For my ACES Pillars Film Project, my group watched and analyzed the movie American Promise. This movie followed two young boys of color into their teen years as they navigated racial and personal issues in school and the surrounding community. I felt this movie really related to the ACES pillar of Community as the boys have to work towards finding where they belong. In Idris’ case, he was born into a predominantly black neighborhood but struggles to find community with the black children in his neighborhood. He then has the challenge of figuring out his identity as a black child who feels he fits in more with white children. Seun, on the other hand, has trouble finding community at Dalton, the predominantly white school the boys attend together as children, but finds community at his predominately black high school and even gets the chance to visit Africa with a student organization he is involved with. This film was important to me because I felt it was valuable to see the other side of the education system. As a white child going to a white grade school, I could not understand what children of color must feel in white school environments. I think this movie made me more aware of the challenges children of color face in schools versus white children. Going forward, I will be more aware of the microaggressions present in the world that children of different races face. I believe I will be more willing to stand up for students who are a minority, whether that be racial or by disability. I volunteer with ACE which is an organization that works with college-aged people with Autism. I have seen how life is more challenging for them, and therefore, so is college. This real-life experience causing similar reactions in me that watching the movie did.
Attached is the link to our Powerpoint on American Promise: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1O3x7qBBNL88xncxGDZGYqw4BIZuMqvst-2PnvNrErgg/edit?usp=sharing
