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Parents' Guide to

We Are the Radical Monarchs

By Ashley Moulton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Docu about girls' social justice troop inspires all ages.

Movie NR 2019 95 minutes
We Are the Radical Monarchs Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • We Are the Radical Monarchs Movie: A group of Radical Monarchs in brown vests and berets raising their fists and smiling
  • We Are the Radical Monarchs Movie: Two tween girls in brown vests and berets, one of whom is raising a hand
  • We Are the Radical Monarchs Movie: A whiteboard with a lesson on "Pride", including the LGBTQ acronym

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What's the Story?

WE ARE THE RADICAL MONARCHS is a documentary about a Girl Scouts-esque troop in Oakland, California, where Black and Latina girls earn badges for skills like "#BlackLivesMatter" and "Radical Beauty." The documentary focuses on Radical Monarch founders Anayvette Martinez and Marilyn Hollinquest as they run their troop and try to expand the organization into something larger. It shows them teaching units to the 8- to 13-year-old Monarchs around LGBTQ+ issues, Black Lives Matter, activism, disability, and body image. The Monarchs attend the Trans March, the Women's March protesting President Trump's inauguration, and an Oakland City Council meeting to speak about rent protection. Current event news stories of 2015–2016 are woven throughout the story of the Monarchs for context, including stories about deaths protested by the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2016 election. The film climaxes with an uplifting trip to California's capitol building to speak to legislators, and with seeing several older girls graduate from the Radical Monarchs.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This documentary is inspiring and thought-provoking for kids and adults alike. Kids, especially girls, will enjoy seeing their peers unafraid to speak up for what they believe in. By watching the Radical Monarchs leaders teach their troop members, grown-ups can see great examples of how to talk about tough issues to kids in an age-appropriate way. The adults and kids featured in We Are the Radical Monarchs are excellent strong female role models, and kids with an interest in activism will be particularly into this documentary.

The parts that focus on the troop leaders' struggles to organize, fund, and expand the Monarchs may seem less relevant to kids, but the film is likely to inspire questions from kids about how they can be activists for causes they believe in, and from adults about how they can raise activist kids engaged in social justice issues. Ideally, parents and kids could watch this documentary together, as there are a lot of difficult subjects that the film explores that might lead to tough but important questions.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the girls in We Are the Radical Monarchs are learning about things that are unfair and then trying to change them. It takes a lot of courage to speak up for what's right, especially when you're a kid. What are some things in the world your family would like to change? How can you start?

  • The Radical Monarchs are all about making sure people are treated fairly and speaking the truth even if it's uncomfortable. What were all the times you saw the Monarchs acting with integrity in the film?

  • The Radical Monarchs showed excellent communication skills through protests and speaking with legislators. What are some ways you could communicate your ideas about important issues?

  • The Monarchs are a great example of teamwork: They accomplish a lot more as a group than any one girl could by herself. How could you work as a team to change something in your community?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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