A lifelong Cambridge resident, Shara Drew got involved with CCTV early in 2010. Shara has been providing CCTV with documentary films produced by The Media Education Foundation. “The Media Education Foundation produces and distributes documentary films and other educational resources to inspire critical reflection on the social, political, and cultural impact of American mass media.” Shara also runs Film Real a monthly screening of MEF films at the Cambridge Community Center. Shara strives to engage Cambridge residents and create a dialogue around the impact media has on our society.

Renato: Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Shara: Sure can! I grew up in Cambridge and later went to UMass Amherst where I majored in Communication. It was there that I became interested in and concerned about the effects of media on society. As an undergrad, I realized how crucial independent, critical media is to a healthy democracy. I also learned how our mainstream, advertiser-supported media is increasingly reflecting the interests and points of views of corporations and undermining our democracy. This propelled me to earn a Master's degree in Communication, which I completed with a thesis on vilification in the Fox show 24. Now,
settled back in my beloved home city, I work as the
program coordinator for Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, the only national organization devoted solely to stopping the commercial exploitation of children, and run Film Real, a free documentary film series which aims to educate and engage the Cambridge community around media issues.

RR: How did you become involved in hosting the screenings and submitting MEF programs to CCTV?
SD: Last year around this time I was writing my thesis, spending many hours a day analyzing the portrayal of
villains in the counter-terrorism drama 24. I found that the show's characterizations of villains reinforced dominant xenophobic, patriarchal and hyper masculine values, which underscored the George W. Bush administration's "war on terror." In simpler words, I discovered very disturbing
parallels between what we see on TV and the agendas of the power elite. The implications of this were twirling around in my mind last winter, and then the Supreme Court announced its 'Citizens United' decision, allowing corporations in essence to be treated as people and make unlimited political campaign contributions. Devastated, I felt that it was more important than ever to equip folks with the tools to critically view, evaluate and counteract the media messages being targeted at them. I hatched the idea for Film Real at that moment. I raised funds for a projector, created partnerships with Media Education Foundation, the Cambridge Community Center, and CCTV, and Film Real (www.filmreal.org) become a reality.

RR: Can you tell me about Media Education Foundation?
SD: Media Education Foundation (MEF) is a Northampton, MA-based nonprofit that produces and distributes
documentary films to inspire critical reflection on the social, political and cultural impact of American mass media. The idea of MEF is to translate the incredible work being done by scholars in these areas into a language that students and others respond to--the language of film. MEF creates truly eye-opening documentaries on various media-related topics, from the commercialization of childhood, to misogyny and sexism, to war rallying, to racist depictions in film, and more. I first became involved with MEF in college while taking classes with Professor Sut Jhally, the organization's brilliant founder and executive director. During my senior year I acted as a production assistant on the film Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear, and the Selling of American Empire and have stayed involved with the organization in one way or another every since.

RR: What kind of feedback have you received?
SD: The feedback I have received has been overwhelmingly positive. People watch these films and want to talk about them, want to take action. Cambridge is the perfect setting for a film series like this one, because Cambridge residents do not sit idly by. They call attention to problems affecting the community--whether it be in the neighborhood or the world at large--and they do something about them. The people I grew up with and who I am still best friends with today are smart, creative and compassionate problem-solvers. It has been deeply fulfilling to share these films with them, and their friends, and new friends who join us at the Cambridge Community Center for the screenings. The network of people empowered by knowledge about the massive role of media is growing. I'm really excited to be helping to sow that seed, with the invaluable help of CCTV.