On Feb 23, I saw a posting about Girl Rising on the facebook page of my friend Pam in San Francisco. I clicked through, found the trailer, watched, and was instantly moved to take action. Thanks to the technology available through Gathr, I truly could do something about the swell of inspiration I felt, and so I immediately proceeded with requesting a screening of the film for my community. I knew I could find enough people to make the screening happen if I just tried really hard.
Yesterday, less than 3 months later, my single moment of inspiration came to fruition as I hosted a screening for Girl Rising for about 100 people. That’s a full movie theater! I couldn’t believe it!
I was really nervous before everything started, which surprised me, b/c I love hosting events and talking to people. I didn’t realize til after the film that I was nervous b/c I had brought all these people together to see something that I hadn’t yet seen for myself. What if they didn’t like it? What if it wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. But it was too late now, I had followed through on my gut instinct that it would be amazing and now the theatre was filling up. Here we go!!
After a quick intro to tell people about my own story of education that started with my mom and some background on the making of the film, the theater darkened, and we were rolling…
The verdict? My gut instinct was right on, and what followed was a very well executed balance between informing the audience on the plight of girls and the impact of education on reducing poverty and drawing you into the personal stories of these 9 girls with very different cultures, environments, and struggles to get educated.
I was so touched to greet the audience members as they were leaving. Several younger girls wanted to know how they could bring the story to their friends and schoolmates. A church group had heard about the film somewhere else and found their way to this screening. Another woman brought her parents after hearing about it on twitter. It was truly amazing to see how everyone found a connection to these brave and hopeful souls, and then found their way here tonight.
I left the theater floating on a cloud of happiness. I had originally stated my reason for trying to bring to film locally as this:
To bring people together for a night of inspiration and to raise awareness on the power of education.
I had done it! I was buoyed by the response of the people who came. It comes back to the mission statement of this whole site: To spread love. There was love all around last night – for the girls in the film, for the plight of girls across the world, for our community and knowing that together we truly could enact some change for the good in our world.
I couldn’t help but think that I must remember this feeling – when I am doing things that are so in line with my life’s mission statement, THIS is what it feels like. Amazing things will happen. Staying up all night baking cookies as a personal touch was worth it. Spending the weeks emailing people was worth it. Remember this night.
I don’t know yet what else might come out of last nights’ inspiration, but the chance to share the stories and meet other passionate people was more than enough.
If you came here from the screening last night, THANK YOU, for being a part of this love movement and for each being a seed of change and inspiration in our community.
Cookie
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Organizations supported by 10×10 & Girl Rising:
- Care USA
- World Vision
- Partners in Health
- Plan International USA
- United Nations Foundation/Girl Up
- Room to Read
- A New Day Cambodia
Trailer:
Gathr - allows fim viewers to bring cool independent films to their city if they can raise enough interest.