My father is a first-generation Mexican American who was raised in East Los Angeles. He attended Garfield High School but was not able to fully engage in academics because of family and financial obligations. I am fortunate to have parents who engrained in me the importance of education. One story my father shared was that of educator Jaime Escalante, a mathematics teacher who taught at the inner-city school of Garfield High in East Los Angeles while he, my father, also attended. Stand and Deliver was released in 1988 that tells us the story of Jaime Escalante, played by Edward James Olmos, who in the span of one year, challenged the behaviors and preconceived notions of a group of unmotivated and disadvantaged Latino students and gave them the skills, knowledge, and confidence to pass the extremely hard Advanced Placement (AP) calculus exam. My father shared that he was not able to participate in his class because of personal barriers but that he wished he could. He continuously tells me to "echale ganas" in everything I do, especially academics, which is what Jaime Escalante told his students. I carry that mindset in everything I do. The story gives insights into the flaws of the public education system and how with empathy, determination, and support obstacles or barriers can be overcome. The impact Jaime Escalante had on Garfield High School students, the local community, and other underrepresented communities is historically and culturally significant and deserves to be seen on the big screen.

I believe that Stand and Deliver should be seen on the big screen rather than T.V. or device because it gives us the opportunity to share an intimate, neutral, and comfortable space with family, friends, and strangers. It is a rare experience to be with others and feel a sense of connectedness with verbal sounds or physical movements. This has become even more apparent during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when isolation was recommended or enforced. The audience can share laughter when Angel Guzman jokingly tells the Educational Testing Service (ETS) investigators that he strangled someone for the AP test answers, shock when they found out that Ana's father would not let her pursue an education in medicine, sadness when the truth about Angel's ill grandmother is revealed, anger when the ETS questions the success of the students after their first attempt on the exam, or happiness when the students prove the ETS wrong and all pass the second time around.

In addition, leaving home and going to a place like AMC Theatres gives individuals the opportunity to step away from stress they may have at home and fully immerse themselves in the movie without any distractions. I have had multiple opportunities to engage in conversation with guests who come to AMC to watch a movie, and many of them share that they have had a long hard-working day at work, school, or some other obligation and this was their getaway from that. Every time you walk into a movie, people make a conscious decision to tune out the word, to stop checking phone notifications, social media, work related items, and leave problems at the theater door. Stand and Deliver gives the audience insight into the educational and health disparities in under-resourced communities of color and the potential of community mobilization and education. Giving this movie our full attention can teach us about empathy and inspire us to make effective change.

Everyone involved in the big screen or movie business wants to create a meaningful and unforgettable experience for all their guests. Everything is meticulously created, implemented, and timed. From the powerful and moving audio, to the on-screen visuals, to the lighting, elevated full menu and possibly bar offerings, and even the seats that can possibly be luxury reserved recliner seating. It is nearly impossible to replicate the experience on a T.V. or device, especially now with IMAX, Dolby, and Prime options available. The movie Stand and Deliver is emotional and motivating, and the environment created at the theaters pushes guests to immerse themselves in the story being displayed on the screen. The big screen demands attention and pulls you in and Stand and Deliver deserves just as much.

I am grateful for the fact that my father and I watched Stand and Deliver together; however, I wish we had the opportunity to watch the movie on the big screen to be able to be in a space created specifically for the experience and simultaneously share in the powerful emotions that the movie evokes. This movie has solidified the belief instilled in me by my father: education is one powerful way to implement change in society. This scholarship will assist me in finishing my Master of Public Health at the University of California, Irvine as a first-generation Latina college student.