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In recent years, female politicians have been speaking up more and making their voices heard. But these strong women still face challenges that their male counterparts don’t. And the documentary Represent takes a look at three different politicians and their battles to be heard and to make a difference in their community.
Represent follows the stories of three women running for different offices in different Midwestern states. Julie Cho is a Korean Republican running for State Representative in a primarily Democratic suburb of Chicago. Myya Jones is a young African-American woman fighting her way into the mayoral race in Detroit. And Bryn Bird is a Democratic produce farmer running for Township Trustee in the small rural town of Granville, Ohio. And as the three women find themselves facing challenges because of their gender and race, they also work to find their voice.
The subjects of the film are very different women from very different communities in very different races—but as they canvas and shake hands and reach out to the voters, they all offer their own kind of inspiration. And though the more personal aspects of their stories are kept until a little too late in the film, viewers will connect with all three.
Myya is a young woman with a difficult past. She’s smart and outspoken and maybe a little green, but her perspective and passion are refreshing—as is her desire to step up and be the change that the city needs.
Julie has always been skeptical of the political system—of the corruption and the games—and that definitely makes her an unlikely candidate. But even though she’s a Korean woman and a Republican in a community of white Democrats, she feels the need to make a difference—and her determination in the face of challenges from her own party make her inspiring.
Bryn definitely has a fire for politics. She’s a young mother of two little girls, and she’s busy caring for her children, her ailing mother, and the family farm—but she wants to help her community. And though she’s discounted because she’s young and a woman—and though her business takes a hit because of her political stance—she wants to be a part of the decision-making process.
Win or lose, these women—along with many others like them—are stepping up and inspiring more to do the same. And the film gives them—and the challenges they encounter—some much-needed exposure.
Though the film only has time to explore these stories on the surface, these diverse women and their campaigns make for a fascinating look inside the political process for first-time politicians. And their stories may inspire you to take a closer look at the issues and the candidates before voting this fall.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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