The way I defined activism before the reading was that it had to do with standing up for what you believe is right. For instance, I believe that people have the right to medical care. I thought that’s what activism was but after doing the readings and watching the film I come to realize that it is more than believing in what you think is right. It is about taking actions within your community and making a change that will impact people. 

The film I watched was called “Knock Down The House”. I enjoyed watching the film because it was a big insight into how campaigns develop and why they are doing it. I appreciate that most of them are doing it for their own community and not just for the money. Most of them are doing their campaign to help the average American get by since most of us don’t have enough to get by. 

It was really a huge impact on me and it made me appreciate those that are activating for our communities. The fact that most of these people were women of color or came from a background of poverty is inspiring. That goes to show that anyone could really have a huge impact in the world and in their communities. 

I think the one where it hit me the most was the mother who had lost her daughter simply because the daughter didn’t have proof of insurance when visiting the ER for something. The daughter ended up passing away because she wasn’t able to get the proper care and tests. This was a terrible way for someone to lose their loved one. I admire how the mother is fighting for access to healthcare for those within her community. 

A few ways that I have engaged in activism are mostly online sharing a lot of posts and spreading awareness to causes. During my high school years, I remember that I participated in the climate change march. I would just go in support of climate change and spread awareness of a lot of things that are contributing to global warming.

I also did a breast cancer walk once when I was in middle school. I think that was the first time I’ve ever participated in any activism and it was a great inspiration as I felt good for participating in a cause. 

There were many other protests and causes I have participated in but I forgot what the name of it was. All I know was that it feels good to know that you are trying to make a change for your community and not just for yourself. 

Discussion board 6

After reading and watching the film “United in Anger” I learned that activism is when you have a movement for a cause to bring policy or social change. Activism has a lot to do with making other individuals hear you out. The film “United In Anger” had a group named ” act up” this group wished for a change in a society like most of us do. this group stood up for their justice. These rights are contained for people with aids and other severe health conditions. Some of these people couldn’t afford medication/treatments. In the film, this group mentioned that these types of people die from this sickness and they deserve help such as health insurance, etc. This film taught me that people who show activism fight for what they want. I have also realized that activism is only anyone’s personal reason but it is for the better of everyone in society. This shows me that we do have caring people in this world.

After reading and watching the film “United in Anger” I learned that activism is when you campaign for a cause to bring political or social change. Activism is also about making people listen to your cause. The perfect example of activism is the film I watched “United in Anger”. This film was about a group that goes by the name of ACT UP, the group wanted social and political change on how people in society and the government viewed the AIDS epidemic, which occurred in the early 1980s. The group fought for simple rights that every human should have regardless of their condition. Some of these rights were for those who have AIDS to have access to healthcare, treatment that included medicine, and for them to qualify for social security ETC. At some point in the film, they even wanted the government to acknowledge that it was an epidemic and people were dying from this illness. The group ACT UP wanted the government to stop the spreading lies about AIDS and wanted them to be open with society about the epidemic. This film showed me that activism is a group that won’t take no for an answer, and they will keep fighting for what they believe in and what they know is right. A way I engaged in activism is the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM). I engaged by going to protest and showing my support for the movement. Another way I engaged in activism is going to the National Alliance of mental illness (NAMI) walk. Although it might be a walk it was a way for people to get together and show their support and protest against the stigma mental illness has. A way for me to engage in activism on gender justice is to show my support for what I believe in. An example is protesting to have equal rights for all genders both male and female. In conclusion, this film has really opened my eyes to activism. Knowing how great activism is to get your point across in a productive manner can be more affectionate and can impact any to join a movement.      

