Insights Program presents Meg Prior

Bear Valley Springs Cultural Arts Association is presenting a special Bear Valley Springs resident, Meg Prior. She will expand our knowledge of the longest running war in American history, Afghanistan. Meg was a 'producing partner' of a team sent to document the men involved in recording, on film, the wars in Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos. Due to unprecedented circumstances, she found herself not in Southeast Asia, but in Afghanistan. In part, she was able to succeed in this position because of her tenacity.

Some good examples of this trait are seen in her younger life. Meg is a world-class level athlete. While a freshman in college, working on her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Radio, TV, and Film at Western State College of Colorado she became a National Champion in the Giant Slalom. It was here that she made her first music video. Meg transferred to CSU Northridge, and finished with her BA. After that, she enrolled in Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo to earn her Master's Degree in Physiology of Exercise. In addition to being a skier, Meg was wind-surfer. After her college days, she joined the ranks of World Champion Wind-surfers, setting a world speed record in the process.

Over a seven year period, Meg has seen the war in Afghanistan in an up close and personal way. She has been deployed with all seven branches of the military, as an embedded documentary photographer and film maker. She has seen some of the issues affecting the country of Afghanistan, its politics, its people, and the men and women of the many countries who are there trying to help bring peace to Afghanistan.

Meg will be showing photos and videos, parts of which may include footage that will be included in her documentary film titled: "Afghanistan: Outside the Wire". In the making of the film, Meg found that having stills and video footage was not enough. There needed to be a story and she found it in the troops deployed, the people involved in operations outside the forces, and the people of the country of Afghanistan. I believe that as a documentarian, Meg was given a seat at the table.

The program will be at Bear Valley Springs Country Club on April 22 from 3 to 5 p.m. Seating is limited for this free program, and reservations are recommended. Call Jeanette Roye at (661) 972-2344 or email her at [email protected]. Meet your friends, have some appetizers, enjoy a beverage, and hear what Meg Prior has to say.