Nermin’s Testimonial on NO! A Documentary on Violence Against Women
April 22, 2008
“The NO! documentary is a powerful account which shows once again how patriarchy exerts its domination across racial, class, national, religious etc. boundaries. I think this movie has a message for everybody, no matter what background she/he comes from. The movie taught me how to say No!. Thank you, Aishah!”
Nermin, Albania
Beverly McPhail’s Testimonial on NO! The Rape Documentary
April 15, 2008
“Aishah Simmons spoke to our campus (University of Houston) and the larger Houston community and screened her film, NO!. The film was powerfully received and the subsequent question and answer period was quite moving as men spontaneously stood up to say they would look at women with new respect and appreciation and women who had been one-time victims and now survivors spoke of the validation that they felt seeing the film. The audience was not only moved emotionally, but felt moved to action, to change communities and get the word out that sexual violence against women must stop. No one left the auditorium unchanged. Ms. Simmons’ film examines the intersections of race, gender, class, and sexual identity on the topic of sexual violence, unlike any other film I have seen on the subject. The film is enhanced by Ms. Simmons’ introduction and fielding of quesitons. She is truly a remarkable and talented filmmaker and activist.”
Beverly McPhail, Ph.D., LMSW, Director, Women’s Resource Center
University of Houston
Rebecca Spellmeyer | Ms. Heartland US Testimonial on NO! The Rape Documentary
April 6, 2008
“As a survivor of rape myself I found [NO!] to be very powerful and thought provoking. I am truly blessed to have been able to see a screening of this film and meet the wonderful woman that made this film possible.”
Rebecca Spellmeyer, Ms. Heartland US
Vanessa L. Malcarne’s Testimonial on NO!
March 24, 2008
“NO! is a thoughtful and thought-provoking documentary that powerfully expresses the complexities of sexual violence within the Black community. NO! prompts viewers to question longheld assumptions about women’s experiences of and responses to sexual violence, but then moves beyond that to explicitly challenge viewers to take action and break the silence that has allowed sexual violence to devastate individuals and communities. Watching this excellent documentary is a powerful and somewhat painful experience, but one that ultimately leaves viewers informed and empowered. I selected NO! as a featured film for the 2008 Association for Women in Psychology film festival, because of its focus on women, social justice, and activism, because it’s an outstanding film, and because I knew that it would have a powerful impact on the audience. People are still talking about it!”
Vanessa L. Malcarne, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology,
San Diego State University
Organizer of the Association for Women in Psychology’s Film Festival for 2008
Tamara K. Nopper’s Testimonial on NO!
March 20, 2008
“When I attended a fundraising event for NO! in New York several years ago, I watched an African American woman scholar artistically explore her survival of sexual assault. As a graduate student who has spent most of my professional life in academia, I had by that time observed how badly Black women are treated at all levels of the university. And I knew that this treatment was not isolated to academic spaces. Having seen, listened, and read about how Black women are racistly and sexistly perceived by men, women, and children of all races and sexualities, I was familiar with many of the themes in NO! Perhaps this is why I had such an emotional political response to watching this Black woman scholar talk about her sexual assault. I knew it was a great risk for her to draw attention to how she was attacked when racist and sexist imagery of Black women declares that they are unable to be violated because they are supposedly over-sexual. And having been in front of a classroom myself, I know that students pick you apart, watch your body, and judge you at every turn. Most students evaluate non-white teachers–and particularly Black teachers–with no remorse, and often in sexualized ways. So to watch a Black woman scholar demand documentation of her pain, to draw attention to her body, to tell her side of the story was simply…everything in the world. This is what NO! does: along with sharing the powerful stories of those in the film, it creates a space for those of us watching it to locate ourselves. In the process, NO! forces you on an emotional and political roller coaster ride. In my case, I left that fundraiser knowing I could no longer act as if what I knew I did not know, and what I saw I did not see. That’s perhaps the most beautiful and scary part of viewing NO!–once you watch it, there is no turning back.”
Tamara K. Nopper, educator and writer
Booklist Reviews NO! A Documentary On Sexual Assault
March 11, 2008
“This DVD helps raise awareness about sexual assault and violence. Especially useful for counselors working with high school and college students facing similar pressures and situations.”
Booklist
David Naguib Pellow’s Testimonial On NO! A Documentary On Sexual Assault
March 10, 2008
“NO! is a force to be reckoned with. This film’s message is painful yet soothing, terrifying yet somehow comforting. NO! speaks truths that are unsettling but ultimately crucial for all of us to hear and know if we are to continue sharing this fragile world of ours. I will make sure that my son studies and absorbs the wisdom and hopeful vision within this wonderful work of art. Simmons has offered us a gift of immeasurable value.”
David Naguib Pellow, Professor of Ethnic Studies,
University of California, San Diego
Clarence Lusane’s Testimonial On NO! A Documentary On Sexual Assault
March 10, 2008
“No man who watches this film – men with sisters, daughters, mothers, lovers – can leave not feeling a greater sense of responsibility to confront this issue.”
Clarence Lusane, Professor of Modern Political Movement,
School of International Service, American University
Amnesty International, French Section’s Testimonial On NO! A Documentary On Sexual Assault
March 10, 2008
“[Aishah Shahidah Simmons'] political and artistic approach which questions at the same time the oppression of race, sex, gender, and class seems relevant to make visible, at all levels and mainly in the African American community, the violence against [Black] women, lesbians, and girls.”
Amnesty International, French Section
Thema Bryant-Davis’ Testimonial On NO! A Documentary On Sexual Assault
March 10, 2008
“I recommend this film to any community agency or institute of higher learning that understands the importance of social justice, compassion, and education.”
Thema Bryant-Davis, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist and Author,
Thriving in the Wake of Trauma: A Multicultural Guide
Subscribe To Our Blog | Get It In Your Reader
-
Translator
-
What AfroLez Is Doing