My understanding of activism is taking a stance against and applying direct action towards the diminishing or demolishing of repressive acts or movements upon a community that you feel is oppressed. I am so glad that I decided to watch Netflix’s Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution. The film began with documentation of a summer camp in New York called Camp Jened which allowed people with disabilities to live in a free atmosphere. This camp showed participants how they should be living and enforced how society was wrong with how it viewed disabilities within them. The disabilities among them were widely-ranged from polio survivors to those that suffered from cerebral palsy. It was just incredible to witness and learn about this community of people who even today are looked down upon for disabilities when in fact, many are just as capable if not more to take a stance for what they want and deserve and have the ability to subject change just as anyone else. Camp Jened did so much for these camp-goers who finally felt seen and understood by their peers that many banded together in an attempt to demand a change of the system for disabled people everywhere. Judy Heumann, a “polio” and camp Jened partaker, took a prominent role in leading and representing the disabled community from the 504 Sit-in in 1977 where she along with other disabled persons occupied federal buildings in the United States in order to push the issuance of long-delayed regulations regarding Section 504 of the rehabilitation Act of 1973 to Washington D.C. for the issuing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which was set to provide clear prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability. During these protests, the participants whose disabilities ranged in all kinds of severity demanded to be heard by joining one another in solidarity enduring sleepless nights on the floor, not having running water for weeks to bathe or brush their teeth, and eventually relied on the support from any part of the community that supported the cause. The resilience was incredible to watch as the disabled community stood up for their civil rights just as any of us capable beings have. I am in complete awe. There was a woman in the film named Hollynn D’Lil who became a paraplegic after being run off the road by a truck in her early twenties that said “I had all the assumptions and prejudices that people have about people with disabilities and about disabilities” prior to her accident and it struck me because it took me back to the intersectionality of Patriarchy and oppression that seem to be ingrained in us subconsciously from a young age and again I wonder “why are these the things we’re taught?!”.
I think the best, most realistic way I can begin engaging in activism in regards to gender justice is to speak up now that I have a better understanding and knowledge about it. Even when confronted with a seemingly basic scenario, staying quiet after knowing would just be a way in which I choose to partake in the oppression of my siblings willingly. I feel like in daily settings with family, friends, even strangers, these conversations come up and comments are always made that prior to really engaging in this material would keep me silent or indifferent. I want to challenge myself to feel the right to state what I now know because I also understand the importance of this knowledge being spread instead of all the convenient misinformation so many choose to believe.

After reading the text and watching the film Girl Connected, I would define activism as the act of working towards a better future by demanding justice and equity. There are many ways to be an activist, including educating yourself as well as your community, protesting, and so on.

I was incredibly inspired after watching Girl Connected. It centered around five teenage girls, who are each doing their part in making the world a better, safer place for women by working hard to lessen gender discrimination and violence in their home countries. Josi, from Peru, focused on teen pregnancy and educating her community about safe sex. Latifa, from Bangladesh, focused on spreading the word about the dangers of child marriage. Ghazal, from Jordan, focused on encouraging young girls to express themselves and to use their creativity. Ayesha, from India, focused on teaching the girls of her community karate so they can defend themselves and feel safe. And finally, Michelle, from Kenya, focused on showing young girls and women that they should follow their dreams and emphasized the importance of pursuing an education. All of their stories and their hard work were so motivating and eye-opening!

I would say that I have engaged in activism in the past in small ways. I have educated my family and peers about important issues, and I participated in an AIDS Walk in 2014. I also attended a Black Lives Matter protest in the summer of 2020. Witnessing police brutality unfold in front of my eyes was devastating and served as a grim reality check to the daily life Black people face in our society. I actively try to consume and read media that will educate me on issues surrounding different types of inequalities. I would like to do even more for these marginalized communities.

Specifically, when it comes to gender justice, I suppose I could try harder to express myself and educate those around me. Sometimes, as a girl, it can become difficult to correct people, because I could be mocked, or be labeled as “dramatic.” A lot of misogynistic people find it very hard to listen, as well, so it can be very frustrating when trying to get my point across. Despite this, I will still attempt to teach those around me about how they perpetuate misogyny in their everyday life, and hopefully one day, I won’t have to wear myself out any longer.

The way I would define is activism is when one takes action towards a problem with an end goal of achieving change. Standing up for something that you strongly believe in. When it comes down to activism you will always face those who are against what you are fighting for and who disagree with you but there will always be those who will back you up. Throughout history, we have seen activism occur. Women fought and stood up to get the right to vote that only men had. On page 11 of the reading it said ” Clearly, activism has always relied on the voices, vision, and energy of individuals to inspire and drive social change. We have seen that many of the movements that shaped the world we live in today were begun by people acting alone.” The reason I decided to add this sentence into my response is that I feel like it really captured activism and how it can feel at times. One can feel like they’re alone standing up for what they believe in BUT it doesn’t mean that they are. On the contrary, you’d be surprised by how many people share the same ideas as you. We all have voices and we can use our voices to express how we feel and express the change we want to be done. The film that I decided to watch was Girl Connected because the title caught my interest. I truly enjoyed how the film delivered the stories of different girls from different parts of the world. I felt that by taking this approach, not only did the film give viewers the chance to see different problems presented around the world but also showed how these girls through activism work towards getting the changes they believe are needed. A quote from one of the girls Ghazal Jordan from the film that I liked was when she said ” When I paint walls and do things that are out of the ordinary I encourage other girls to do the same thing and to change the way they live. They no longer do what they’re used to doing and this could open a lot of new doors for them in other domains”(t/s 23:00-24:16). I feel this quote overall is very impactful because if a younger audience is watching this film, they will get reassurance and an extra push towards taking the sleep and doing what they love to do regardless if it seems as if they are doing anything out of the ordinary. To show girls and remind them that it is ok to stand up for what they believe in and to push and act for a change.

