A group of tween girls chant into megaphones, marching in the San Francisco TransMarch. Holding clenched fists high, they wear brown berets and vests showcasing colorful badges like “Black Lives Matter” and “Radical Beauty.” Meet the Radical Monarchs, a group of young girls of color at the front lines of social justice.

Set in Oakland, a city with a deep history of social justice movements, WE ARE THE RADICAL MONARCHS documents the Radical Monarchs -- an alternative to the Scout movement for girls of color, aged 8-13. Its members earn badges for completing units on social justice including being an LGBTQ+ ally, the environment, and disability justice. The group was started by two, fierce, queer women of color, Anayvette Martinez and Marilyn Hollinquest as a way to address and center her daughter's experience as a young brown girl. Their work is anchored in the belief that adolescent girls of color need dedicated spaces and that the foundation for this innovative work must also be rooted in fierce inter-dependent sisterhood, self-love, and hope.

The film follows the first troop of Radical Monarchs for over three years, until they graduate, and documents the Co-Founders struggle to respond to the needs of communities across the US and grow the organization after the viral explosion of interest in the troop’s mission to create and inspire a new generation of social justice activists.

The expected outcome for this lesson plan is students will learn about the herstory of Radical Monarchs and can pull inspiration on how to strategize and cultivate hope in an ever pressing doom & gloom political climate.

A Note from Curriculum Creators Anayvette Martinez & Marilyn Hollinquest

In 2014 when we launched Radical Monarchs, we never imagined we’d spark a movement (or have a film crew follow us for 3 years to make a documentary)! As queer women of color, our herstories are often invisiblized or omitted so we are honored that this film has made it possible to archive our story and lift up the power of centering young girls of color in social justice activism work. In Radical Monarchs we believe that no issue or topic is too big to discuss with our Monarchs. Adults often underestimate the power ofyoung people. Radical Monarchs believe in creating a space where young people’s experiences are centered, no question is too big, and they are a part of creating actionable solutions to empower themselves and their communities. As Cofounders we felt compelled to create this lesson plan as a way to connect our vision to the kind of world we all deserve as seen by viewers of the documentary across classrooms, homes and community centers. The issues rooted in this film are: Social Justice, Feminism, LGBTQ, Allyship, Racism, Gentrification and Empowerment.

A Note to Teachers

Teachers, it is important for you to do a quick word association or brainstorm with your students to see what characteristics of people (age, gender, race, class, ability) your students consider when they hear the following descriptions: protestors, leaders, teachers. Call attention to any patterns you notice as they describe their ideas of what leaders look like and have a conversation where you wonder why? Please remind your students to keep track of what surprised them as they watched the film. Remind them to keep an open mind to all of the topics presented in the film, because many of the topics discussed in the film may be new or different.

Teachers it is also essential that you familiarize yourself with “Intersectionality” and “Intersectional Feminism”, coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw. Below are some resources to help you understand this concept:

• Kimberlé Crenshaw: What is Intersectionality? (YouTube Video)
• Kimberlé Crenshaw at Ted + Animation (YouTube Video)
• 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!”

Subject Areas:

• Social Studies
• Ethnic Studies
• History
• Civics
• Political Science
• Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

Grade Levels: 6-12

Objectives:

In this lesson, students will:

• Assess and evaluate why the need for girls of color spaces are needed and powerful
• Identify and discuss the importance and impact of youth leadership
• Define Intersectional Feminism and name how the Radical Monarchs practice this concept
• Discuss the role fierce sisterhood and community building has in movement building
• Exhibit, engage, and hone active listening skills

Materials:

• Film clips and equipment to project/screen the film clips
• Chart Paper
• Markers
• Pens/Pencils
• Half sheets of lined paper

Time Needed:

Four 60-minute class periods to watch the film and complete the activities.

Clip 1: Why Girls of Color? (24:12-27:59, length: 3:47 min.)

The clip begins at 24:12 minutes with FOX News covering the story on the Radical Monarchs and ends at 27:59 with De’Yani talking about doing more than selling cookies.

We find out that Radical Monarchs receive a backlash of negative media attention following their activism and participation around the Black Lives Matter movement. The group endures threats and name-calling while Monarchs and a Monarch parent talk about the power of having a space that centers young girls of color and their experiences.

Clip 2: Intersectional Feminism (1:18:35 - 1:20:05, length 1:30 min.)

The clip begins at 1:18:26 with a helicopter in the sky then the camera pans to a huge crowd of people waiting for the women's march to start. The clip ends with Radical Monarchs and their families gathering in a huddle and putting their hands in the middle.

Marilyn Hollinquest, one of the co-founders of the Radical Monarchs, is yelling a call and response chant out to the Radical Monarchs as they hold a banner during the women’s march. Two Radical Monarchs are seen holding signs that say #NotMyPresident and #ThisMonarchGrabsBack. The Radical Monarchs chant “When Black Lives are under attack, what do we do, fight back, fight back”.

Clip 3: Monarchs Take On State Capitol (1:21:36 - 1:27:21, length 6:00 min.)

The clip begins at 1:21:36 with a Radical Monarch troop meeting about their new badge & unit “Radical Advocacy” and ends at 1:27:21 with an image of the new “Radical Advocacy” badge being placed on a Radical Monarch vest.

The Radical Monarchs begin to embark on their last badge entitled “Radical Advocacy”. As a part of this badge/unit, Monarchs choose 3 issues that are affecting them and their communities to discuss with legislators at the California State Capitol. Once at the Capitol, Monarchs meet with legislators and share their concerns and ideas for policy changes and are inspired about their futures in political office.

