What We Do
We make films that create change
Since 1978, GroundSpark (formerly Women's Educational Media) has produced and distributed films, educational resources and campaigns on issues ranging from environmental concerns to affordable housing to preventing prejudice.
Our new name, GroundSpark, communicates the initiative, energy, activism, and vibrant personality of our organization and what we set out to accomplish. It reflects our commitment to fundamental change, our partnerships with communities, and the tremendous momentum set in motion by our campaigns.
We are passionate about our mission of creating visionary films and dynamic educational campaigns that move individuals and communities to take action for a more just world.
Working closely with educators, activists, national and local organizations, we ensure that our films are used to inspire meaningful social change. Much of this work focuses on creating schools and communities that are safe for all children. GroundSpark’s landmark program, The Respect For All Project, seeks to do just that.
The Respect For All Project provides youth and the adults who guide their development the tools they need to engage in age-appropriate discussions about human difference, preventing prejudice and building caring communities.
The project offers a comprehensive set of resources for educators and youth-service providers, including award-winning documentary films, high-quality curriculum guides, and a comprehensive workshop series for professionals and community members.
Currently we have four films with accompanying curriculum guides in The Respect For All Project, including:
It’s Elementary - the award-winning film that explores how teachers can include age-appropriate discussions about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in their kindergarten through twelfth grade. Our newly released retrospective documentary, It’s STILL Elementary, follows-up with students and teachers from the original film.
Let’s Get Real - featuring students, the film examines and addresses the prejudice behind name-calling and bullying among youth today, and includes stories from students who have courageously taken a stand against bullying.
Straightlaced - (working title), currently in production - will encourage high schools students to reflect on the pressures they face to conform to strict gender roles and how that influences their own anti-gay behavior.
That’s a Family! - told entirely from the perspective of elementary school-age children, the film allows children from families that are often ignored by popular culture and the media to tell their peers what they wish people understood about them.
Additionally, GroundSpark produces films that serve as change-agents around other important issues, including:
Choosing Children - one of the first documentary films showing that gay people could also be parents and has inspired thousands to have and adopt children.
Deadly Deception - the 1991 Academy Award®-winning film that fueled a boycott against energy giant General Electric that led the company to give up its nuclear-weapons production.
Homes & Hands - used as an organizing tool and educational resource to boost the growing movement to establish community land trusts around the country.
One Wedding and a Revolution - reveals the inspiration, motivation and political challenges at San Francisco City Hall during the frantic days leading up to the first government-sanctioned same-sex marriage. It shows people everywhere that a fight for equal rights can never be wrong.
Wired for What? - visits four very different elementary schools grappling with computerization to find out if technology is helping to change our schools for the better or if it is dulling students’ creativity and draining precious resources.
We invite you to join GroundSpark and our efforts to create meaningful social change by attending an event, screening our films, scheduling a workshop, buying our films, or donating to help us continue our mission of igniting change through film.