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If I Could Change the World

If I Could Change the World
Mon, 5/14/2012

Filmmaker Bianca Smith captures Occupy Los Angeles as they come from the north, south, east and west to converge into a Workers' Day celebration. "We are babysitters, nannies, we're gardeners, janitors, security guards," a woman shouts at a union rally. "We're all kinds of workers, and we demand respect!"

Marchers also share their visions of a more just world. "My version of a perfect society would be someplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to live up to their potential," a young man says. "I think that's the ideal place to live in."

Smith explains, "We had been anticipating for the May 1 General Strike (M1GS) for several weeks. Once the date got closer we held a couple meetings to talk about how we could cover all bases throughout the day. We knew that M1GS planned to flood the city in four "winds" (north, south, east, west) until the marches and caravans converged in Downtown LA. We created a camera team for each wind, composed solely of film students from The Los Angeles Film School, and we interviewed the likes of every culture and walk of life we could. Los Angeles is a city full of diversity and we wanted to capture that. There are a multitude of different types of people with a multitude of issues at hand to be dealt with.  We wanted to convey the spirit of people, and I think we're all very happy with the results. This is a beautiful movement with real momentum, and I believe the medium of film and internet can play a very important role in that.

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Article Tabs

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Whether Republicans want to be the party of Christianity or the party of worshipping false idols is a question they’ll have to seriously reckon with very soon, unless they want the American electorate to speak for them.

“Storytelling teaches not through instruction, but through imagination and example,” says the Sami artist Máret Ánne Sara. “These stories don’t provide direct answers, but rather the ethical tools to navigate and sustain the world.”

Republicans’ fate in the 2026 midterms is likely sealed. But they could be out of power for multiple subsequent election cycles if Democrats are smart.

In November, Indigenous protests in London included the launch of “Bringing It All Back Home,” confronting corporate power head-on.

Republicans’ fate in the 2026 midterms is likely sealed. But they could be out of power for multiple subsequent election cycles if Democrats are smart.

Posted 1 month 1 week ago

Whether Republicans want to be the party of Christianity or the party of worshipping false idols is a question they’ll have to seriously reckon with very soon, unless they want the American electorate to speak for them.

Posted 1 month 1 week ago

Their tactics to force construction of data centers even against significant opposition from local communities have become increasingly forceful and hostile.

Posted 1 week 1 day ago

“Storytelling teaches not through instruction, but through imagination and example,” says the Sami artist Máret Ánne Sara. “These stories don’t provide direct answers, but rather the ethical tools to navigate and sustain the world.”

Posted 1 month 1 week ago