Angel of Alabama

Brenda Hampton, a seasoned investigator, uncovers decades of pollution within her hometown, setting her on a path at odds with some of the world's largest corporations. Angel of Alabama is a call to action for the fight against "forever chemicals", which are growing into one of the biggest pollution crises in world history.

Firstborn of ten to a family in rural Alabama, Brenda was naturally inquisitive. Leaving home, she became a paralegal and then investigator but eventually returned to Lawrence County, Alabama due to her mother's health problems. An avid drinker of the local water, her mother's kidneys had crystallized and so Brenda donated a kidney to her. But eventually, Brenda's remaining kidney began failing which triggered her realization of a larger problem.

With her expertise and passion for justice, Brenda identified the source of massive environmental contamination in Alabama. Nearby manufacturer, 3M, had been illegally dumping all manner of chemicals in the water for decades, which had contributed to the alarming rise of negative impacts to the local community's health — as over 100,000 of Brenda's neighbors, as well as her family, suffered from cancer, renal failure, still-births, miscarriages, and more. Even though corporations willingly admitted the purposeful contamination, they have yet to be held accountable. As Brenda leads a demographically diverse community to fight for legal action, she also supports the most at-risk members of her community by delivering bottled water and safe food. Despite intimidation tactics from the opposition and ostracization from friends and family, Brenda's years of tireless work led to a permanent water solution for her community. Her efforts even pushed international progress, including a policy change by McDonalds, the largest fast-food company in the world.

Though her neighbors credit Brenda for the progress made on food and water contamination, the fight is far from over, with over 20 other industrial plants and chemical companies also dumping in the local water sources. Brenda's fight has been ongoing consistently for more than a decade, and she continues to advocate for her community. In addition to highlighting her resilient spirit, Angel of Alabama also serves as a wake-up call to see what might be happening in our own backyards.

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FILMMAKER'S STATEMENT: "During production of GenX, our crew met Brenda Hampton, a truly remarkable activist serving communities in North Alabama. Her story moved us and with her gracious permission, we decided to produce a separate short film highlighting her work. Brenda is a one-of-a-kind and simply breathes love into everything she does. It is our honor to help share her story with the world #BeLikeBrenda"