12 Years a Slave

For my first blog of the second semester, I went to a public screening of "12 Years a Slave" at the Edgewater Library on February 5, 2015. It's an adaptation of the 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup and it was the first time I had ever seen the film. Although the screening was taking place in a small intimate area, by the time I arrived it was packed. The audience ranged from adolescents like myself to the elderly. The film is about how during the years before the Civil War, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. Northup worked on plantations in the state of Louisiana for 12 years before his release. However, the time in which he was a slave was one filled with cruelties and hardships, where he not only suffered but he had to watch as those around him suffered the same fate. From watching the film, my impression was that it was impactful, powerful, and amazing. As I joined the identity group, the question that lingered in my head was "what is the relationship between identity and justice in America." Instantly I can think of the evolution of injustice from the past until now. The film clearly shows the inequalities that were prevalent such as slavery and the immense amount of deaths in the African American community. Although we as a country have made progress in terms of abolishing slavery and attempting to give other groups of people equal rights, there is still an immense amount of work to be done. Today, there is still conflicts regarding police brutality and the fact that racism and discrimination is still present. You clearly see that in a city like Chicago, since it’s one of the most segregated cities. With each neighborhood you pass by, there is a clear distinction when it comes to race, skin, and socioeconomic class. Minorities still have to fight in order to obtain the same rights that White people were granted with. However, when it all comes down to it I intend on fighting for those people and ensuring that their voices are heard. Like in the film, good should always prevail and the only way that this is possible is by fighting against the evilness spread out and uniting together to protest. I was glad I got to explore the Edgewater neighborhood and finally see such a good film. Like they say, better late than never!