Événement

For Ahkeem: Film Showing + Discussion

On February 19th, 5:30-8:00 pm, at FREE CENTER (formerly the Goodwin Library, 460 New Britain Ave, Hartford, CT 06106). RECenter will be hosting a film showing and discussion of For Ahkeem, a movie that exposes the injustices of the school-to-prison pipeline, and asking the question: How can the Hartford community support our young people? Please join us!*

For Ahkeem started with the desire to expose the injustice of the
school-to-prison pipeline, which we know disproportionately affects children of color living in already marginalized communities. Over the last 40 years, zero-tolerance school discipline policies have led to children being funneled out of school and into the judicial system in record numbers, robbing countless students of the education they deserve, undermining their futures during their formative years and leaving them with little to no recourse.
The movie is set in St. Louis, and stars 17-year-old Daje Boonie Shelten, a candid, courageous and charismatic young woman who wears her heart on her sleeve, never gives up, and has a strong desire to tell her story, her way. Like her mother, she is one of the millions of Black women and girls who are doing their very best to keep their heads above water, to not falter even though the weight of the world is on their backs.
Too often, our society continues to place the blame on the individualdismissing Daje as a bad kid for exampleinstead of taking an honest look at how institutional and structural forces box in the lives of so many people of color. Daje exemplifies the strength, resilience, and awareness many Black teenagers must embody to transcend the myriad systemic obstructions blocking their paths to adulthood.
For Ahkeem is a deeply personal story about what it means to live your life when youve been labeled a bad kid since kindergarten. This movie serves as a catalyst for discussions about the ways children with marginalized identities (i.e. students of color, working class/working poor/etc., LGBTQ+, non-men, etc.) are being pushed out of school and into the juvenile and criminal systems in communities across our nation. We believe that we can, and we must, do whatever we can to end this cycle.

Contact aparks@re-center.org for more information or if transportation is a barrier.

*We value student voice and believe that we cannot and should not have a conversation about how to support young people, without young people at the table. These tickets are reserved for students only. If you are a student and the student slots fill up, feel free to register for a general slot :) Thank you for respecting our request.