When thinking back onto how I’ve engaged in activism is when I started speaking up about the abortion law that was being pushed in Texas. Being raised in a religious household, a lot of my family members were against abortions. Although Everyone thought abortions were wrong, I made sure to hear their side of opinion regarding this issue as well as made sure to explain my side which I was happy about because I managed to make people see things from a different perspective. Another way I have engaged in activism is when I spoke up on global warming. I believe in global warming and feel strongly about it. As for how I can realistically engage in activism is by starting off and go my research. I can do my research, hear other people’s stories, share their stories, and help educate others.

I’d firstly like to describe activism which is the technique of taking direct action to achieve political or social goals. Activism can involve either supporting or opposing a certain cause (or set of causes). Protests, lawsuits, lobbying, petitions, and strikes are examples of direct (and ongoing) acts used in activism as confronting a problem and combating it with action and not just words. There are numerous ways we go about different types of activism. It only really depends on how we’d want to get these things done while keeping in mind each outcome. This week, I selected to watch Girl Connected, an overwhelmingly stunning documentary that follows the lives of girls from Bangladesh, Jordan, Kenya, and India as they struggle to address gender unfairness and brutality in their daily lives. It was about five different females from all over the world. Each girl was addressing a topic in her country that she believed was affecting her. One was child marriage, combating disability/learning self-defense, having the right to an education, being creative freely, and lowering adolescent pregnancy rates. Today, there is a lot of activity as people battle to make their voices and those of others heard.

After initial completion of the film I saw that each of the five girls is battling valiantly, and as a result, they serve as an inspiration not just to their friends, but also to those of us watching the video. Aspiring enough to allow us to know that any problem that we may be undergoing now is only just another mere obstacle that we are also able to overcome just like these girls. Some of the concerns which I’ve mentioned before are that the girls are trying to include the right to an education, child marriage, learning self-defense, lowering teen pregnancy rates, and the freedom to be vocal. Witnessing their daily lives in this film was another inspiring contribution the author decided to include throughout the film so vividly. We’ve gotten the opportunity to see how widespread the issue of gender discrimination and violence is, as well as the courage it takes for these girls and others to engage in activism. “Every right, liberty and security we have exists because someone stood up and fought for it.”  Wendy Syfrets writes in her book ‘How to Think Like an Activist’. This quote may have stood out to me the most because at a glance I feel as though this statement that she’s made can be another definition for activism. Understanding that not just standing up for something but also fighting for it is what truly creates change. An evidential fact that we as individuals must be acknowledged while discussing activism alongside the traits we must display to show true activism regardless of what it might be for. After watching Girl Connected and reading this week’s readings, I would definitely define activism as the correct way/fortitude to stand up against what is wrong or even what needs to be focused on, even if it involves fighting in the process, all in the cause of bringing about change for greater equality, fairness, and justice in as many ways possible.

This week I chose to watch Girl Connected, a powerful film that explores the lives of girls from Bangladesh, Jordan, Kenya, and India, as they work to demolish the gender inequity and brutality that they face in their everyday lives. Each of the five girls is fighting hard and thus they are an inspiration to not only their companions, but us watching the film as well. Some of the issues that the girls are fighting to end are the right to an education, child marriage, gaining knowledge of self-defense, depressing the rates of teen pregnancy and the freedom to be expressive. Witnessing their day to day in this film was insightful because we get to see how all prevalent the issue of gender discrimination and violence is and in turn, the courage it takes for these girls and others to partake in activism. As per Wendy Syfrets’ How to Think Like an Activist, “Every right, liberty and security we have exists because someone stood up and fought for it.” This is a truth that must be recognized when we discuss activism. After watching Girl Connected and reading this week’s readings, I would define activism as the courage to speak up against what is wrong, regardless if that means having to fight when need be, all in the name of bringing change for the greater good. Activism requires tenacity because change does not come easy, nor does everyone have the spirit to fight for what is right. 

