Oppressive or Educational? Black Girls Challenge the Motives of School Dress Codes
Nov01

Oppressive or Educational? Black Girls Challenge the Motives of School Dress Codes

By Ali Grutchfield Dress codes are a paramount component of many environments, helping to establish professionalism and organization. However, in schools, dress codes can be manipulated to disproportionately target female black students. Clothed Minds is a documentary focused on dress code policies for black girls in the Washington DC public and charter school systems. It seeks to explore how enforcing dress codes leads to detrimental...

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Human Race ISM Explores the Implications of Racism with a Twist: Aliens
Nov01

Human Race ISM Explores the Implications of Racism with a Twist: Aliens

By Julian Cao Systemic racism pervades and plagues society, and it is usually directed towards people who are of a different color than us. Racism derives from the groundless belief that one’s own race is superior. But, what if that race is an alien race? Directed by Elina Villemure, Human Race ISM is a three-minute short film that uniquely addresses racism through the concept of the human race versus an alien race. Thomas is a human...

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Black Lives Matter Song for Kids Encourages Equality and Inclusion
Nov01

Black Lives Matter Song for Kids Encourages Equality and Inclusion

By Ali Grutchfield In the current political sphere, there is constant strife and conflict related to diversity inclusion. No one stops to think about when and how people form their different belief systems.  In their upbeat music video Black Lives Matter Song for Kids, Directors Omar Vigueras and Javier Rendon Borja with Hopster Studios take matters into their own hands by encouraging kids to treat all people equally and never...

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Dance!  Empowers Kids to Overcome Fear and Pursue Their Dreams
Nov01

Dance! Empowers Kids to Overcome Fear and Pursue Their Dreams

By Ali Grutchfield  Society has focused on encouraging kids to follow their hearts and minds in whatever direction this might take them. However, in the face of change or challenge, how does a young person tackle fear and lack of self-confidence?  Andrea (Andy) Mangano’s Dance! tells the beautiful story of a young girl who’s inspired to become a dancer after seeing a performance. Mangano’s animated story employs simple...

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London Mitchell’s Delivering Sunshine Reminds Us That a Simple Act of Kindness Can Change Everything
Nov01

London Mitchell’s Delivering Sunshine Reminds Us That a Simple Act of Kindness Can Change Everything

By Will Hite Delivering Sunshine is a short film written, directed, and produced by London Mitchell and was presented at the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival.  It is the story of a young boy collecting old shoes in a wagon. The boy stumbles across a homeless man and gives him a pair of shoes. The film’s title corresponds with the theme of the film (spread kindness to others) as well as the narrator’s explanation of the word “climate”...

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Hide! Shows That Children Can Outsmart Monsters
Nov01

Hide! Shows That Children Can Outsmart Monsters

By Julian Cao Directed by Matt Streeter, who plays the monster, and starring Olivia and Ava Streeter as the two little girls, Hide! is undoubtedly a fun, memorable family project. The premise of Hide! is simple: Two little girls are haunted by a menacing monster around the house, and they do their best to hide from it. They squeeze into dark, cramped nooks, such as the attic and the bottom of the stairs, to evade the monster. Hide!...

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