And She Could Be Next follows the grassroots campaigns of six women of color running for political office during the contentious 2018 United States midterm elections. Produced by female filmmakers of color, the documentary offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of these women leaders whose personal motivations, political coalitions, and ground-level activism steamroll the expectations of their opponents and of the broader public — defying traditional notions of what it means to be a U.S. politician in the process. Part one of the two-part film provides a framework for a critical analysis of how race, gender, and class operate in electoral politics in the United States by focusing on how shifting demographics are perceived as a threat to contemporary and historic “democratic” power structures.

In this lesson, the idea of “The New American Majority” is explored through the analysis of the gendered and racialized dimensions of the narratives, identities, and historical inheritances of the six profiled candidates: Stacey Abrams, Bushra Amiwala, María Elena Durazo, Veronica Escobar, Lucy McBath, and Rashida Tlaib. Students break down the characteristics of grassroots organizing and intersectionality, and discuss how these concepts are central to the electoral politics of “The New American Majority.” Students will research the racial and gender demographics of their local, state, and federal elected officials and conduct an analysis of how the demographics of their representatives compare to their community.

A Note from Curriculum Creator, Stacia Cedillo

“Viva La Causa” - this was the political motto of the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), the labor union founded in 1962 and led by César Chávez, Dolores Huerta, and Gilbert Padilla. The NFWA’s causa — it’s fight for living wages, healthcare, and food safety — was a struggle waged via a number of weary paths, including the pursuit of political representation. Electoral politics was just one dimension of la causa, and it is a route that many, including the women in this film, continue to pursue today.

Diverse, worker-led campaigns to elect public servants are a critical part of democracy, but not the only part; as those who fought for la causa knew well, representation does not guarantee liberation. The women in this film, and the women who made this film, understand that it is not simply the act of running for office and winning that will free us. These women, like the NFWA leaders that inspire my pedagogical standpoint, understand that the mechanisms of white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism will continue to oppress us all if we do not teach others how they work to do so. I follow these leaders in advancing political education rooted in emancipation through critical pedagogy, with the belief that this is a necessary precondition towards the larger project of decolonizing imperial, capitalist structures of “democracy.”

A Note to Teachers

For many, discussion of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election can activate trauma, anxiety, and anger. The anti-immigrant, racist, misogynistic, and violent language that characterized that election carried over to the 2018 primary elections that are featured in this film. Take care to pay attention to students in your classroom whose identities, families, and communities are the intended target of this hateful rhetoric.

Subject Areas

• Civics
• Government
• U.S. History
• English/Language Arts (ELA)
• Political Science
• Social-emotional learning (SEL)
• Film Studies

Grade Levels: 8-13+

Objectives:

In this lesson, students will:

• ELA; Civics: Analyze how individual motivations, identity traits, and historical contexts inform political action and engagement.
• Government; Political Science: Examine how electoral politics operate at the grassroots level, including the important role of underrepresented community actors.
• U.S. History: Trace throughlines of U.S. inequalities (specifically, political representation and access to voting) and explain how they continue to materialize through the historical legacies of slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Rights Movement, and 9/11.
• SEL: Take the perspective and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Film Studies: Understand and explore how the genre of documentary film is used to construct political and social critiques of a society.

Materials:

• Film link and film clips
• Notebook
• Writing utensil
• Chart paper, dry erase board, or document camera
• Internet access or pre-prepared packets of information that includes:
  • Racial and gender demographic information of city, state, and U.S. population
  • Racial and gender demographic information of current elected local, state, and federal office holders

Time Needed:

Four to five 50- to 60-minute class periods.

Clip 1: Rashida Tlaib: Running, Not Hiding (0:07:14 - 0:08:25, length: 1:11)

The clip begins at 7:14 from the start of the documentary. Rashida Tlaib explains how a personal experience with Islamophobia in America motivated her to run for office. The clip ends at 8:25.

Rashida Tlaib shares a personal story about how witnessing the impact of rampant Islamophobia on her children fueled her decision to run for office. The audience listens as Tlaib shares how her identity as a loud, female, Palestinian Muslim has led others to shut her out of political opportunities and leadership roles. She insinuates that a major shift is afoot in American politics, and encourages the diverse audience to consider the gravity that the contemporary political moment holds for new leadership.

