CAST
ALICE WALKER
Alice Walker has been defined as one of the key international writers’ of the 20th century. Walker made history as the first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for Literature as well as the National Book Award in 1983 for her novel “The Color Purple.”
An internationally celebrated author, poet and activist, Walker’s books include seven novels, four collections of short stories, four children’s books, and volumes of essays and poetry. Walker has written many additional best sellers; among them, Possessing the Secret of Joy (1992), which detailed the devastating effects of female genital mutilation and led to the 1993 documentary Warrior Marks, a collaboration with the British-Indian filmmaker Pratibha Parmar, with Walker as executive producer. Walker’s work has been translated into more than two-dozen languages, and her books have sold more than fifteen million copies.
VAN JONES
Van Jones is a U.S. media personality, the founder of multiple social enterprises and a world-class change maker. A three-time NY Times bestselling author, Van hosts two shows on CNN: “The Van Jones Show” and “The Redemption Project.” He is the host of CNN’s “Incarceration, Inc.” podcast series. In 2013-2014, Van was a co-host of CNN CROSSFIRE, along with Newt Gingrich; he later hosted a special event series on CNN called “The Messy Truth.” He is the co-founder of Magic Labs Media LLC, a producer of the WEBBY Award-winning Messy Truth digital series.
Van’s life mission is to close prison doors and open doors of opportunity. He has been a leader in the fight for criminal justice reform for more than 25 years. To achieve his goals, Van co-founded a series of social enterprises, including: Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, ColorOfChange.org, GreenForAll.org, Rebuild The Dream and the Dream Corps. The Dream Corps houses three social impact initiatives: #YesWeCode, Green For All and #cut50. Today, Van is the CEO of the REFORM Alliance, an initiative founded by Jay-Z, Meek Mill and six billionaires to transform the criminal justice system.
Rep. John Lewis
(D-GA)
Often called "one of the most courageous persons the Civil Rights Movement ever produced," John Lewis has dedicated his life to protecting human rights, securing civil liberties, and building what he calls "The Beloved Community” in America. His dedication to the highest ethical standards and moral principles has won him the admiration of many of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the United States Congress.
In 1965, Lewis helped spearhead one of the most seminal moments of the Civil Rights Movement. Hosea Williams, another notable Civil Rights leader, and John Lewis led over 600 peaceful, orderly protestors across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. They intended to march from Selma to
Montgomery to demonstrate the need for voting rights in the state.
The marchers were attacked by Alabama state troopers in a brutal confrontation that became known as "Bloody Sunday." News broadcasts and photographs revealing the senseless cruelty of the segregated South helped hasten the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Despite more than 40 arrests, physical attacks and serious injuries, John Lewis remained a devoted advocate of the philosophy of nonviolence. In 1981, he was elected to the Atlanta City Council. He was elected to Congress in November 1986 and has served as U.S. Representative of Georgia's Fifth Congressional District since then. He is Senior Chief Deputy Whip for the Democratic Party in leadership in the House, a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, a member of its Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, and Ranking Member of its Subcommittee on Oversight.
John Lewis is the recipient of numerous awards from eminent national and international institutions, including the highest civilian honor granted by President Barack Obama, the Medal of Freedom and the Lincoln Medal from the historic Ford’s Theatre and the only John F. Kennedy "Profile in Courage Award" for Lifetime Achievement ever granted by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
John Lewis is the co-author of the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel memoir trilogy MARCH, written with Andrew Aydin and
illustrated by Nate Powell. His biography, published in 1998, is entitled Walking With The Wind: A Memoir of the Movement.
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a third-generation Bronxite, educator, and organizer serving the 14th district of New York in the Bronx and Queens. Ocasio-Cortez grew up experiencing the reality of New York’s rising income inequality, inspiring her to organize her community and run for office on a progressive platform with a campaign that rejects corporate PAC funds.
Throughout her childhood, Representative Ocasio-Cortez split her time between the Bronx and Yorktown. While visiting her extended family in the Bronx, she saw a stark contrast in opportunities based on their respective zip codes.
Since her swearing-in to Congress in January of 2019, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez has remained committed to serving working class people over corporate interests and advocating for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Cory Booker was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 2013 and began representing New Jersey
in that body later in the year. He was the first African American from the state to serve in the Senate. Booker previously was mayor of Newark (2006–13).
Booker ran for a seat on the Newark City Council in 1998, and he surprised many by defeating a longtime incumbent. After assuming office, Booker sought to combat an epidemic of drug abuse, and he took up residence in one of Newark’s most crime-afflicted areas. As mayor of Newark, he garnered national attention for initiatives on gun control and violence abatement, among other measures.
As a senator, Booker has become known for his efforts at bipartisan cooperation. He has been a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage and he has called for an increase in the federal minimum wage. He also supported tax increases for the wealthy. Booker co-sponsored legislation that reformed the criminal justice system, and the bill was signed into law in 2018. Senator Booker currently serves on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology; the Committee on Environment and Public Works, Committee on Foreign Relations and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) has served as the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 7th congressional district since 2019. Her district includes the northern three-fourths of Boston, most of Cambridge, parts of Milton, as well as all of Chelsea, Everett, Randolph, and Somerville. She is the first black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts
She was previously elected as an at-large member of the Boston City Council in 2010 and was the first black woman elected to the Boston City Council.
In Congress she serves on the House Committee on Financial Services; the Subcommittees on Consumer Protection and Diversity and Inclusion; the House Oversight Committee; and she is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Progressive Caucus, the Women's Caucus and numerous others.
DANNY GLOVER
Actor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover has been a commanding presence on screen, stage and television for more than 35 years.
In 2005, Glover co-founded Louverture Films dedicated to the development and production of films of historical relevance, social purpose, commercial value and artistic integrity. The New York based company has a slate of progressive features and documentaries including Trouble the Water, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, Africa Unite, award winning feature Bamako, and most recent projects Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, and The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan.