Be the Change
In last week’s series of Be the Change, we shared something to read. We curated material on anti-racism by award-winning author, Ibram Kendi, who discussed what it takes to create a new world that dismantles racist behaviors. This week, we wanted to share something to watch.
There are so many ways to get this very important conversation going, and we all receive information differently. We think film is a great way to provoke thought and get us talking about some of these issues of racism facing our society. Today, we’ve curated 5 movies that we think you’ll enjoy, that all deal with the topic of race in America. As always, our objective is to share and open up perspectives and understandings. We’d love to hear from you too.
xoxo,
SS
“I’m interested in the lives of Black folk as the subject. Not the predicate, not the tangent. These stories deserve to be told — not as sociology, not as spectacle, not as a singular event that happens every so often – but regularly and purposefully as truth and as art on an ongoing basis.”
— AVA DUVERNAY
WHAT TO WATCH
1. Malcom X (1992)
A powerful film by Spike Lee, which has stood the test of time. It follows the life of activist and humanitarian, Malcolm X, and his relentless pursuit of Black liberation.
Where to watch: Netflix, YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime
2. The Glass Shield (1994)
Charles Burnett explores corruption and systemic racism in the LAPD in this film. Interestingly, the movie was made a few years after the 1992 Los Angeles riots following the acquittal of the four officers involved in the beating of Rodney King.
Where to watch: YouTube, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Google Play, iTunes
3. Fruitvale Station (2013)
Fruitvale Station is a compelling drama by Ryan Coogler about the harmful stereotypes associated with Black men in America and how this manifests into deadly, harmful situations that impact their ability to live safe, peaceful lives.
Where to watch: Tubi, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes
4. Selma (2014)
Selma is a powerful retelling of the historical 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery by Martin Luther King and several others. The film was created by none other than Ave DuVernay, an instrumental voice in film that deals with issues of race and diversity.
Where to watch: Youtube, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes
5. 13th (2016)
Another masterpiece by Ava DuVernay, this film looks at the mass incarceration of black men and traces it back to the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865.
Where to watch: Netflix