Clip 2: Black Women: Always a Political Force (0:13:50 - 0:17:50, length: 4:44)

The clip begins at 13:40 with Nse Ufot, Executive Director of the New Georgia Project, addressing a crowd of potential voters at a “United We Vote” rally in Atlanta, Georgia. It ends at 17:50 when GLOW VOTE organizers affiliated with the Stacey Abrams campaign are shown canvassing in Georgia neighborhoods.

Artists, activists, performers, and political organizers come out to a United We Vote rally in Atlanta, Georgia to demonstrate support for Black gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Nse Ufot, the Executive Director of the New Georgia Project, describes how Georgia represents the shifting demographics of the United States—the “New American Majority”—noting that Georgia is set to become the first white-minority state in the deep south. With a group of Black women organizers, Ufot discusses the historic role Black women have played as political educators, leaders, and organizers, and how their experiences and knowledge can inform the electoral strategies of the multiethnic, multiracial New American Majority.

Clip 3: Lucy McBath: Channeling Profound Loss to Win (0:19:59 - 0:22:05, length: 2:09)

The clips begins at 19:59 with Lucy McBath describing how the impact of racist gun violence (specifically, her son’s murder) activated her journey into electoral politics. It ends at 22:05 with McBath reflecting on the need for political action both outside of and inside of institutions.

Lucy McBath explains that before her son was shot and killed by a white man for listening to music too loud, she used to presume that being middle class would shield her from racist violence. She then describes the difficulty she had telling her story -- and more specifically, getting people to listen. McBath talks about how her painful journey caused her to re-examine the political legacy of her father, a Black activist. She emphasizes the urgency of political progress through official “inside” channels, such as winning elections and passing laws, as well as “outside” channels, such as grassroots organizing, activism, education, and voter registration.

Clip 4: María Elena Durazo: Running, and Winning, With Workers (0:26:05 - 0:27:53, length: 1:49)

The clip begins at 26:05 with a compilation of scenes from María Elena Durazo’s campaign. It ends at 27:55 at the close of Durazo’s address to Latinx union activists.

California state senate candidate María Elena Durazo campaigns in the majority-Latinx community she is running to represent. Durazo attends a political rally organized by a group of Latinx union activists and other multiracial, multiethnic community members. A union organizer and hotel worker delivers a poignant speech about the urgent need to change the face of political leadership, especially for working class immigrants. Durazo explains the political imperative to motivate disengaged members of the Latinx community to vote in a system that encourages apathy.

Clip 5: Bushra Amiwala: Running Against the Terror of Fear (0:33:28 - 0:35:00, length: 1:40)

The clip begins at 33:26 when Bushra Amiwala takes the stage at a fundraiser organized by the local Pakistani Muslim community in Skokie, Illinois. It ends after Amiwala closes her address with the powerful line, “We don’t have to be victimized first to be leaders.”

Bushra Amiwala speaks to a group of Pakistani community members about how her experience with Islamophobia informs her political goals and desire to run for office. She shares a story of a school project that led her to discover the prevalence of fear-laden stereotypes that people in her community held against Muslims, who they associated with terrorism. As the members of the audience absorb her words with painful recognition, Amiwala closes her address by saying, “We don’t have to be victimized first to be leaders.”

Clip 6: Stacey Abrams: Running a Historic, Coalition-Based Campaign (0:56:02 - 1:02:30, length: 6:34)

The clip begins at 56:02 with a screen that reads: GEORGIA. It ends at 1:02:30 with a Filipino DACA recipient on the Abrams campaign describing the invisibility of being undocumented as an Asian American.

Stacey Abrams talks about the challenges--and historic significance--of being a black woman candidate for governor in Georgia. She describes how the experiences she’s had and accomplishments she’s achieved as a Black woman are indicative of the abundance of skills she brings to political office. A racist and xenophobic political ad run by her opponent, gubernatorial Republican candidate and then-Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, is shown. Nse Ufoh describes the highly problematic circumstances and actions that surrounded the race, including Kemp’s role as Secretary of State in purging nearly 1.25 million voters from the Georgia voter rolls. Representatives from Abrams’ multiracial and multiethnic coalition of organizers discuss why they are working on her campaign.

Clip 7: Running in a Racist Race: Election Day Hurdles (1:37:00 - 1:38:49, length: 1:54)

The clip begins at 1:37:00, with a screen that reads: GEORGIA. It ends with a Georgia organizer explaining why there is no such thing as “voter apathy.”

