Minnesota Mean Director Dawn Mikkelson and the World of Women's Roller Derby

Today is everything you did not know about women's Roller Derby through the eyes of six powerful players.  We discuss their stories told in the new documentary Minnesota Mean by Dawn Mikkelson.

“Minnesota Mean” follows a tumultuous year in the lives of the six core members of the Minnesota RollerGirls, one of the most competitive roller derby teams in the world, as they strive to win the Hydra, the top prize in Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby. In the film, the star of the team gets injured, and the film shows how her teammates find their own power. “Minnesota Mean” is not just a riveting human drama about the pounding heart of roller derby, but about the spirit of powerful, self-sufficient women from all walks of life and identity (straight, gay, trans, etc.). It’s a vital and relevant story of triumph, loss, strength, determination, and a search for balance between individuality and community. 

 Dawn is our guest today and is an extraordinary LGBTQ director, editor & producer, who embraces stories and voices that are often not amplified and often marginalized. A steady theme in her work is the power and strength of community made family. With an incredible background in broadcast, Dawn also recently co-directed, edited & produced our Rated LGBT Radio spotlighted film from last week, the acclaimed "Finding Her Beat,” made by a predominantly female/nonbinary, largely Asian-American and LGBTQ filmmaking team, and cast.

With co-host Brody Levesque