Think youth can’t change the world? They already are. In Hong Kong, teenager Joshua Wong and his friends are alarmed when the Chinese government announces changes to the textbooks and teachings about history and government in their schools. Rather than quietly accept their fate, they organize and take to the streets in peaceful protest, forming  the Scholarism movement. Despite threats of imprisonment and government pushback, they help ignite a pro-democracy movement that stands up for the rights of citizens to determine their own government and future.

Join Penn State Sustainability–along with co-sponsors PSU Votes, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, The League of Women Voters, and NextGen America–for the inaugural 2024-25 film in our annual Intersections sustainability film series. Mind Over Matter, our theme for 2024-25, is about how much more resilient we become when we look inward and reconnect with the values and beliefs that animate us at our core. This is true on both an individual and societal scale. In this consequential political, social, and climatic year, the temptation to tune out when feeling overwhelmed can be enormous. But if we follow the lead of brave youth like Joshua Wong, we can reconnect with the values that animate us as a nation and become more resilient by engaging in participatory democracy and speaking up for what we believe. Help us kick off this important conversation with a live, in-person film screening at State College’s beloved State Theatre and leave inspired to vote, participate in civic discourse, and be a more active citizen.

Following the film we’ll have a discussion with Penn State experts on the Hong Kong democratic movement and youth activism, as well as with local, non-partisan organizations and groups that help Americans engage in our democratic process.

Film is only being shown in-person, not online as our other films this year will be. Doors open at 6 pm for tabling and networking with civic participation groups; film starts at 7 pm; and post-film discussion starts at 8:30 pm. Free and open to all; pre-registration at this link is requested, but walk-ins welcome.