As the election draws near, polling places in Georgia communities of color are targets for closure. As many as 80% of the polling locations in predominantly Black Randolph County are closed for dubious reasons, raising suspicion of widespread and systematic attempts at voter suppression. The New Georgia Project responds by organizing petition campaigns to force re-opening of polling places, using media to amplify their message and raise red flags, and securing legal counsel to fight voter suppression in court.

DAY ONE: WHY ARE THEY RUNNING?

1. Activate prior knowledge. Begin the discussion by displaying and posing the question: “Why do politicians run for public office?” to the class. Individually, in pairs, or in groups, have students create a list (in their notebooks or on poster paper) of reasons that they think motivate people to run for office. After about 5 minutes of brainstorming, discuss their responses by displaying their posters or creating a class list at the front of the room. The goal of this brainstorm is to unpack students’ perceptions of what they believe motivates politicians to run for office, in order to later critically reflect on the unique motivations of the women featured in this film. As you discuss, press students to explain vague responses such as, “to make the world a better place,” by encouraging them to provide detail and specificity about what “better” means or looks like.
2. Interrogate preconceptions. Follow up questions: After discussing political motivations for running for office, ask students about the “typical politician” they were picturing in their head when they were creating this list: What gender, race, ethnicity are these imagined “typical” politicians? What language do they speak? What are they wearing? Where are they from? What is their profession outside of politics?
3. Give purpose for watching. Before beginning the film, have students draw a chart in their notebook with 3 columns and 7 rows (see below). Have students label the first column with “Name of Candidate,” the second column with “Motivations to Run for Office,” and the third column with “Thoughts and Other Notes About this Candidate.” Teachers can also create paper copies of this chart in advance.

Instruct students to fill in this table as they watch the film clips (also forewarn them that the names are listed in alphabetical order, not the order as they appear in the film). Tell students to use the “thoughts and other notes” to write down things about the candidate that strike them as interesting, unusual, or compelling. Encourage students to use the bottom or back of the page to write down any other reflections or notes that come to them during the film, including scenes that generate an emotional response (e.g., sadness, anger, frustration, joy).

1. Day one reflection. After film clip 5 (around the 0:35:00 minute mark), stop the film and take stock of students’ recorded responses and reflections.

• Discuss the unique motivations that compelled these women to run for office in 2018, two years after the shocking election of Donald Trump. Ask questions such as: Are there similarities among their political motivations, and if so, what are some shared themes? How are these motivations similar or different to the ones that the class came up with before watching the film? How do these women candidates match the image of the imagined candidate discussed before watching the film? What unique obstacles do they face in running for office as women, and as women of color?
• Reflect on what makes the candidacies of these women so unique, special, or historic — especially in the year 2018, a decade after the election of the nation’s first Black President, Barack Obama. Is the nation as “post-racial” as people claim? Encourage students to examine these questions and the women’s candidacies in light of historical U.S. contexts beyond the 2016 election, events such as the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, the civil rights movement, the women’s rights movement, Jim Crow, Reconstruction, and slavery.

DAY TWO: GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING

1. Activate prior knowledge. Begin by giving students 2-3 minutes to jot down as many possible roles and people involved in a political campaign as they can think of. Have students share out, and record their responses on a piece of chart paper or on the board or document camera at the front of the class.
2. Give purpose for watching. Ask students if they know the meaning of the word “grassroots.” Allow a handful of students to share their definitions, and record these on the chart paper at the front of the class. Tell students to watch the film with this idea of “grassroots” in mind, and to note examples of activities, roles, or characteristics of grassroots organizing.
3. Open reflection and discussion. Watch the film through film clip #6. Stop the film and have students discuss their reflections, thoughts, and feelings thus far. Encourage open discussion, but strive to focus the conversation towards core concepts of grassroots organizing. Other topics to discuss may include racism, sexism, or the intersection of racism and sexism.
4. Mapping concepts. Individually, in groups, or as a class, give students 5-10 minutes to create a concept map (example below) around the term “grassroots.” To create a concept map, students should link three or more core concepts, characteristics, features, or qualities that illustrate the concept of grassroots (examples may include accountability, minorities, organizing, engagement, community, or lack of money).

