So, one sista is the skeptic and the other sista is the optimist. When it comes to physical competition they love to watch, but know they can’t compete. Check out this episode on physical competitions and what they think needs to happen to win.
Episode 4 The Race Is On!
to walk fight and pray. Oh Happy Day is the song that is in my head because I watched Henry Louis Gates new series on the Black Church. I sang. I clapped. I took notes. For those who love the “black” church, this series is an experience that starts the journey at the beginning.
The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song chronicles the journey of the African American worship and praise service from its African roots and influences to the debilitating burdens slavery laid on it. Gates told the story of how something that should have sent it into extinction only sharpened its point. Captured Africans were only taught the portions of the bible that allowed them to be obedient servants, with laws put in place that forbid them to read and write. Slave owners did not want them to know the stories of Moses and how the children of Israel were freed. It struck down the lie that slavery was a means of introducing Africans to the gospel, showing that Africans were Christians long before Europeans knew who Christ was.
This documentary series celebrates the :black” church by showing the power of the Holy Spirit in an oppressed people surrendered to him. From the little wooden shacks built by freed slaves to the mega churches of the earlier 20th Century, African Americans not only built houses of worship, but they built communities that took care of each other. They built schools and taught one another to read. This project is filled with many images of these worship services that capture some of their best moments.
It took me back to that little girl sitting on the pew of that one room church house. As I watched the interviewees tell their stories of growing up in those simple times, it reminded me of my mother being in the choir. All the ladies had on the same type of dress, made by one woman in the church. They even posed for a photo after church to remember this special occasion. It was the thing that held them all together.
I learned new things about this church, of which I am a member. I never knew that preachers used to make recordings of three minute sermons. A three minute sermon? That is long gone. I am amused to know that we have been buying sermons for a mighty long time. We have been singing and dancing for that long too. It is one of the things I love about my people. There might not be a lot of hope in our current circumstances, but we know where hope is. We know it starts in community.
The Sistas talk about two shows that stress physical competitions. “We love to watch other people run.” The Amazing Race and the World’s Toughest Race go head to head in this podcast. The Sistas tell you some of the highs and lows of these shows. But would they ever join in the competition? Listen.
Episode 4 The Race Is On
In the latest podcast, the Sistas talk about two shows that they can always go to. They can watch them over and over and still laugh. The shows are about women, immigrants, family and living together. Check out this episode to see where they find fun, entertainment and inspiration.
Episode 3 So White and Very Black
The next one is available. There are two shows that are inspiring and entertaining to the Sistas. In this show you will find out what they are are and why.
Episode 3 So White and Very Black
We completed principal photography for the short film 14 to Fate. The cast was amazing. After a couple of weeks of rehearsal, they showed up ready to go. They were patient and helpful, be even more, told the story well. It was nice to have familiar faces like Ron Clemons and Debra Buchanan, but also welcome new actors with this project.
We all had moments of “ooh, that was good!”
Wardrobe was designed by Bridgette Thompson who is incredible. She had such a vision for each character and her clothing help bring out more of the character. She and her sewing machine helped make movie magic.
Sharli Ratliff helped design the production and carve out the vision for this project.
Hope Anderson was the Assistant Director, production assistant, camera person, driver, caterer, etc. Without her, this would not be the project it has been shaped into. Her leadership kept us on time and on task.
Kimani Oletu did some of the camera, which you will see is very nice.
We had fun. We made movie magic.
I can’t wait for you to see it.
Meet our special quest who helps us talk about how the African American family has been portrayed on television. We talk about Good Times, the Cosby Show and Black-ish.
Episode 2 All in the Black Family
Listen to the first episode of our new season TV Talk with the Sistas as the Sistas mix it up about how African Americans are portrayed in television and movie and does it matter.
Episode 1 We Need A Hero
He wondered why his father never taught him to brush his teeth or not scratch his balls in public. Balram the main character in The White Tiger had a moment when he realized he wasn’t all he could be. It was not the typical movie from India that I watch. If cynicism was salt and the movie was popcorn, the salt would render it inedible.
But if that is your type of movie, you will love it.
This story examines the caste system with the tale of Balram who leaves his tiny village to work for an affluent family. He cherishes this way of life and his masters thinking they will take care of him forever. When they tell him he is one of the family, he really does believe it. Adarsh Gourav was so convincing as the impoverished servant, I had to look him up so see what other work he had done.
Another thing I had to do was suspend my African American beliefs so that I could appreciate how other people live. It was difficult not to measure it by my values instead of allowing the story to play out. It is one of the things I have begun to appreciate about stories from other cultures. Even so there were times I wanted him to punch them in face and run. This movie is in English, but use the subtitles because they talk fast.
I was impressed that Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Quantico) in addition to starring in the project, also produced it. I am always about #girlpower and women being able to tell the stories they want to tell.
The other movie I enjoyed was Intouchables with Omar Sy and Francois Cluzet which was based on a true story. In this story, Cluzet plays Philippe, a quadriplegic who hires an unlikely full time caregiver, a young man, Omar Sy from the projects.
These men share their ways of life with each other. Philippe introduces Driss to classical music, opera and art. Driss teaches Philippe how to smoke weed, go to massage parlors and date. Sy is big right now because of Lupin, but this film was made in 2011, which reveals his talent has been around a while.
It is a fun movie, in French so you won’t be able to multi task while reading subtitles.
Both of these movies, The White Tiger and Intouchables are available on Netflix. They will break up the series binging with some lighthearted thought provoking movies.
Season Two is here.
In episode 1 We Need A Hero, the Sistas examine some of the first shows on television featuring African Americans. These were the first representations of African Americans as workers, mothers, friends in society. They had an impact, but was it a good one?
Listen We Need A Hero
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