SHE DARED TO DREAM: AYANNA PRESSLEY

She Dared to Dream: Ayanna Pressley
Directed by Abby Ginzberg

Ayanna Pressley is not only a Congresswoman, but also an advocate, a policymaker, an activist, and a survivor. In 2018, Ayanna was elected to represent Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, making her the first woman of color to be elected to Congress from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Ayanna believes that ‘the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power’ and that a diversity of voices in the political process is essential to crafting more effective public policy.  Ayanna was also the first woman of color elected to the Boston City Council in 2009.

In Congress, Ayanna has been dedicated to bold, activist leadership introducing legislation to ensure fair compensation for low-wage workers, supporting survivors of sexual assault and harassment, and to fundamentally reimagining our criminal legal system. She has been a vocal advocate on behalf of immigrant communities, fighting for and securing the release of Ruymesa Ozturk from ICE detention, fighting to protect critical reproductive rights and has been an outspoken opponent of Project 2025 from its inception.

As She Dared to Dream reveals, Ayanna Pressley has demonstrated courage in living authentically speaking openly about alopecia and rejecting imposed beauty standards—making her story resonate far beyond politics. It is about representation, visibility, and the power of authenticity. 2025, U.S., DCP, 28 minutes. Recommended for 12+.

Co-presented with the PanAfrican Studies Department, UofL.

CINEMA + with a post-screening discussion.