Grace Bogg Essay

What does it mean to be an American activist in modern day society? In the Netflix original documentary, “American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs,” a ninety-eight year-old Chinese American woman living in Detroit shows what it’s like being a true devoted revolutionist. This film really grasps Boggs’s attitude and character and viewers are able to see that through her passionate teachings of her ideals and beliefs. Director Grace Lee, who isn’t related to Grace Lee Boggs, chose to make a documentary that captures a social activist and philosopher with a radical Marxist past that has been through decades of struggle. The purpose of this film was clear from the start: to dig deep into Boggs’s day-to-day life by directly watching

Being an Asian female watching something like this made me really think about the unnecessary limitations that we automatically put on ourselves. Grace Boggs’s is out there in Detroit, challenging people’s ideas, teaching in a classroom, and having people visit her everyday just to talk about her preaching’s. The opening to the movie is what really got me thinking-it’s the scene of her present day self, which shows her full of white hair and wrinkles, walking down with a stretcher on the streets of Detroit. Through out the whole movie there are many flashbacks that include pictures and scenes of her younger self doing exactly what she’s doing now: changing people’s lives. It’s inspiring to see that even though she has changed physically and have aged quite a lot, she’s still passionate about her teachings and beliefs. Her mind is still so strong and full of ideas even though her outer appearance may not show up to par. Even though she’s old, she’s still able to challenge people about their ideas and make them think and even give them books to read at the end of their conversations. Personally, I never knew how much one person can experience in their lifetime and not only living an ordinarily one but to actively make a difference and take a big part of the American Revolution. It’s really inspiring to take a step back and watching something like this because