Rebecca's Top 5 Activist Movies
Feeling beaten down? Grab the popcorn and watch a great activist movie!
Being an activist can be be discouraging sometimes. You are constantly fighting, often against the well-funded, entrenched, and well-organized who are desperate to maintain the status quo - who cares about collateral damage. I don’t know about you, but I’m more of a ‘can’t we all work together to make the world a better place’ woman myself, so sometimes the back-biting and the attacks can get me down.
Failure or walking away is not an option, so when discouragement sets in, my tried-and-true ‘buck up buttercup’ moves are:
Call my best friend (and fellow activist) who helps me gain perspective and makes me laugh.
Go for a long walk or a swim and let the missing puzzle pieces fall into place with no apparent effort.
Grab the popcorn and watch a movie about inspiring activists to remind myself that I’m not alone and that one person can make a difference.
I’d like to share my Top 5 Activist Movies:
Miss Potter - Beatrix Potter stuck by her principles and did not let anyone minimize her imagination. She transformed children’s literature and then transformed the British countryside by using her profits to donate 4,000 acres of land to the British National Trust, preserving the stunning landscape and way of life which inspired the tales of Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddleduck. Beatrix reminds me to stay true to myself.
Take the Lead - Ballroom dance to instill the values of respect, dignity, self-esteem, teamwork, and empathy. Pierre Dulane volunteered to teach ballroom dancing to students in detention at a New York public high school. His methods are now used in over 500 schools in 24 U.S. cities, resulting in increased academic performance and decreased behavioral problems. I believe the statistics, but mostly I watch because dance makes me incredibly happy, so I’m grooving on the sofa every time they are dancing.
Spirit Bear - 15-year old Simon Jackson takes on the Canadian logging industry to save the rare and endangered Kermode bears as their habitat is destroyed. I strongly believe that if we combine the fresh and idealistic views of the under-25 year olds with the ‘how to get things done’ knowledge of more mature activists, we’ll see real change. And anyone who tries to hurt a kid - you are the lowest of life forms and as evil as the status quo you are protecting. This movie reminds me to always follow the money to find the source, especially when kids are being hurt.
Erin Brockovich - Erin Brockovich refused to back down or to stop being herself, but instead used every weapon in her “unprofessional’ arsenal to get results. She was one of the original water activists taking on a big corporation poisoning a small town with toxic chemicals. Hats off to Standing Rock, Flint, Osceola Township, Michigan and others who are still fighting. Stories about water remind me that you can’t ever rest or let your guard down or the bad guys will slither right back just like polluted water into a cracked foundation.
The Blind Side - OK, I have trouble with the whole white savior vibe, but it’s one of my favorites because I am always reminded that one kind word or action to another can change the world in ways you can’t begin to comprehend. I always have a choice to be kind or vicious, this movie reminds me that kindness goes further. Unless you are hurting children, then the gloves come off. Count me shallow, but my favorite line is, “I will not wear that gaudy orange. It is not in my color wheel.” Activists can be chic too. Thank goodness.