9. Discussion and film analysis. Discuss the qualities of grassroots organizing the students came up with. Ask questions that get students to interrogate the differences in grassroots and traditional big-money political organizing, such as: How is grassroots organizing different from your idea of a traditional political campaign? What does it involve, and what does it require? How do racial, ethnic, and gender identities play a role in grassroots organizing -- in the film, and in real-life examples? Why do you think the filmmakers wanted to highlight the behind-the-scenes grassroots work of these women’s campaigns? How important is voter engagement in America? (Optional assessment: Teachers can also choose to use one of these questions as an Exit Ticket assessment for the day’s lesson, or have students turn in their concept maps.)

DAY THREE: (WHY) DOES DIVERSE LEADERSHIP MATTER?

1. Intersectionality, oppression, and politics. Introduce Kimberlé Crenshaw’s idea of intersectionality, which can be defined as “the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.” Teachers may aid the explanation of this idea by drawing a picture of two intersecting streets - one named “sexism” and one named “racism.” Have students discuss (in pairs, groups, or as a class) ways in which oppression looks or materializes differently at the intersection of those “streets” for women of different races, ethnicities, and beyond (e.g., class; sexualities; citizenship status; ability; religion). Encourage students to make connections to the women portrayed in the film, and how their identities represent different intersectionalities of oppression.

After this discussion, return to film clip #2 (13:50 - 17:50). Re-watch the clip together. Then, pose the following questions: “When the organizer says, ‘When we solve for black women’s issues, we solve for everyone’s issues,’ what is meant by this? Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?” Ask students to reflect on this question individually in their notebook, then discuss in pairs. Share out and discuss as a class.

1. Give purpose for watching. Pose the following question to students: “Does diverse leadership matter?” Instruct students to think about this question as they watch the rest of the film. Tell them to be prepared to justify their perspective.
2. Final reflections. Dig deeper into the film’s theme that diversified leadership is understood to lead to expanded justice and democracy for all. Have students discuss this perspective in groups, then discuss as a class. Have students reflect on how the candidates’ motivations to run for office shed light on how their racialized and gendered identities and experiences may be critical to democracy, freedom, and equity for all. Challenge students to respond to critiques of this perspective, including questions or positions such as: What about white people? Aren’t we all equal? I don’t see color. These campaigns, and their focus on race, are divisive. Racism is in the past -- we elected Barack Obama!
3. Optional extension activities and discussions.

• What aspects of And She Could Be Next caused you to think about running for office in a new way? How has your thinking changed?
• Ask follow-up questions that encourage students to consider the role of politicians in constructing societies, such as: “Do you think it is possible for politicians to create lasting change?”
• Essay prompt: Imagine working on a political campaign. What kind of work would you do best? Are you more of a behind-the-scenes type person, a communicator, or a candidate?
• Essay prompt: What type of political messaging is convincing to you? What kinds of political messages turn you off?

DAY FOUR: DO MY REPRESENTATIVES REPRESENT MY COMMUNITY?

14. Research Project. Use this class period and any additional class or out-of-school time to allow students to conduct research on their local, state, and federal representatives. The following guiding question should be used to structure this research project: How do the demographics of your local, state, and federal elected officials reflect or compare to the racial and gender demographics of your local community?

Students should construct a visual representation (e.g., poster, infographic, PowerPoint) including charts, tables, or other figures that illustrate how the demographics of at least 3 elected office holders and the demographics of these governing bodies (e.g., school board; city council; state legislature; congresspeople) compare to the population demographics of their local community. (See example of a table students can use to organize their research below.) Write a 1-page summary that responds to the guiding question: How do the demographics of your local, state, and federal elected officials reflect or compare to the racial and gender demographics of your local community? Does the elected leadership match the demographics of my community?

[Note: Consider that community can be defined in different ways (e.g., as city, town, neighborhood, family, or church). Teachers can allow students the flexibility to highlight the community that feels most salient to themselves as individuals, as long as they are able to quantitatively compare the demographic characteristics of their selected community to the demographics of their elected officials. For example: If a student feels that the demographics of their church prayer group represents their community best, they must be able to illustrate the racial and gender demographics of their church prayer group in order to have a numerical figure to compare against the racial and gender characteristics of current officeholders. This may require allotting extra time for students to collect data.]

1. The New American Majority: Then and Now. After students have compiled the demographic data of their communities and compared them to the demographics of at least 3 elected offices and governing bodies, have them research how the gender and racial demographics of current elected officials compare to those who have historically held that office. Create another visual representation to illustrate if, and how, the demographic face of this office has changed. Teachers can adjust the difficulty or depth of this research project by assigning a specific span of time to research (e.g., changes since the year 2000 or changes since the year 1900).

