She’s Got Game

She’s Got Game Synopsis

This film exposes the underfunding and inequity young female athletes face throughout their time in school.

About She’s Got Game Youth Filmmakers

Marisela Lopez (17 years old) is passionate about films and creating meaningful films that will touch and impact others. She was raised in Southeast Los Angeles, the youngest of three, to parents who immigrated from Mexico. From a young age, she understood that life will be tough because of her parent’s immigration status. However, this inspired her to grow her awareness and education in social and political issues plaguing the world.

Adriana Mendoza (14 years old) enjoys creative expression through the medium of fashion, writing, music, painting, and drawing. Sarcasm comes naturally to her, and she is drawn to the colour green due to its calming influence on her. Laughter is her best trait.

Sissi Rivas (18 years old) lives in South Central where she experiences both delight and fear – delight because her neighborhood gives her a dream and inspires her to become a better person, and fear because she has witnessed so much violence in her local streets. Her parents came from El Salvador believing they will experience a better life, but reality does not always match expectations. Sissi is using the Girls’ Voices Now to speak about her experiences as well as those of others. As a recent graduate, she will use her camera – a graduation gift from her older brother – to create photography and short films.

Film Screening Guide

PRE-FILM REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Do you think girls and boys sports teams have access to the same resources?
• Did you know that female professional athletes are not treated equally as male athletes? Why do you think that is so?
• Have you ever been discouraged from playing a sport because of your gender? How did it make you feel?
• Why do you think it’s important to talk about the inequalities women face in sports and athletics?

POST-FILM DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• If girls’ sports teams were better funded, what impact do you think that would have on younger generations?
• Siouxsie, Blanca, and Gabby explain that they do not get the publicity they would want for their high school sports teams, and that they want to change that. Why is this happening to young female athletes and how can this be changed?
• Sports play a significant role in the three young girls’ lives. Taking from their stories, why is it so important to encourage young girls to play sports? What does it add to their life experience?
• Siouxsie, Blanca, and Gabby want more support in their games. Why is it important for every female sports team to receive support in games?

CALLS TO ACTION:

1. SHARE THIS CAMPAIGN, copy/paste:

• On Twitter and Facebook

  #SHESGOTGAME Watch a film by #femaleyouth about #youngfemaleathletes, #lowfunding and #inequity Go from #empathytoaction #supportfemaleathletes! #FundingforFemaleSports #HERo #thefutureisfemale #girlsvoicesnow #womensvoicesnow #bethechange @WomensVoicesNow https://bit.ly/2kwMVm1

  On Instagram

  #SHESGOTGAME Watch a film by #femaleyouth about #youngfemaleathletes #lowfunding and #inequity Go from #empathytoaction and #supportfemaleathletes! #FundingforFemaleSports #HERo #thefutureisfemale #girlsvoicesnow #womensvoicesnow #bethechange @Womens_Voices_Now https://bit.ly/2kwMVm1

2. HOST A SCREENING of this film using this screening guide.

3. SIGN OUR PETITION!

4. START A CONVERSATION on this topic with: Students, coaches, teachers, parents, principals, and school administration.

• ASK: Are they aware of the unfairness?
• ASK: a friend who is a young female athlete how they feel about the issue and how you can help make it better.

5. CONTACT your school’s parent council and school board leaders. Go to your school district’s website and locate the contact info of the school board and/or parent council.

6. EMAIL YOUR SCHOOL COACHES:

• Ask for them to be an adult advocate in the fight to end the inequity and underfunding that girls’ sports teams face.

7. ATTEND a female sport games at your school.

8. PUBLICIZE girls’ sports teams (games, events, etc.) at your school:

• Make posters, spread the word, ask the office to announce games over intercom, etc.

9. FUNDRAISE

• Bake cookies, wash cars, sell lemonade. Try your very hardest to raise money for the girls’ sports activities.

10. Check out the resources in the list below.

RESOURCES

• Organizations and Events to check out:

  • Women’s Sports Foundation

  Instagram : @womenssportsfoundation

  Email: 

  • Women Sports Film Festival

  Instagram : @womensportsfilm

  Email: 

  Reading Materials

  • Edsource: Do girls have access to team sports? Many California schools aren’t telling, despite law, by Jane Meredith Adams.
  • Women’s Sports Foundation: Mythbusting: What Every Female Athlete Should Know!
  • Modern Wellness Guide: The Importance of Sports in Girl’s Developments

If you have used this Film Screening Guide, let us know!

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