Released October 5, The Hate U Give has been taking theatres by storm across America. With it’s empowering messages  and brutal truths, audiences have been impacted in a way like never before. Many Tahoma High School students have seen this film and have received a glimpse of the harsh reality that America lives in.

In its film adaptation of the novel by Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give translates it’s common theme of police brutality, a heavy subject. The main character Starr, played by Amandla Stenburg, witnesses her childhood friend being pulled over by a police officer who later kills him due to false assumptions. Starr must debate whether or not to come forward as the witness, while also dealing with her internal struggles of having to act a certain way at her ‘white’ school, and not wanting to have a negative connotation with her name.

Sophomore Mekai Owens believes that The Hate U Give was eye opening, and had an accurate representation of what is happening today. “It reinforces a lot of things that I’d been told from growing up with my parents.” Owens enjoyed how the film dealt with racism, and how he was able to relate to the main character.

Another sophomore, Maya Cheam, believes that the film serves as a call to action. Referring to the oppression of African Americans displayed in the story, Cheam says that The Hate U Give reiterates “ how important it is that we act now to change things, because this has been a cultural and societal thing for such a long time, and it’s really time that it changed.”

The Hate U Give is a must-watch for Tahoma High School Students. It serves as a reality check for many, as well as a confirmation of how countless Americans are wrongly treated in this day and age. Still in theaters, the Hate U Give will tug on your heartstrings, and encourage many to spark a change.