“I really was very often treated like a sex object.” Rita Moreno recalls the sexism and power abuse she suffered at the hands of big Hollywood moguls.
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Essays and videos examining discrimination and stereotypes in film history
This collection delves into the complex history of stereotyping and discrimination in media.
These videos and essays aim to foster a deeper awareness of the importance of accurate and respectful representation, encouraging reflection on how we can learn from the past to create a more inclusive future.
Anna May Wong, the first Asian American woman movie star, had a long and varied career spanning silent and sound film, stage, radio, and television, while resisting racism and typecasting in Hollywood, and the practice of having white actors in yellowface play the roles of Asian characters.
#OscarsSoWhite creator April Reign writes about the state of racial equality in entertainment, especially for Black women.
From the killing of an iconic American hero to critical perspectives of how Indigenous people were portrayed in early children’s cartoons, Thunder’s art prompts viewers to take a critical look at our shared mythologies.
Princeton professor and writer Imani Perry reflects on the power of representation in popular culture.
ARTICLE
Kristen Lopez, TV Editor at IndieWire, shares her thoughts on the legacy of Helen Keller and disability media representation.
ARTICLE
Author Stephen Graham Jones writes about carving space for Native representation in media, inspired by Lily Gladstone’s standing ovation at Cannes.
ARTICLE
Maya S. Cade is the creator and curator of Black Film Archive and a scholar-in-residence at the Library of Congress. In this personal reflection, she shares her journey to creating a new space for Black cinema and her connection to the artists and histories before her.
SHORT DOCUMENTARY
Lights, Camera, Acción
Discover the candid perspectives of Latine actors, writers, producers, directors and showrunners across generations as they dissect the ever-evolving issue of Latine representation in Hollywood.
Discover the candid perspectives of Latine actors, writers, producers, directors and showrunners across generations as they dissect the ever-evolving issue of Latine representation in Hollywood.
ARTICLE
Author and journalist Abby Ellin reflects on the legacy of Groucho Marx—acknowledging his brilliance, shortcomings and influence on a new generation of female comedians.
ARTICLE
Filmmaker and scholar Frances Negrón-Muntaner explores how Moreno redefined the meaning of stardom for Latinas.
ARTICLE
Lawrence Carter-Long looks at the influence of Helen Keller as a celebrity during her lifetime and today.
Jean Malin was one of the first openly gay performers in the Prohibition era during the “pansy craze” of the early 1930s
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