On a February evening defined by reflection and resolve, the San José City College Theater will open its doors to stories that are often overlooked and too often misunderstood. The Liberation Lens Film Showcase, taking place February 4 at 6 p.m., arrives during Black History Month not as a ceremony, but as a conversation: intimate, challenging, and urgently human.
The program brings together three films that refuse easy narratives. Instead, they ask viewers to sit with the complexity of justice, of identity, of what it means to rebuild a life.
“The 3 short docs highlight the intersection of cultural storytelling, community, and social justice. Audiences will get to hear and see stories told on screen that resonate with their own lived experiences. I’m excited!” said Dr. Khalid White, SJCC Ethnics Studies professor.
Reclaiming Our Humanity centers on six formerly incarcerated African American men whose lives did not end at conviction. Through education, mentorship, and a clear sense of accountability, each found a way forward. The film pushes back against the language of inevitability that so often surrounds incarceration, replacing it with stories of purpose, dignity, and community repair.
“These films invite us to confront systems that shape our lives while honoring the resilience, brilliance, and humanity of our communities.” – Dr. Robert Alexander, director and writer of Reclaiming Our Humanity and Burning for Justice
In Burning for Justice, the focus narrows to one woman’s journey. Yuridia, a justice-impacted Latina and a firefighter, stands at the crossroads of police violence, mass incarceration, and healing. Her story comes across as personal and political at once, examining how state power can wound—and how solidarity and care can begin to mend. The film does not ask audiences to look away from harm, but it also refuses to stop there, pointing instead toward action rooted in universal humanity.
Completing the evening is Glass Ceilings, a portrait of singer-songwriter MarthaCoryne as she carves out space in the music world. Her path is defined by talent, persistence, and the subtle exhaustion of pushing against barriers that remain stubbornly intact, especially for Black women. It is a story of drive tempered by reality, and of creativity as both refuge and resistance.
Together, the films form a powerful arc, moving from survival to self-definition, from individual struggle to collective responsibility. Presented by Hood to Higher Ed (H2E) and BLKMPWR, and sponsored by the SJCC Ethnic Studies Department, the showcase reflects the college’s wider purpose: to be a place where education is more than instruction, but transformation.
“These films invite us to confront systems that shape our lives while honoring the resilience, brilliance, and humanity of our communities. My hope is that students leave not just informed, but inspired to think differently, ask deeper questions, and see themselves as agents of change,” said Dr. Robert Alexander, director and writer of Reclaiming Our Humanity and Burning for Justice.
Admission is $10 at the door, free for students with a valid student ID. What the evening offers in return is harder to quantify—a chance to listen, to reflect, and to leave the theater with greater insight into the lives and possibilities beyond the frame.
