Reminder: Watch “Just Mercy” Movie During Black History Month!

Black History Month, observed every February, is a time to celebrate and honor the rich contributions and achievements of African Americans throughout history. Throughout the month, we reflect on the struggles faced, victories achieved, and ongoing efforts toward a more inclusive and equitable future.

As a way to honor Black History Month, the DEI Common Read program encourages all NOVA students, staff and faculty to watch the movie “Just Mercy” sometime this month. The film vividly portrays the challenges faced by marginalized communities within the legal system, providing a platform for reflection, discussion and a deeper understanding of the ongoing fight for equality. Watching this film during Black History Month is a small but meaningful way to honor the struggles and triumphs of African Americans in the pursuit of justice while celebrating Black excellence on the screen.

How to access the film for free:
Access NOVA’s Swank Digital Campus to view a free copy of “Just Mercy.” Please note that logging into myNOVA is required.

Film details:

• Rating: PG-13
• Duration: Approximately 2 hours (can be stopped and finished later)
• Cast: Brie Larson, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Rafe Spall, Tim Blake Nelson
• Audio tracks available: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish
• Subtitles and captions provided: English, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, Greek, Italian, Korean, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish.

About the movie (from Swank Digital Campus Streaming Film Library):
A powerful and thought-provoking true story, “Just Mercy” follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson). One of his first and most incendiary cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds — and the system — stacked against them.

If you have questions about the DEI Common Read, please contact Dr. Sherrene DeLong (SDeLong@nvcc.edu).

Submitted by:
Dr. Sherrene DeLong, DEI Events Coord., SDeLong@nvcc.edu