Meet
Molly Secours
Writer & Filmmaker for Racial Equity and Social Justice
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Molly Secours Speaker Biography
As a writer/filmmaker, Molly Secours has been called an “uncompromising fighter for racial equity and social justice” who has used her artistic talents to address public policy regarding inequities in health care, education and criminal justice.
As a recent cancer survivor, Secours writes and speaks about issues from a healing perspective and draws the parallels between battling a deadly disease and confronting and disrupting systemic and institutional privilege–a symptom of an imbalanced and unhealthy society.
From 1995-2010, her writings have been published in over 50 mainstream and internet magazines and newspapers and she is currently a regular columnist in both the Huffington Post and Nashville City Paper.
During 2000-2007, in addition to writing a bi-weekly column for the daily Nashville City Paper, Secours commentaries have appeared in z-net magazine, blackcommentator.com and numerous others.
As a contributing writer in a book published by Harper Collins “Should AmericaPay”? (Jan 2003), Secours essay entitled: entitled Riding the Reparations Bandwagon, addresses issues of white privilege and reparations for the African Slave Trade.
In Fall 2001, The Scene, Nashville’s alternative weekly identified Secours as one of “Nashville’s most influential public intellectuals”. As a strong presence in the community she has used her skills as a writer and orator to challenge state and local officials–as well as members of the community—to carefully consider the state’s position on the death penalty and the racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
Through her film company One Woman Show Productions, she has earned national recognition in the world of social justice for having produced videos about the death penalty as well as a healthcare documentary titled Faces Of TennCare: Putting A Human Face On Tennessee’s Health Care Failure–which is currently being aired on The Documentary Channel.
Since 1998, she has appeared in numerous local and national television and radio talk shows– including CNN’s Paul Zahn Now–and is a weekly co-host of “Freestyle” with veteran Nashville Journalist Ron Wynn on 88.1WFSK FM.
In 1998 Secours was invited to serve as an Advisory Board Member at Fisk University’s Race Relations Institute in Nashville Tennessee and during the Summer of 2001, she attended the United Nations Prep-com in Geneva Switzerland and, as a journalist, covered the World Conference on Racism in Durban South Africa (August 2001).
In a previous life, Secours worked in theater, film and television as an actor/producer/writer in Los Angeles where she partnered with A Fish Called Wanda, producer Steve Abbott on a feature film project. She is also founder of YVTV (Youth Voice Through Video) a video-making and screenwriting program for juvenile offenders and incarcerated youth in a Nashville prison.
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Featured Videos
TEDxNashville – Molly Secours
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Speech Topics
Whispering Black: Code Talk For Whites
As a Cancer survivor, Secours describes the parallels between battling a deadly disease and confronting and disrupting interlalized racism. With compassion and humor, Secours explores how we tend to ‘whisper’ around issues of race and privilege and how we can better (and honestly) confront unconscious racial biases within ourselves without becoming defensive, resentful and feeling blamed.
Tip-Toeing Around Diversity
How tip-toeing around diversity perpetuates misunderstandings, grievances and discriminating practices and how to prevent them from happening.
The Upside of Cancer
Molly Secours cuts to the core of difficult issues without mincing words. With humor, compassion and clarity, Secours shares unique and personal insights gained while battling stage IV cancer and the emotional and spiritual transformation that occurred in the face of physical and fiscal devastation. Secours suggests we are never more authentically alive than when we are in such close proximity to death.
Moment of Alchemy
Whether a CEO of a major corporation, a college student or a sanitation worker, Secours suggests we all have one thing in common: a desire for finding purpose in our lives–including our suffering. “Moment Of Alchemy” features a 4 minute video clip Secours produced which invites audience members to dip beneath the surface of their life challenges and pluck insight, clarity and yes, perhaps even purpose.