For example, in 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Latina, was elected to represent New York state’s 14th congressional district. That district had previously been occupied by Carolyn B. Maloney, from 2000-2012, and Joseph Crowley, from 2012-2018. Maloney and Crowley are both white. Students can illustrate this through graphs, charts, tables, or pictures. (Optional extension: After projects are completed, teachers can lead a discussion around how and why students chose different ways of presenting their data, and what ways of representation communicated findings most effectively.)

1. Research extension: Analysis of political ads. Have students use YouTube or the internet to look up campaign ads of 1-3 current office holders. Use the following questions to analyze the rhetoric of these campaign ads: What platforms and promises do these candidates communicate to their audience? Who is the intended audience? How are race and/or gender portrayed in the ad? Is it clear who is understood, or who gets to be understood, as an American? By what margin did this candidate win their election? Would you have voted for this candidate; why or why not?
2. Evaluation. Create a rubric to evaluate students on the readability and quality of their visual representation, and the level of critical engagement with the guiding question.

Language Learners:

• Discuss personal experiences or perceptions of obstacles to voting in the United States for English language learners. Explore obstacles that go beyond comprehension of English, including topics such as citizenship status, racialization, misinformation, intimidation/fear, distrust in the system, and prior experiences in country of origin.

Diverse Learning Spectrum:

• Pre-prepare handouts with fill-in-the-blank charts. Consider offering sentence stems and/or word banks to engage reflection on the emotional responses the film generates in students as they watch.
  For example: When Lucy McBath talked about losing her son to gun violence, it made me feel _____________ (sad / upset / angry / confused) because _______________________.
• Use metaphors such as “running in an unfair race” to discuss concepts of racism and sexism. Ask students if they have ever felt like they have been treated unfair because of their race, sex, ability, or otherwise.

Advanced/college-level extension:

Write an analysis evaluating the core arguments of the documentary, incorporating an in-depth, engaged discussion of how at least one (1) of the following scholarly concepts is at play in the film, even if not explicitly named: white supremacy; anti-blackness; misogyny (or misogynoir); feminism; terrorism; capitalism (or anti-capitalism); patriarchy; intersectionality; xenophobia.

Helpful Sources

• Ballotpedia.org: Who represents me? (website)
• Ashley D. Farmer, Remaking Black Power: How Black Women Transformed an Era, 2017 (book)
• Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, 1987 (book)
• Cherríe Moraga and Gloria Anzaldúa (Eds.), This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, 1981 (book)
• Ian Haney López, Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism and Wrecked the Middle Class, 2015 (book)
• Whose Streets? Film
• I Am Not Your Negro, film
• The origin of the term 'intersectionality' (website)
• Kimberle Crenshaw’s original 1991 article, “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color” and podcast, “Intersectionality Matters!”

Resource List

Political Organizing Movements

• The New Georgia Project: Non-partisan group featured in And She Could Be Next that directs its efforts towards registering and civically engaging the rising electorate in the state of Georgia.
• UNITE HERE!: Labor union representing workers in the U.S. and Canadian hospitality, hotel, gaming, food service, airport, textile, manufacturing, distribution, laundry, and transportation industries.
• Border Network for Human Rights: A leading immigration reform and human rights advocacy organization based in El Paso, Texas. Organizers of the “Hugs Not Walls” initiative featured in And She Could Be Next.
• Run For Something: A non-profit that encourages, recruits, and supports young people to run for office.
• Justice Democrats: Progressive Congressional caucus that supports the campaigns of candidates in primary elections who commit to holding those on top accountable to the grassroots.
• Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR): Nonprofit, grassroots civil rights and advocacy organization. America’s largest Muslim civil liberties organization.
• Alianza Nacional de Campesinas: The first national women’s farm workers’ union in the U.S. Their mission is to unify the struggle to promote farm worker women’s leadership in a national movement to create a broader visibility and advocate for changes that ensure their human rights.
• When We All Vote

Standards

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects

RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.

W.9--10.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.

W.11-12.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization and analysis of content.

SL.11--12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

SL.11--12.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.

SL.11--12.3 Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis and tone used.

Social-Emotional Learning: Core SEL Competencies

• Self-awareness: Accurately recognize one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior.
• Social awareness: Take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Responsible Decision Making: Realistically evaluate consequences of various actions, and consider the wellbeing of oneself and others.

This resource was created, in part, with the generous support of the Open Society Foundation.