Lace Group

Equality U is a feature-length documentary following a group of 33 young activists on the Soulforce Equality Ride, a first of its kind, two-month, cross-country tour to confront anti-gay discrimination policies at 19 conservative religious and military colleges.

It is a human story of a group of young people struggling to stand up for what they believe is right. Against the backdrop of the Equality Ride, the film focuses on seven of the "Equality Riders" and two courageous students they encounter along their journey. The Riders, led by Jacob Reitan (23) and Haven Herrin (23), must come to terms with their new role as young activists, deal with internal conflict within the group, and face the daily onslaught from administrators that don't want them on their campuses. And while most of the young Riders identify as Christian, not all of them do so in the same way, if at all.

At each stop, the Riders exercise "relentless non-violent resistance" and often face arrest for trespassing. They must confront the controversial question: "Do schools ultimately have the right to decide who does and doesn't belong?" But even in the most seemingly unwelcoming campuses, the Riders find straight students who are interested in a dialogue. Can this small group of activists sow the seeds of dialogue as their bus rolls down the highway? How will the road change them? For the Riders that identify as both Queer and Christian, how will the journey challenge or transform their faith? And what happens to the outed gay students they encounter and then leave behind?

Incorporating verite footage, interviews, and personal video journals recorded by the six central Riders themselves, Equality U focuses on the personal stories of our lead characters and the journeys they take during this foray into activism. The story comes through their eyes. They'll make mistakes and they'll have conflict with the outside world and amongst themselves. Equality U looks closely at their personal struggles over the course of the entire tour, allowing us an intimate portrait of a group of young people on the forefront of social change.