Defending Democracy

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY

Portraits of U.S. Military Women on Canvas and Film

Through portraiture and documentary filmmaking, Defending Democracy creates a lasting cultural record of the contributions of women serving in the U.S. military. The painted portraits capture the individual women; the films bring their stories to life, revealing the mission-critical work that demonstrates their leadership, expertise, courage, sacrifice, and accomplishments.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Women serve in every dimension of military operations, often performing consequential work that remains largely unseen and poorly understood by the public. Their contributions are essential to our national defense, yet their stories are rarely told.

Defending Democracy makes these contributions visible. By capturing both the women themselves and their work in action, the organization offers audiences a deeper understanding of their service and its significance to our nation's security and democratic ideals.

THE STORIES BEHIND THE SERVICE

The painted portraits offer an intimate connection to each woman, while the documentary films take audiences into the environments where they serve, revealing the challenges they face and the expertise, leadership, resilience, humanity and determination their missions demand.

Together, the two mediums tell a more complete story: who these women are, what they do, and why their service matters. They preserve their experiences for future generations and affirm that women are integral to the strength and readiness of our Armed Forces.

THE EVOLUTION OF DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: BREAKING ICE

"Breaking Ice," our Emmy-nominated, award-winning initial documentary was filmed aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy, America's largest icebreaker. In just 13 minutes, the film offers an extraordinary glimpse into the work of women serving above the Arctic Circle.

Recognizing the value of bringing these stories to civilian audiences, the Pentagon's Chief of Media and Entertainment encouraged the effort to document women's service and demonstrate their mission-critical contributions to national defense.

WHAT'S NEXT

The feature-length documentary is nearing completion, expanding upon the original film for a deeper dive into their lives and missions.

The larger vision is  "Sisters in Arms," a documentary series that will extend across all six branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. From the Arctic and open ocean to aviation, search and rescue, national defense, emerging technology, and space, each film will take audiences inside real military missions, following the women carrying them out as events unfold.

The growing portrait collection will continue to honor these women individually, creating a visual and historical record of their service.

HELP BRING THESE STORIES TO THE WORLD

Your support will help Defending Democracy bring these powerful stories to life through film and portraiture, ensuring that the women who serve our nation are seen, their contributions understood, and their stories preserved for future generations.

Join us in honoring these women, sharing their stories, and preserving their legacy. Become a partner in Defending Democracy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Meet Mary Ellen:  https://youtu.be/-yP1JO133ww

See the trailer for "Breaking Ice":  https://youtu.be/RB6qmySpCyA

Defending Democracy website:  www.usmilitarywomen.org