The Alexandria Film Festival’s May online film screening, “Running with My Girls,” chronicles the journey of five diverse female activists who decide to run for municipal office in Denver.
It begins when Shontel Lewis wins a transit board seat, inspiring four women who worked on her campaign – Dr. Lisa Calderón, Candi CdeBaca, Shayla Richard, and Veronica Barela – to make the unusual decision to run as a cohort. They quickly realize that in politics, large sums of money can convince voters to overlook scandals, empty promises, and shallow relationships with the community.
With only a fraction of the funds of their incumbent opponents, the women tirelessly knock doors, make calls, and rely on each other to power their grassroots campaigns. Using an intimate and unfiltered style to tell each candidate’s story, filmmaker Rebekah Henderson honestly portrays the challenges faced by political outsiders, particularly women of color, while also revealing their tenacious commitment to justice and democracy.
Ultimately, “Running with My Girls” is a lesson about an engaged community outrunning the deep pockets of the political establishment and a demonstration that building a new kind of political power is not just aspirational but possible.
The film is available for $15 beginning Monday, May 16, at 7pm at our Eventive site: https://watch.eventive.org/alexfilmsthatmatter/play/62759c5622c39000363349eb.
Watch the trailer below: