For more than six decades, Jane Fonda has stood at the intersection of art and activism. In December, she took the stage to close out Day One of the Impact+Profit 25 conference hosted by the SIE Society and the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs and made clear that the work is far from finished.
On behalf of the recently relaunched Committee for the First Amendment, Fonda accepted the inaugural Impact Entertainment Visionaries Award, presented in partnership with the ACLU of Southern California, which recognized Fonda and the Committee for the First Amendment for their leadership in defending free expression and creative freedom at a moment many see as a cultural and constitutional crossroads.
Storytelling Shapes History
Throughout the evening, the transformative power of storytelling took center stage. SIE Society co-founder William Nix described storytelling as “limitless, transporting us into new worlds, introducing us to fresh perspectives, empowering narratives that challenge our thinking when free to imagine and to invent.” He added, “The creative minds behind film, television and other media captivate audiences worldwide and inspire the next generation of creatives. There’s no better embodiment to the American spirit than the Constitution’s First Amendment… [which] empowers our creative community to not only entertain, but to inform, challenge and inspire.”
Jane Fonda echoed this, explaining, “It’s the storytellers and educators, including journalists, teachers, universities, that are on the front lines. We are always the first people that get attacked. Why? Because we get into people’s heads and hearts. We change how people think. We create culture.”
Storytelling is not just entertainment—it is a responsibility and a tool for resistance, according to Fonda. “We are the ones that model what resistance looks like. We are the ones that tell the story that can make people understand what’s happening,” she said. She encouraged artists and creatives to “start building up our muscles, and we have to do it very fast. One of the best exercises is leaps of faith. So that’s what we’re urging people to do.”
Defending Freedom of Expression in the Courts and on the Streets
Chandra Bhatnagar, Executive Director of ACLU SoCal, set the tone for the evening by highlighting the organization’s ongoing fight for civil liberties. “At the ACLU as we have done for over 100 years, without fear and without favor, we are confronting state violence and repression and fighting for the constitutional rights and freedoms of all people,” Bhatnagar stated.
He recounted recent legal victories, including a court order blocking federal agents from brutalizing journalists, observers, and protesters: “While we are pleased with that order, it is inherently so upsetting that we would even need an order like that. It’s Orwellian that we would even need an order like that from the court to protect the press and protect protesters.”
ACLU SoCal’s alignment with the Committee for the First Amendment was clear throughout the evening, as both organizations called for vigilance and action. “We need brave storytellers who refuse to capitulate, people who tell stories that are true, that are inclusive and that are grounded in dignity, and who, at times, use their platforms and reach to amplify the voices of people most impacted,” Bhatnagar said.
Candid Conversation on Threats to Creators and the Entertainment Industry
The evening’s highlight was a candid on-stage interview, as Franklin Leonard —founder of The Black List and a founding member of the Committee’s relaunch— joined Fonda for a wide-ranging discussion. Leonard set the tone, saying, “There are very few people in the world, and very few people in this town and beyond, who are so synonymous with courage, with conscience and with the belief that stories can change the world.” He called the opportunity to share the stage with Fonda “a decade highlight for me, all facts.”
Their conversation explored the threats facing creative industries, the importance of solidarity, and the urgency of resistance. Leonard’s thoughtful questions prompted Fonda to reflect on the unique power of artists and storytellers to shape culture and inspire change.
Jane Fonda’s Call for Courage and Joy
Accepting the award, Fonda was characteristically direct and optimistic: “This means a lot. I accept this on behalf of the Committee for the First Amendment… This is for much more than an individual actor. This is for a whole lot of people who have stepped up to be very brave right now and it’s a great honor on behalf of all of them, to be able to accept this.”
Fonda’s remarks were filled with hope and encouragement. “I am so happy that I am alive right now, because this is a historic moment, how we come through this. How do we organize? Who does the organizing? Who stands up? We’re making history, and don’t we all want to be part of history.”
She urged the audience to embrace courage and collective action: “This is our documentary moment. This is the time when we can be the Rosa Parks and the… Martin Luther Kings and the all the people that have stood up all over the world when times get rough… We want, when we die, for history, to know who we were and what we did and our grandchildren and our children to know that we did our best. So, this is the time to do it.”
Fonda also highlighted the joy and fulfillment that comes from activism: “I’m having much more fun than I did when I was young. I wouldn’t go back for anything. It’s way more fun to make a difference.”
The Takeaway: Storytelling Is a Responsibility
One innovative example of impact storytelling in action is the Committee for the First Amendment’s collaboration with The Groundlings, a renowned Los Angeles-based improv and sketch comedy troupe. By partnering with The Groundlings, the Committee is developing a series of comedic skits designed to address pressing issues such as media consolidation, threats to free expression, and the importance of resistance.
As Jane Fonda explained, “Humor is a key… we’re working with the Groundlings and our actors and writers to develop skits… about the First Amendment, about resistance, being funny, being unexpected.” These performances leverage the power of laughter to reach wider audiences, spark conversation, and normalize the idea of standing up for democratic values— demonstrating how humor can be a powerful tool for social change and collective action.
As the night drew to a close, the true purpose of celebration became clear: it isn’t simply to applaud bold acts or creative achievements, but to ignite the courage and joy that fuel change.
In a time when narratives shape our future and laughter can disrupt the status quo, the responsibility falls on each of us—not just to witness history, but to help write it. The challenge is not only to tell stories, but to live them with intention, compassion and bravery.
If culture is the lifeblood of democracy, then those who dare to wield it become its fiercest defenders. The question now is: what stories will we choose to tell, and what legacy will the entertainment industry leave behind?
