This Juneteenth long weekend, revisit stories of individuals who expanded opportunity, defended their rights, and refused to accept the status quo.

Based on true events, MPI Original films Miss Virginia, Kemba, and Freedom Hair highlight African American women who stood up for their rights and opened doors for others.

Miss Virginia tells the story of Virginia Walden Ford, played by three-time Emmy winner Uzo Aduba (Mrs. America, Orange Is the New Black), a determined mother who champions educational choice to improve the lives of her son and countless other children from underserved communities. Her efforts helped provide access to safe, high-quality schools and made a lasting impact on the educational landscape. Watch Miss Virginia on Apple TV, Tubi, or Amazon Prime Video. 

Kemba, starring Nesta Cooper (Apple TV’s See), follows a college student sentenced to over two decades in federal prison because of her boyfriend’s crimes. She never touched drugs or committed a violent act, but mandatory minimum sentencing laws left no room for context or discretion. Her story exposes how sweeping federal policies can devastate lives without accountability. Kemba is available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.

Freedom Hair—with Simona Brown (Behind Her Eyes) as Melony Armstrong—tells the story of a Mississippi mother who wants to open a natural hair braiding business. Instead of being allowed to work, she’s told she must complete thousands of hours of unrelated training and pay fees she can’t afford. She challenges the law, takes her case to court, and wins. Her victory fuels a broader effort to cut back burdensome regulations across the country. Watch Freedom Hair on Starz, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play.

Bring these stories to your community. Whether at a school, college campus, church, or local theater, a screening can introduce new audiences to these remarkable true stories and the individuals behind them.

Visit MissVirginiaMovie.com to learn more about hosting a screening of Miss Virginia. For information about screening Kemba, visit KembaMovie.com. To explore screening opportunities for Freedom Hair, connect with an MPI impact producer.