By Keerthana Balakrishnan

On Saturday, February 20th, the members of SAYAA, The South Asian Youth Activists & Allies at ISW,  hosted a movie night for the film, 13th. This powerful movie discusses the history of racial inequality in the United States, especially focusing on the African American community disproportionately placed in the nation's prison system. Ava DuVernay, the director of the 13th, created this documentary with a powerful look into how the modern-day prison labor system links to slavery. 13th  discusses America's 150-year history of race, imprisonment, and minority disempowerment. Especially during Black History Month, this film allows us to learn and understand how we can use our resources to help aid racial equity efforts.

Prior to the movie night, SAYAA invited those attending and others  to donate to groups including the Boys and Girls Club of Worcester (https://www.bgcworcester.org/). Donating supports those who are disproportionately impacted by economic downturns, and even a small donation will make a huge difference. Along with this movie night, SAYAA had been encouraging many to donate throughout the month of February and the link to donate will be closed on March 7th.

Although Black History Month may be coming to an end, it does not mean reflecting on the injustices do as well. No matter who you are, it is our job to stay aware of current events and speak up for those who do not have the voice to do it for themselves. SAYAA is committed to speaking up against racial inequality, beginning a dialogue, while also increasing our own self-reflection of the role South Asian communities can play in supporting social justice and promoting activism to combat such trends.