Meet Maud Maron—the woman who dared to challenge power when no one else would, and became the unexpected hero of my new upcoming documentary film for Palladium Pictures (coming in 2026).
I have long asked myself, what are the metrics for success? For my advocacy work, for 15 DAYS, my film about the pandemic school closures.
How is success defined? It all depends on what you’re trying to achieve.
Who you are. What your values are…
I met Maud during one of the hardest periods in New York City history—especially for a parent of young children— during the closures when kids were locked out of school. At our first meeting, we didn’t even see each other’s faces. Only later, looking back at photographs from the very first Open Schools rally, did I see that Maud was standing by my side and I by hers.
It took months of running into her at rallies and every event advocating for a normal childhood. Even though I heard whispers—”she’s so controversial…” I was curious. Who was this person who kept showing up, speaking, rallying, writing op-eds, putting herself in the crosshairs of a culture war that shouldn’t exist? Withstanding name-calling and cancellation attempts while still smiling, laughing, acting charitably toward friends and foes alike.
Where did that moral clarity and inner fortitude come from?
I got to know Maud over the years during her campaigns and advocacy for girls’ sports when no one else would speak up. I watched her stand up when Stuyvesant High School published terrible slanders against Jews. I watched her be unjustly removed from her elected school board position by the former DOE Chancellor, then reinstated by a court that agreed it was wrong.
She became a compelling voice in 15 DAYS, my film about the school closures. Perhaps she is my muse.
Last winter I applied to be a fellow at Palladium Pictures. I had to find a compelling subject—one ignored by the mainstream, marginalized despite outsized moral fortitude and character.
There was no one who compared to Maud.
We began shooting in spring. Yesterday, we wrapped. The film is complete—now it’s time for post-production.
At no point did Maud embrace the spotlight or show any hubris, even though she was entitled to it. She spoke to parents, politicians, and ordinary people on the street with the same grace and genuine smile.
She ran against all odds against the Democratic incumbent Alvin Bragg for Manhattan DA. With modest funding and support, she still seized 100,202 votes—20.6% of Manhattan voters. That’s success. She impacted those people and more. She made a difference, just by running and speaking her mind every single day.
Here’s what I want you to remember:
In what sometimes feels like a dark and desperate time—not just for New York City, but for our country and beyond—it’s easy to fixate on everything that’s broken.
Don’t.
Instead, look for the incredibly bright, concentrated rays of light that exist all around us. We need to see them. We need to expose ourselves to them. Because courage and morality are contagious.
No matter where you are, there are heroes among us. They don’t bask in the spotlight. They don’t seek glory or recognition. They simply do the work—the hard, unglamorous, necessary work—with grace and conviction.
Maud Maron is one of those heroes. And she’s not alone.
These are the people who will inspire us to join them. Because small can mean mighty. We have every opportunity to win because we are righteous.
But first, we have to stop staring into the darkness and start seeing the light. Share it with the world, share it with your children!
Stay tuned for the release of this film early next year. It’s a story that needs to be told—and one that will remind you why hope isn’t foolish. It’s necessary.
Maud is a legend! Too good for Manhattan voters.