Documenting Stories of People on the Margins
Time-sensitive CTAs included; don't miss out!
Welcome to Sounds Like Impact!
This is an extra edition of the newsletter, so it won’t be traditional. During this long holiday week in the U.S., I wanted to formally acknowledge Native American Heritage Month, encourage a call-to-action, and share some documentaries to watch by December 1st.
In the U.S. tomorrow is Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving in Canada was last month), and while it is a day we typically associate with family and feasting, it is also a day we should remember for the impact to Indigenous communities throughout North America. We are on stolen land, and we should never forget that.
A podcast that was incredibly helpful for my learning was This Land by journalist and author Rebecca Nagle. I urge you to listen to the show if you haven’t yet. Also, Rebecca released a new book this year called By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land. I haven’t read it yet, but it’s on my library list.
Also, if you haven’t listened to Happy Forgetting yet, which sponsored our newsletter a couple weeks ago, you should at the very least check out the first episode “Knowing Your History”, especially if you saw or read Flowers of the Killer Moon.
Below are some previous curations you can check out as well.
🚨 Take Action: Continue voicing dissent for HR9495 by contacting your senator.
In the words of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), there are concerns about the “bill's potential to grant the executive branch extraordinary power to investigate, harass, and effectively dismantle any nonprofit organization — including news outlets, universities, and civil liberties organizations like ours — by stripping them of their tax-exempt status based on a unilateral accusation of wrongdoing.”
You can read this statement from the ACLU, and learn in an analysis by The Lever about the real impact this would have on climate organizations —like WE ACT for Environmental Justice, which I interned at during college.
If you care about the environment, if you care about Indigenous sovereignty, if you care about any social justice movement, please spread awareness and advocate. You can also find out if your Representative voted for the bill and voice your displeasure.
🎧 Docs to Watch, Pods to Consume
The largest documentary festival in the U.S. is streaming films online until December 1st. Take the opportunity to watch some of these incredible films!
Living in NYC, I had the pleasure of being able to attend a few DOC NYC screenings in person, and now I want to share with you some docs that I’ve checked out and some podcast recommendations to go along with these films (most, not all). So gather up your loved ones, or maybe steal away for a solo film during the holiday hubbub, and watch some of these important films!
P.S. Here is a discount code you can use for $3 off: DOCNYC_PTNRDISC_24
Descriptions are direct quotes from the DOC NYC website.
The spectre of the Confederacy stands high over Stone Mountain, Georgia, engraved in granite. The community lives in the shadow of a controversial carving, larger than a football field, of rebel leaders Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Stone Mountain is shot with a vivid cinematic approach that captures intimate conversations of those for and against the Confederate iconography. From Oscar-winning executive producer Roger Ross Williams, this exploration of Georgia’s number one tourist attraction serves as a microcosm of America’s civic discourse.
Podcast Rec: Monumental
Left Behind illuminates the struggles of NYC schoolchildren with dyslexia, following a diverse group of parents who, frustrated by the lack of support, founded the Literacy Academy Collective. Driven by the stark reality that 1 in 5 people are dyslexic and nearly 50% of prison inmates share this diagnosis, these passionate advocates fight to de-stigmatize dyslexia and secure proper education for their kids. The film reveals the power of grassroots activism, offering an eye-opening and uplifting message of hope and resilience.
Podcast Rec: Sold a Story
After the Black Lives Matter movement sees an international tipping point in the summer of 2020, three young Minneapolis community leaders intersect in their local activism to preserve the legacy of George Floyd, fight systemic injustice, and strive for meaningful change. Jeanelle and her team of caretakers work to transform offerings from the recent uprising into artifacts for the Black historical archive; Robin works to replace the police with a new approach to community safety; and Toshira focuses on demanding justice and accountability for lives stolen by policing. These committed women find they must dig deep to disrupt complacency and reconcile nuanced contradictions within their own communities
Podcast Rec: Resistance, “The Baobab Tree” ; Say Their Name
Refusing to give up their rights over their sacred land, Native Hawaiian mothers and daughters band together to stop the construction of a massive telescope on Mauna Kea. What emerges is a study of resilience and the ways wisdom and healing are passed from one generation to another. Underlying their spirited resistance is the women’s ever-present love for their land, their legacies, and each other.
Podcast Rec: Scene on Radio: Capitalism, “Reimagining Economies”; LANDBACK For the People
A community of mothers in a Nigerian village struggle to persevere while grieving for their daughters, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram. Intertwining the stories of multiple families, the filmmakers show how life continues in the wake of unspeakable horror. At once cinematically gripping and emotionally stirring, this story of endurance shows the ongoing personal ramifications of an event long forgotten by the news media.
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Raoul Peck has done it again. In this rousing, elegant documentary, Peck opens the life and works of a seminal artist of the 20th century, South African photographer Ernest Cole. Denouncing apartheid with the publication of his 1967 photo book House of Bondage, Cole then lived in exile in the US, where he documented New York City and the American South, observing the echoes of the homeland he left behind. Cole’s words are voiced with spooky vivacity by another Oscar nominee, actor LaKeith Stanfield.
Podcast Rec: Westdoc Online, “RAOUL PECK – Ernest Cole: Lost & Found”
Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story
Groundbreaking trans soul singer Jackie Shane was on the cusp of stardom when she turned away from the music industry and the world. After her death, family members who never knew their pioneering aunt, piece together her remarkable life, uncovering her personal struggles, immense talent, and unmistakable voice. Through never before heard audio recordings and beautifully expressive animation, Jackie tells her own story, in her own words.
Podcast Rec: Q with Tom Power, “Michael Mabbott & Lucah Rosenberg-Lee: Jackie Shane’s Fascinating Story”
An adoptee raised in the Netherlands, Mieke’s life is very different from the one she might have led if her Korean family had not been pressured to give her up as a baby. When her birth parents track down the adult Mieke, their reunion unleashes a whirlwind of guilt, joy, regret, and ambivalence. Through non-linear storytelling we witness the family’s journey towards reconnection in this unique story of home, acceptance, and the power of forgiveness.
Let me know if you end up watching any of the films! And remember, you have until December 1st to watch any of the films, and unfortunately not all films get picked up for distribution to streaming so try to catch them while you can!
