Alternative Media: Knowledge is Power

I think most of us can agree that when it comes to women and minorities, the media kind of sucks. When looking at various media sources, I think it is important to be eclectic with what you take in. To be informed in whatever way, it is imperative to look at different perspectives, which includes stepping outside of the box. This is one of the reasons alternative media is vital.  

Waiting to Exhale

In Making Movie Magic, Bell Hooks points out some hard, but true facts about film and our desire to watch it.  When you sit and think about wanting to go see movies, the idea is to our bogged down minds something else to think about. We like sitting in the theater to be entertained and to escape from our daily lives. But, Ms. Hooks points out that although this maybe true, we also go to maybe learn something. This idea is scary because then what that means is watching movies or television shows influences our ideas about society.  “Whether we like it or not, cinema assumes a pedagogical role in the lives of many. It may not be the intent of the filmmaker to teach audiences anything, but that does not mean that lessons are not learned. It has only been in the last ten years or so that I began to realize that my students learned more about race, sex and class from movies from all the theoretical literature I was urging them to read.”  The scary question is how much are the ideas and visions of filmmakers influencing our perceptions of people? 

I found myself appreciating Art and Activism by Catherine Saalfield. When people take something they are passionate about and provide away way for others to see their perspective, it allows society to learn.  If media is a heavy influence in our identity, which it can be, then why not be open to other forms of media there are. I am a big believer in alternative news sources and independent films. I really try to read or watch media that is opposing to my viewpoints. I don’t want another rich white man to tell me what I should know about the world.

I am a big social media person. I generally get my news from either Facebook or Twitter and every once in a while, blogs. That is how I came across the blog, Feministing.org. This blog is on the top 100 female blog list and although it is very, very left wing, I read it to learn.  Their writers are all women and many of them are minorities. And even though I really, strongly oppose their approach to Middle East politics, I appreciate their approach to immigration. Last month, they highlighted a campaign called #ImHere. The premise of the campaign is to bring focus to an issue that many immigrant women have faced here in America. Yes, ideally, it would be great for people to immigrate to America legally. Unfortunately, for many nationalities, it is very difficult to become a resident or citizen. Coming from Texas, I am all too familiar with this. I know families who have come here illegally to leave Mexico because of the drug cartel and crime, but struggle to keep their families together. If a mother gives birth to her child here, but gets deported, what happens to the child? It is a harsh reality and a very sad one. 

Without alternative media sources, we will continue to get information from the same people saying the same thing.  If Bell Hooks is right in her approach to the idea of us somewhat being educated by the films or media we take in, then why not be aware and learn as much as we can.