We caught up with the heads of a couple Penn organizations that work to give back to the community and educate the student body in the process. Wanting to be as inspired as they are, we asked them to share the movies that opened their eyes to global issues.
“After watching The 11th Hour in high school, I pretty much knew that my passion laid in the social and environmental consequences of climate change. The 11th Hour, a documentary produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, details global warming in a much more illustrative manner than Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and inspired me to assume an active role in changing our relationship with the environment.” - Abby Waldorf, Director of Penn Environmental Group
“I would have to say what most inspired me was The Accused, a Canadian film made in 1988 starring Jodi Foster. I was first exposed to the film during One in Four training when we began our discussion about victim–blaming and the trauma experienced by countless survivors when their stories are not believed, criticized and claimed fallacious. Based on the true story of Cheryl Araujo’s gang rape in a bar in New Bedford, Massachusetts, The Accused crystallized for me the damage inherent in blaming victims and denying their experiences. I cannot imagine being part of a society where a person who had been violently violated by an unwelcomed partner could be told that she or he had “earned” or “welcomed” the assault. The film inspired me to become a committed and determined advocate." - Joe Lawless, President of Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention
