Creatively Speaking: A Legacy of Advocacy
Miranda Gilbert, Contributor @ Media x Women
Michelle Materre’s impact on the filmmaking and media industry is underscored by her unwavering commitment to championing works made by and about women and people of color. Michelle’s ability to shift the paradigm is highlighted by the film series Creatively Speaking. Started over 25 years ago, Creatively Speaking curates a selection of films that highlight women and people of color, presenting the works of students, artists, and activists, bringing communities together in service to a larger, more expansive goal to change cultural narratives. The series continues to thrive, offering screenings of the films it is highlighting to open doors for important conversations about representation and equality in the film and media industries.
Acknowledging Michelle’s position and status as an outspoken advocate for women in the media industry, we celebrate her unmatched ability to create and promote works by and for women. Her critically acclaimed film, Black Women in Medicine, follows the stories of women of color who were and continue to be discounted and looked over on account of their gender and race. The film honors and uplifts these women, highlighting their excellence and skills in the medical and surgical fields. The film provides women and young girls with the representation they so desperately need and deserve and stands to show its viewers that their gender or race should not stop them from reaching for the stars.
Michelle’s other film and media endeavors further highlight her commitment to being a force for change in her industry. As a two-time recipient of the Film Heritage award, The National Society of Film Critics has endorsed Michelle’s ability to tell stories that highlight the women and communities that deserve more attention than we give them.
As a professor at The New School, Michelle carried her passion for advocacy with her into the classroom. Her courses on race, ethnicity, and class in media and film distribution in new media highlighted her personal experiences in the industry and provided students with deeply insightful thoughts and comments about the impact of race and gender in the media industry.
It is with great sadness that we recognize Michelle’s passing in March of 2022. The legacy of work that she has done as a filmmaker and creative and as a professor at The New School will live on through our memory of the effect that she had on our community.