Renée Threatte on Ruby Bridges

Credits

Director: Julie Hébert
DP: Sevdije Kastrati
Editor: Farrel Levy
Dialogue Editor: Daniel Raphael
Producer: Courtney Graham
Co-Producer: Jill Klein
PA: Brandy Barber
PA: Cat Oriel

Topics

Activism

“The world needs us right now to be brave, to speak out against injustice and against bigotry.”

Ruby Bridges stood up to terrible racial injustice at only 6 years old. Actress/writer Renée Threatte recounts the emotional story of this brave little girl integrating a New Orleans elementary school during the time of Jim Crow. She tells us what it meant to her growing up and what we can all learn from Ruby’s courage.

Storyteller

Renée Threatte

Renée is an actor, writer and proud member of SAG-AFTRA as well as a member of LA’s InHouse Theatre. Originally from Upstate New York, Renée trained with Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Boston Conservatory before attending Syracuse University where she graduated cum laude with a BFA in Drama. While at SU, Renée trained in London with Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre during Mark Rylance’s artistic directorship. While living in New York City, Renée studied with Upright Citizens Brigade while also writing and producing sketches and videoblogs with the comedic duo Cue Black Girls. Since relocating to Los Angeles, Renée has continued to make people laugh onstage, online, and with Ms. Thang Comedy. Her work has been featured on blogs like The Jane Dough, The Apiary, and Funny Not Slutty.

Featured Woman

Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges was the first African-American child to attend an all-white public elementary school in the American South. She studied travel and tourism at the Kansas City business school and worked for American Express as a world travel agent. In 1999, Bridges formed the Ruby Bridges Foundation, headquartered in New Orleans. Ruby launched her foundation to promote the values of tolerance, respect and appreciation of differences.

Painting: “The Problem We All Live With” by Norman Rockwell. Photo of Ruby Bridges leaving school by Department of Justice. Ruby Bridges headshot by Jason Kruppa.