            Some ways in which I have engaged in activism are through attending protests. During the summer prior to the covid19 pandemic, there was a Black Lives Matter march by my home and there were a few people that made speeches prior to the march. It was a great feeling to see that so many people had attended and were listening attentively- silently and receptively. I believe that attending walks, marches or protests that occur is a helpful and realistic way to engage in activism. When it comes to gender justice, I think educating those that are unaware is important but I believe that speaking up when the time is right is even more important. When someone is facing discrimination or some sort of oppression, I believe that it is up to any bystanders to speak up and not remain quiet. There is also a need for advocating the rights of all genders, in all settings because transgender individuals do face discrimination or obstacles when they are seeking professional help.

I would define activism as facing a problem and fighting it with action. There are many forms of activism. It depends on how you want to execute it. The film I watched was Girl Connected, and it was about five separate girls from different parts of the world. Each girl was tackling a problem they felt affected by in their country. One was child marriage, fighting disability/learning self-defense, having a right to an education, being freely creative, lowering teen pregnancy rates. Today, there is a lot of activism, as people are fighting to get themselves and others heard. We stand alongside Ukraine, fighting for the black and lgbtq+ community in America and anywhere else in the world. As women, we are fighting every day for our voices to be heard. The most popular form of Women’s activism is the Women’s Suffrage of the 1920s. This was when women got together and fought against oppression, yet still, others wanted to force the opposite upon them.

The way I’ve engaged in activism was when I went to the march against climate change in 2019. I can’t always fight on the frontlines or be physical about it, but I fight along the sidelines and spread the word about what’s going on and how we can stop it. I found the film very inspiring because it shows how often we are fighting for ourselves and women in general. I am afraid to go outside because of how predators portray me, and I want to hide in a cocoon. One of the girls that stood out to me was Latifa, from Bangladesh. She was fighting hard to stop child marriages. Children should have a right to be children and study, but most of them get married off at the ages of 9-12. A 9-year-old doesn’t have the total capacity to make decisions the way an adult can, especially when bearing children and stabilizing the house, as they are expected to do while the husband is working. Latifa herself was saved from a child marriage. Since her mother was forced into marriage when she was a child, she didn’t want her daughter going through the same. To back away from it, they had to have a small court case to deem it fit and prove she would continue her studies. Her goal was to help save all those young girls forced against their will. I think these young girls are a great inspiration in gender justice.

After doing tis week’s reading and watching the film Knock Down The House I would define activism as putting in effort to stand up and make a difference. Advocating for improvement, striving for social and/or political change. To be an activist you have to be fearless. There are people with apposing views that will fight against you. Social and political topics can be especially polarizing. People often reject change or controversial opinions. Which is why activism calls for a lot of work, it is often said that you need to “fight” for change.

The main experiences I think are ways I’ve engaged in activism are two protests I joined during high school. A couple of catholic high schools in the Bronx planned to come together to protest gun violence. All the students in my school, including myself, were eager to join the protest but my school ended up not allowing us to join. So we just did a few laps around the school with our posters. Later, the student from my high school planned to do a Black Lives Matter protest. Again, the school stopped us from going through with it, this time sending out emails to the students saying there would be repercussions if we try to go through with the protest. This brought up many issues amongst us students. We were frustrated with this being the second protest the school had stopped, but this time it felt more personal/malicious. My high school has a racist history and we continued to experience racism at that current time. We knew the school didn’t support the BLM movement so we decided to do a sit in at dismissal with all of us students sitting in the parking lot. The school locked its doors behind us, not even allowing girls to go back inside to get their coats. Although we were punished and unsupported by the school, it felt so rewarding to make that statement.

I really enjoyed being apart of protests. So to engage in activism around gender justice, I could join protests in my area. Today (March 8) is International Women’s Day and there are many days like this that are celebrated in the city which I could take part in as well. There are also many laws regarding women’s health care, education, and rights that are being fought for currently. With me turning 18 soon, I can vote for the first time and make an impactful difference with my vote. While advocating for the people around me to vote as well!