Activized Film Night

The Film Night

What drives people who have never been political to activism? As we face the most critical election of our lifetime, this is a vital question.

Activized is a short documentary that follows the journey of seven people who leave their comfort zones to become activists on gun control, voting rights and immigrants’ rights. Elegantly produced and eloquently framed, the film interweaves their personal stories – their motives, successes and failures – amidst these key issues. This inspiring and uplifting film resonated with and inspired all of us as we summon all efforts to win the critical 2020 elections.

Guest Speakers

In our after-screening discussion, DAUK Chair Inge Kjemtrup welcomed Eric Stange, the producer and director, and Vikiana Petit-Homme, the activist in the film whose journey into exploring and acting on issues related to preventing gun violence forms a key focus of the film.

Eric Stange is an award-winning independent documentary film producer, director and writer, focusing on current affairs and cultural and social history. He was previously a visiting fellow in American history at Harvard University and is now a visiting fellow with the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

Vikiana Petit-Homme is a college student who responded to the March For Our Lives movement as a high school junior when she helped organize two substantial marches to prevent gun violence. Vikiana is now a Regional Director with March For Our Lives Boston.

Interviewed by:

In the Q and A after the film, some of our young DAUK leaders posed questions about the story of the making of the film, and the key lessons that the activist and filmmaker would like us to draw in our efforts to inspire and mobilize Americans abroad for the challenges we face in the 2020 election.

Presenting questions:

John Okemah is the chair of the London Young Democrats and has lived in the UK since March 2019. John grew up in Oklahoma and Seattle before studying political economy and art history at Williams College, and previously worked in New York City at The Economist and a hedge fund. He is a Washington State voter, and a member of the Kickapoo tribe. 

Evangelina Rangel, or Eva as she likes to be called, is a Mexican American Democrat active in the Texas Democratic Party and her local Westside Democrats of El Paso. She first came to the UK in 2014 to do an MBA at Heriot-Watt University. Returning to the UK in 2017, Eva became active in the Women’s Caucus where she headed the revamping of their newsletter and website and was the Women’s Caucus Vice-Chair for 2019 and is now an active member of the Film Committee, as well as helping on many other DAUK projects.

Caroline Ruchonnet has been Chair of DAUK Scotlandsince 2018 and organizedthe first DAUK Virtual Independence Day Picnic in 2020. In March 2018 , she was a member of the organisational committee for March for Our Lives Edinburgh. Caroline comes from and votes in New Jersey, District 11, and has been living in Scotland since 2008 . Caroline has a PhD in Biological Anthropology with a focus on pathology and forensics.

Featured image: Activized banner. Photo credit: Activized. Design James Muspratt.