Cecile Richards And Other Activists At The Oscars

This teen activist led protests at Standing Rock and was recognized at this year’s Oscars. Alice Brown Otter was one of the 10 activists on stage during Common and Andra Day’s performance of “Stand for Something.”

The 14-year-old has been in the Standing Rock movement — at age 12, she ran 1,519 miles from North Dakota to Washington D.C. to protest the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Former President of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards, who was among those on stage, honored Otter in a heartfelt Instagram post stating, “This photo can’t do justice to her beauty and strength. It was an honor to stand with her.”

The performance featured other women activists like Tarana Burke, the founder of the #MeToo movement and 8-year-old Syrian refugee Bana Alabed. The activists appropriately received a standing ovation during the awards show.

Awards season definitely took on a political air this year, with movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp punctuating red carpet appearances and award speeches. Some stars even brought activists with them on the red carpet, so they are now no stranger to the stage. It’s wonderful seeing Hollywood use its platform to promote social good, and left up the people who are fighting for change.

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