(60 MIN. approximately)

Working definition of Intersectional Feminism (25 min.)

1. Before class starts, write the definition of intersectionality and the definition for intersectional feminism on the board or chart paper and cover it up with a piece of paper so it is ready to go when you begin to do this activity:
   1. Intersectionality: The layers of oppression that affect people differently based on the specific combination of their identities
      1. Tell students that they will be watching a short video with examples of what Intersectionality means.
      2. Have students watch this Teaching Tolerance video on “Intersectionality” https://youtu.be/w6dnj2IyYjE (3:30 min.)
   2. Intersectional Feminism: Understanding how women of color experience unfairness because of a combination of identities based on things like race, gender, class, citizenship status
2. Pass out half sheets of lined paper and a pen or pencil to your students.
3. Review these questions and tell students they will be re-watching a film clip so they can answer these questions:
   1. What intersecting identities are highlighted in this clip?
   2. What do the fight for Women’s RIghts and the Black Lives Matter movement have in common?
4. Have students re-watch Clip 2 (“Intersectional Feminism”).
5. Have students:
   1. Think: Have students think about their answers and write it down on a piece of paper.
   2. Pair: Have students share their answers with one other person.
   3. Popcorn Share: Ask 3 pairs to share out their answers to the question.
6. Connect the dots:
   1. Ask students to think about the 2 social identity groups they are a part of based on race and gender. Ask 2-3 students to share their answer with the larger group.
   2. Highlight that the Radical Monarchs are at the women’s march and saying a Black Lives Matter chant because these issues are connected. For example, Black women are not just women -- they are also Black and, therefore, they should not have to pick one identity to fight for. The Radical Monarchs believe that all fights for equal rights should be fought for simultaneously.

Create a Radical Badge based on an issue important to your communities (30 min.)

1. Have students count off so you have mixed groups of 4.
2. Have students watch Clip 1 (“Why Girls of Color?”) & Clip 3 (“Monarchs Take On State Capitol”).
3. After watching the clips, ask students:
   1. What issues are the Radical Monarchs committed to (i.e., Immigration, Police Brutality, Gentrification)?
   2. Do you have any evidence (from the film) to support that the Radical Monarchs are fighting for issues that are important to their communities (i.e., attending marches, talking to legislators, earning badges)?
   3. In what ways will the issues these young women are fighting for impact their lives? In what ways will transforming these issues impact the lives of others?
4. Have each group answer the question below:
   1. Go Around: Take some time to consider your community. What is an important issue affecting your community (i.e., Gentrification, Litter, Pollution, Food Scarcity)?
   2. In what ways does this impact your community, and who specifically in your community is impacted the most?
5. Give students the Radical Badge Snapshot Template (see page 10).
   1. Print Page 12 and pass out Snapshot to students.
   2. Each Radical Badge must have all of the elements noted in the template:
      1. Three to Four Goals
      2. One Grounding Session
      3. Three Experiential Activities
      4. One Badge Awards Ceremony
6. Create a badge/unit based on one issue your group chooses. The issue should be based on something the group cares about or is a pressing issue in their own community.
7. Ask students:
   1. What activities and learning experiences will be a part of earning this badge (i.e., workshops, guest speakers, field trips)?
   2. How will you create an element of action/empowerment (i.e., rally, project, event)?
8. Design the Radical Badge and badge name based on the issue being addressed (i.e., Food Justice, Radical Reproductive Justice). Capture this all on a blank piece of poster paper.
9. Ask students: Who will come and celebrate/witness the achievement (i.e., Families, Friends, Elders)?
10. Have small groups share out their badge design and outline for a new Radical Badge.

Resources

Political Organizing Movements

• Black Lives Matter Movement

https://blacklivesmatter.com/

A nonprofit that fights against violence inflicted on Black communities by the state & vigilantes.

• El/La Para Trans Latinas

http://ellaparatranslatinas.yolasite.com/mission.php

A nonprofit that fights for the rights of Trans Latinas and provides resources for them to thrive.

• Girl Trek
  
  https://www.girltrek.org/

A public health non-profit for African American women and girls that organizes walking teams to mobilize monthly advocacy efforts and lead a civil rights-inspired health movement.

• Poder SF

https://www.podersf.org/

Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Justice (PODER) is a grassroots organization that works to create people-powered solutions to the profound environmental and economic inequities facing low-income Latino immigrants and other communities of color in San Francisco.

• Outdoor Afro

https://outdoorafro.com/

A nonprofit organization that focuses on connecting Black people to the outdoors.

Further Education

• Intersectionality Matters! Podcast

A podcast hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw that explores intersectionality by examining the works of leading activists, artists, and scholars; discussing hidden dimensions of contemporary events; and helping listeners understand politics, the law, social movements, and their lives in more nuanced ways.

Standards

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

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7

Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

Writers

Marilyn Hollinquest
Co-Founder of the Radical Monarchs

Anayvette Martinez

Co-Founder of the Radical Monarchs

Lesson Plan Producers, POV

Chrissy Griesmer
POV Engage Intern

Courtney Cook
Education Manager

Thanks to those who reviewed this resource:

Rachel Friedland
POV, Senior Associate, Programs & Engagement

A co-presentation of:

• Latino Public Broadcasting
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting

The creation of POV’s Education Resources is made possible by the generous support of theOpen Society Foundation.