DEI Movie Club Recap - March

13th - A Focus on Mass Incarceration & Voting Suppression

By Charles Mann & Becky Slayton

The League of Women Voters has a nationwide focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), not only in our Leagues, but also in our society. With that in mind, we established our DEI Movie Club as a venue to consider our systems and interactions from a variety of perspectives.

Our first movie was 13th, named since its focus is the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution. We watched the movie then met online on March 2nd for a lively discussion. If you weren't able to join us, we've recapped a bit below and you can watch 13th online.

We'd love to hear your thoughts in our private Facebook group: LWV Spartanburg County, SC. If you're a member, just search for us on Facebook and ask to join! Not a member yet? It's easy to join. Check out our membership page.

Film Facts about 13th

• The documentary was produced/directed by Ava DuVernay.  She is one of this country's top directors and documentary producers.  Among her credits is the acclaimed film Selma. 
• The 13th Amendment states, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
• During his presidency, Richard Nixon pushed a "Law and Order" theme and launched the War on Drugs. This marked the beginning of mass incarceration in modern day United States. 
• Our country represents 5% of the world's population, but 25% of the world's imprisoned population. 
• In America, 1 in 3 Black men will be imprisoned in their lifetime. For White men, it is 1 in 17. 
• The US spends about $80 billion in direct dollars each year to imprison people. The all inclusive cost is around $180 billion.
• In South Carolina in 2018, we spent around $10,000 per student and around $21,000 per prisoner. 
• In 2018, 34% of the nation's prison population were Black men, 29% were White men and Hispanics were 24%. 
• The documentary points out that the United States has moved over time from Slavery to Convict Leasing to Jim Crow to Mass Incarceration today with 2.3 million people in prison.

Our discussion focused on these facts and the images from the film, then moved into personal experience. Participants were all League members, both men and women, both black and white, ranging in age from thirties to seventies, in a variety of occupations, and having grown up in different states and regions of the US. The conversation was moderated by Charles Mann. Participants recognized the challenges people of color, especially men, must confront as a result of policies related to the crime and punishment as well as the loss of the franchise resulting from conviction. In some states, restoring an individual's right to vote once the sentence is complete is made difficult or even impossible. Our conclusion, then, was that we each need to take action to improve equity and conclusion as we have opportunity. We started a list of useful actions...

Calls to Action

1. If you see something, do something - in your family, among your friends, in public venues, when it's easy and when it's hard.
2. Vote in each election - whether local, state or national - to get leaders we need.
3. Fight to keep voting unrestricted and available to every citizen.
4. Learn about the experiences of people who aren't like you - whether in race, nationality, gender, socio-economic level, education, age, culture, political preference, religion...
5. Show respect to the people you interact with. We are each human and worthy of dignity and respect.
6. Listen...listen more...speak with openness and respect.

Stay tuned for future DEI Movie Club events and join the conversation about this and other topics in our private Facebook group: LWV Spartanburg County, SC, or in the comments below.

Some Relevant Links:

• "Filmmaker Ava DuVernay talks about her new documentary, 13TH, which explores the history of race and the criminal justice system in the United States. The film's title refers to the 13th Amendment." Excerpt from NPR's All Things Considered on 12/17/2016
• The official trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6IXQbXPO3I
• 13th is available at the library, on Netflix for subscribers, and Netflix has uploaded it to YouTube for non-subscribers here: https://youtu.be/krfcq5pF8u8
• Check out NPR's All Things Considered segment on the movie: https://www.npr.org/2016/12/17/505996792/documentary-13th-argues-mass-incarceration-is-an-extension-of-slavery