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Loretta Ross, Professor and Activist

From Pain to Purpose (Season Two) - Available 12/30/24

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Loretta Ross, Professor and Activist - From Pain to Purpose (Season Two) - Available 12/30/24 - Lessons - Life Stories Interviews

"Hope is not an option if you do human rights work, it's a necessity." - Loretta Ross, The Thread

Loretta Ross is a survivor of childhood sexual assault who transformed her personal trauma into a lifelong commitment to keeping other women safe from harm. She helped create the very concept of “reproductive justice,” a cause that remains central to her life’s work as an activist and now as a professorr at Smith College.

 

Watch "From Pain to Purpose"  - Available 12/30/24

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Lesson Objectives

Social Studies

* Reflect on the role sharing personal experiences, and narratives inform and shape the understanding of social issues and change

* Define reproductive justice and the concept of intersectionality

* Explore the importance of mental health care as it pertains to social movements and activism

* Expand their understanding of what it takes to build movements

English Language Arts Focus

* Evaluate how Loretta Ross uses personal stories to convey complex social issues

* Analyze the structure and purpose of a narrative, identify key themes, and synthesize information from a spoken text

* Analyze, reflect on, and discuss the title of the episode “From Pain to Purpose”

* Explore the idea of purposeful work and a meaningful life

Social Emotional Learning: By offering engaging personal narratives, students can discuss and strengthen the five SEL competencies - self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

Media Literacy: Students will practice media literacy skills by analyzing information, points of view, and claims made in The Thread and be able to translate these strategies with all forms of media to make more informed decisions.

Loretta Ross, Professor and Activist - From Pain to Purpose (Season Two) - Available 12/30/24 - Lessons - Life Stories Interviews

First Take >

The “First Take” activity is a warm-up writing or conversation exercise created uniquely for The Thread to strengthen media literacy skills. Like an opening song in a musical, the first stanza of a poem, or even the first impression one person makes on another, the “First Take” asks students to reflect and share their initial thoughts and feelings about the episode’s opening and why the filmmaker and editor made these choices.

Download Loretta Ross’s lesson to access her “First Take” activity.

Loretta Ross, Professor and Activist - From Pain to Purpose (Season Two) - Available 12/30/24 - Lessons - Life Stories Interviews

The Thread Up Close >

After watching the interview, students will debrief and discuss the life story and engage in a close read and analysis of her interview using the “From Pain to Purpose” episode and transcript.

In this lesson, the suggested close read connects with the theme of hope and its role in social activism and mental wellness.

Download the lesson to access “The Thread Up Close” activity.

Loretta Ross, Professor and Activist - From Pain to Purpose (Season Two) - Available 12/30/24 - Lessons - Life Stories Interviews

"From Pain to Purpose" >

Loretta Ross believes we have a better chance of building the power that we need by transitioning from a “call out cancel culture” into a culture of “calling in” which emphasizes love, respect, and inviting people into conversations as opposed to blaming and shaming or fighting. In this activity, students will practice ways to foster a "callin in" practice.

Download the lesson to access “The Thread Up Close” activity.

Resources

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