Educating Ourselves About Race

By Annie Gagne

In our current society, we are in a unique position to be more vocal and more active than ever before. We are also in a position to educate ourselves more, be more understanding, and listen during a time when our communities and neighbors need to be heard. For me, communication plays a large part in my personal and professional life, and I always want to be receptive of others opinions and knowledge so that I may better myself and approach every situation with compassion and understanding.

With that in mind, how do we, as a society, take the right steps towards ending racism, unconscious bias and encourage positive change for our future generations? How does society open and encourage the lines of communication while being respectful of other points of view and personal experiences?

Researching and reading about the origins of racism, racial disparity and white privilege are great ways to learn more about societal issues and struggles, but there are also some amazing movies that focus on systematic racism as well. Below are just a few of my movie recommendations to aid the conversation and understanding of racial issues and how we can be more cognizant of our support of racial equality.

12 Years a Slave

Summary: Tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was abducted in Washington, D.C., and forced to spend the next twelve years of his life in captivity as a slave on a Louisiana cotton plantation.

Malcolm X

Summary: Inspiring story of Malcolm X, as he rises up from poverty, encounters the law, achieves spiritual enlightenment, and reaches out to others in the fight for human and civil rights.

Mississippi Burning

Summary: Two FBI agents investigate the deaths of civil rights workers in a Mississippi town. Tension is caused by the discovery of a local coverup.

Crash

Summary: The lives of a group of Los Angeles residents interconnect as a result of often heated and racist encounters.