Finding our Origin: A Recap of Last Week's Mindful Discussion

We are all more connected than we think.

Last week in Mindful Discussions, we talked about the poignant film, Origin. Directed by Ava DuVernay, the film explores themes of tragedy and perseverance and is based on the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Other famous works that DuVernay has worked on include Selma, A Wrinkle in Time, and the Netflix limited series When They See Us.

Origin follows the story of Isabel Wilkerson, a writer seeking the answers to life's biggest questions as she deals with a personal tragedy. The film discusses how society is eager to group humans into boxes and willing to oppress, whether it be caste systems in India, Jews in Nazi Germany, or the dark times of slavery in American history.

What is so special about this film is that it delves into how all of these forms of bigotry are interconnected. Racism, homophobia, islamophobia, sexism, antisemitism, ageism...

The list can go on and on.

All of these phenomena stem from caste. By definition, caste is the hierarchical ideology that puts certain people into social statuses and groups based on their appearance, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or other factors. Often, oppressive ideas or beliefs build on one another as history progresses. The film uses the example of Hitler and how he used the extermination of Native Americans as inspiration for the Holocaust, or how the times of segregation in American history stem from centuries of colorism, as also found in older societies in India.

Protagonist Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) stands with her husband, Brett Hamilton (Jon Bernthal) in the film.

Among the highlights of our Mindful Discussion included the story of Al Bright, a young boy who was denied entry to a public pool in 1951. When he was finally allowed to "swim," everyone else in the pool had to get out of the pool and a lifeguard was required to drag him around the pool on a floating raft. Not only was everyone watching the boy as he was in the pool; but he was also not allowed to touch the water. In scenes like these, DuVernay evokes empathy and unpacks the themes of trauma, racism, and bigotry at the same time.

Throughout the film, Wilkerson uses the power of writing and thought to fight against the bigoted ideologies we still see in our world, and finds ways to overcome them starting with her community. The film is a beautiful teaching moment that reminds us that we should recognize the intersectionality between people's struggles.

Origin is a film that will leave you questioning society's standards for us as people and invites you to think about what caste truly means. In a time of division, we should come together and start rejecting the boxes our world forces upon us — togetherness is the ultimate liberator.

We, as humans, have more in common than we do differences — and remember to always Be Mindful of your impact, Be Purposeful in what you do, and Be Positive in what you say.

Best,

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