Day 15: The Power of Representation

| CHALLENGE | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7 | DAY 8 | DAY 9 | DAY 10 | DAY 11 | DAY 12 | DAY 13 | DAY 14 | DAY 15 | DAY 16 | DAY 17 | DAY 18 | DAY 19 | DAY 20 | DAY 21 |

TV and film have a unique power to both perpetuate harmful stereotypes that keep marginalized people from reaching their full potential and to inspire us to advocate for ourselves and others in order to live our true and authentic selves. Growing up, we often look to TV and film characters as heroes or role models. Even as adults, there are characters we love and aspire to be like. Although much of these are fictional, creators have used TV and film over the past 130 or so years to tell stories about the world in a very real way. Through this medium, we can experience places, situations, and emotions that we may not otherwise be exposed to.

Without representation for these historically underrepresented groups, so many of our neighbors remain misunderstood, stigmatized, isolated, and oftentimes, feared. Our society is constantly changing and the entertainment industry should represent that.

These resources explore both how a lack of representation can be extremely harmful, and how diverse representation can empower people marginalized by racism, sexism, and ableism.

IF YOU HAVE…

10 Minutes	and	15 Minutes	and	2 HOURS
	and		and
READ THIS ARTICLE (or watch the video) of young people sharing how impactful it is to see characters in media that represent them and who they share identities with.	and	WATCH THIS VIDEO to analyze how the revolutionary automatic audio-visual tool, the Geena Davis Inclusion Quotient, has and will continue to analyze gender representation in film	and	WATCH THIS DOCUMENTARY about a group of teen campers became inspired to join the fight for disability civil rights on the heels of Woodstock.

REFLECT

Take a moment to reflect today’s challenge and any insights you experienced.

• How did this challenge make you feel?
• What did you learn?
• What did you notice about yourself after taking the challenge?
• Consider sharing this new awareness with a friend or group to help deepen your understanding of the information.
• Continue the conversation online and connect with others by joining our Racial & Social Justice Facebook group.

Let us know why this challenge is important to you by leaving your comment here.

Thank you for joining us in our Stand Against Racism Challenge. Our work continues every weekday from May 2 – May 30. Each day you’ll be offered some content to help you take a deeper dive into the daily topic.

We ask that you undertake this challenge with an open mind and willingness to explore new ideas and allow yourself to sit with any emotions that may come up for you.

This content may be hard to process so consider having a self-care plan in place beforehand. This can include meditation before or after engaging, watching your favorite show, or doing something creative.

We look forward to going on this journey towards true equity and justice with you!

Just joining the SAR Challenge? Register and find the previous days here.

Share each challenge online with #SARChallenge

| CHALLENGE | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7 | DAY 8 | DAY 9 | DAY 10 | DAY 11 | DAY 12 | DAY 13 | DAY 14 | DAY 15 | DAY 16 | DAY 17 | DAY 18 | DAY 19 | DAY 20 | DAY 21 |

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Make a $21 investment in your own anti-racist development and challenge yourself to encourage 21 other people to take the challenge and match your $21 investment.

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