ARR sanitation workers about their essential work and learn how ARR strives to protect and positively impact the environment.
 
This event is free; tickets are required. Reserve your ticket today. Seating is outside; bringing a blanket or a lawn chair is encouraged. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m., and the screening will begin at sundown.

 About Austin Resource Recovery

Austin Resource Recovery provides a wide range of services designed to transform waste into resources while keeping our community clean. Services include curbside collection of recycling, trash, yard trimming and large brush and bulk items; street sweeping; dead animal collection; household hazardous waste disposal and recycling; and outreach and education. In December 2011, the Austin City Council approved the Austin Resource Recovery Master Plan, which is the City’s roadmap to Zero Waste. The City of Austin is committed to reducing the amount of waste sent to area landfills by 90 percent by 2040 or sooner.

About Forklift Danceworks

A national leader in community-based dance, Forklift Danceworks creates dances with people who may not consider themselves dancers, including fire fighters, warehouse employees, and urban forestry technicians. Through collaborations with over 25 communities to date, Forklift’s dances tell often-unheard stories and showcase the skilled movement of the people whose work sustains our daily lives. Ultimately, Forklift Danceworks deepens understanding of the jobs essential to urban life, fosters connections between citizens and across communities, and creates opportunities for civic change.
 

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