Seven years in the making, Oakland filmmaker M.T. Silvia has nearly completed Atomic Mom, an understated rumination on the U.S. nuclear program during WWII examined largely through the experience of two women: Silvia’s mother, a biologist who studied the effects of radiation in Nevada for the Navy, and a Japanese woman who survived the attack on Hiroshima to become a peace activist.

By Nijla Mumin

When I was 18 years old, I was walking to the music store down the street from my college campus, when a man approached me. "Hey, what’s your name? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Not interested in his advance, I hurriedly responded "no, thank you," smiled, and kept walking. Less than 10 seconds later, I was bombarded by a swarm of insults. "You ugly bitch!!!" I had on red that day so he somehow found a way to integrate that into his insults. "You little red riding hood bitch!" He began to walk fast after me, and I quickened my pace, turning around to curse at him in the process. "Who the fuck do you think you are?," I yelled as I crossed the street. Passersby laughed and gawked at this situation. I felt fire inside my stomach as I entered the music store and finally got away from him.