“From the Hood to the Holler” Documentary Review

-Allison McCulloch

Director: Pat McGee

Executive Producers: Michael Shannon, Alyssa Milano

Kentuckian Charles Booker ran for Senate in 2020 as a Democrat, seeking to beat Mitch McConnell, who was the Senate Majority Leader at the time. Despite the fact that fellow Democrat Amy McGrath started a year earlier and had more money, Booker started polling ahead of her.

The documentary made it clear that running against one of the most powerful men in the United States was an uphill battle. But McConnell’s views on guns and abortions were too out of touch and Booker started fighting the right fight and building a movement. It was clear that while Booker was marching with Black Lives Matter, Amy McGrath was making excuses about why she couldn’t do the same.

Once local labor unions and with political superstars Bernie Sanders ad Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez started endorsing Booker, he gained further momentum. His campaign even gained national exposure. The end results were down from previous projections and thousands of votes were thrown out for many reasons. Booker remains dedicated to fight for “real, structural change” and is now running against Rand Paul, Kentucky’s other Senator.