Ellie Kahn
Contributing Writer
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) at The College of Wooster has been hosting a series of films focused on intersectionality and inclusion this year. Appropriately titled the “Intersectional Film Series,” CDI will be screening two films each semester that expose the student body to narratives, directors and actors that express identities typically underrepresented in mainstream culture and media.
The series began on Oct. 5 with a documentary titled “El Canto del Colibri,” a film about the relationships between Latin immigrant fathers and their family members who identify as LGBTQ+.
In November, the second installment in the series will be a showing of “Lion,” an award-winning film about a young boy that becomes lost and separated from his family in Calcutta, and is eventually adopted in Australia.
“Lion” was chosen by a group of students, and will be shown during International Education Week.
The Intersectional Film Series is being lead by Kim Green and Kendra Morehead, who work at CDI. Green serves as the program coordinator for CDI and Morehead is the assistant director of International Student Services. The two have been meeting since the beginning of the semester to discuss and plan the intricacies of the series.
Primarily, CDI focuses on providing support to students at Wooster whose intersectional identities are often underrepresented. This is done through tactics such as collaboration, advocacy and education; the existence of the Intersectional Film Series is an example of that.
This year specifically, CDI will be focusing on “working with students to discover the intersections of self-identity through reflection and interaction,” according to Green.
When asked about the goal of the film series, Green replied that overall, “Our goal is that students of various identities and experiences will understand the difficulties of navigating multiple barriers of isolation.”
“The series itself highlights a set of experiences that are often invisible in our society, even in conversations about diversity: that being intersectionality. This series equally provides representation for those who may not often see their multiple experiences reflected in our society,” she elaborated.
Green noted that these spaces, geared towards those with intersectional identities, are a way of providing vital representation that is often not found within our culture. All students are encouraged and welcomed to attend the film screenings.
CDI works to host a number of events, trainings, services trips and dialogues related to all matters of identity, intersectionality and inclusion.
Those with questions, either about the Intersectional Film Series or about CDI in general, are encouraged to stop by the offices in Babcock. Additionally, keep an eye out for the upcoming installations in this transformative film series.