you are beautiful everything from the hairs or lack of on your head down to
hairs or lack of on your head down to
hairs or lack of on your head down to the toe that is slightly longer than us
the toe that is slightly longer than us
the toe that is slightly longer than us no if ands or buts about it eurobabe
no if ands or buts about it eurobabe
no if ands or buts about it eurobabe sometimes regardless of how wonderful we
sometimes regardless of how wonderful we
sometimes regardless of how wonderful we know we are we become uncomfortable with
know we are we become uncomfortable with
know we are we become uncomfortable with ourselves whether it’s due to puberty
ourselves whether it’s due to puberty
ourselves whether it’s due to puberty mass media family friends or some jerk
mass media family friends or some jerk
mass media family friends or some jerk you’re dating we all experience a time
you’re dating we all experience a time
you’re dating we all experience a time when we don’t absolutely love something
when we don’t absolutely love something
when we don’t absolutely love something about ourselves and when for whatever
about ourselves and when for whatever
about ourselves and when for whatever reason using the finger usually reserved
reason using the finger usually reserved
reason using the finger usually reserved for traffic doesn’t work I propose a new
for traffic doesn’t work I propose a new
for traffic doesn’t work I propose a new perspective that I will share with you
perspective that I will share with you
perspective that I will share with you today show film
being a black woman is the crown I wear
being a black woman is the crown I wear upon my head goes against nature it
upon my head goes against nature it
upon my head goes against nature it defies gravity and it transforms
defies gravity and it transforms
defies gravity and it transforms constantly I know that when I do my hair
constantly I know that when I do my hair
constantly I know that when I do my hair I’m a part of a long history of powerful
I’m a part of a long history of powerful
I’m a part of a long history of powerful black woman who wore afros and twists
black woman who wore afros and twists
black woman who wore afros and twists and locks and knots but it does bother
and locks and knots but it does bother
and locks and knots but it does bother me when I don’t see people who look like
me when I don’t see people who look like
me when I don’t see people who look like me or dolls that look like me or the
me or dolls that look like me or the
me or dolls that look like me or the media when all the commercials are of
media when all the commercials are of
media when all the commercials are of white people are light-skinned girls if
white people are light-skinned girls if
white people are light-skinned girls if it is a black girl there’s no there’s
it is a black girl there’s no there’s
it is a black girl there’s no there’s really any brown skin or dark skinned
really any brown skin or dark skinned
really any brown skin or dark skinned women in my day to day you could put up
women in my day to day you could put up
women in my day to day you could put up with a lot of fine mighty fine like
with a lot of fine mighty fine like
with a lot of fine mighty fine like tight tendrils a permanent blush when
tight tendrils a permanent blush when
tight tendrils a permanent blush when kissed by the side crowns complimenting
kissed by the side crowns complimenting
kissed by the side crowns complimenting skin passionately burning it lows my
skin passionately burning it lows my
skin passionately burning it lows my melanin turns me Tawney tomoka marveling
melanin turns me Tawney tomoka marveling
melanin turns me Tawney tomoka marveling at my history and proud of my prize
at my history and proud of my prize
at my history and proud of my prize sometimes I receive an undeserved
sometimes I receive an undeserved
sometimes I receive an undeserved reverence for having such features it
reverence for having such features it
reverence for having such features it saddens me the privilege that comes with
saddens me the privilege that comes with
saddens me the privilege that comes with my complexion and hair type along with
my complexion and hair type along with
my complexion and hair type along with the interest and pride others take in my
the interest and pride others take in my
the interest and pride others take in my own heritage it’s paired with a paranoia
own heritage it’s paired with a paranoia
own heritage it’s paired with a paranoia that they don’t see me more than just
that they don’t see me more than just
that they don’t see me more than just the sum of my parts more complex than
the sum of my parts more complex than
the sum of my parts more complex than any archetype you want to pin me too I
any archetype you want to pin me too I
any archetype you want to pin me too I went to the club with jayla and Chantal
went to the club with jayla and Chantal
went to the club with jayla and Chantal you know they’re both skinny and light
you know they’re both skinny and light
you know they’re both skinny and light skin and like all the dudes were
skin and like all the dudes were
skin and like all the dudes were flocking towards them I felt some type
flocking towards them I felt some type
flocking towards them I felt some type of way because I know I’m cute but the
of way because I know I’m cute but the
of way because I know I’m cute but the fact that I was I thought like I
fact that I was I thought like I
fact that I was I thought like I automatically thought oh maybe it’s cuz
automatically thought oh maybe it’s cuz
automatically thought oh maybe it’s cuz I’m dark skinned I didn’t even go
I’m dark skinned I didn’t even go
I’m dark skinned I didn’t even go towards like the fact that there’s
towards like the fact that there’s
towards like the fact that there’s skinnier maybe I automatically thought
skinnier maybe I automatically thought
skinnier maybe I automatically thought of their complexion so I do wonder like
of their complexion so I do wonder like
of their complexion so I do wonder like the fact that I am dark skin and if I do
the fact that I am dark skin and if I do
the fact that I am dark skin and if I do make my hair natural as well will I be
make my hair natural as well will I be
make my hair natural as well will I be too ethnic to get a certain certain jobs
too ethnic to get a certain certain jobs
too ethnic to get a certain certain jobs women have a burden to bear blacks have
women have a burden to bear blacks have
women have a burden to bear blacks have a burden to bear but black women have
a burden to bear but black women have
a burden to bear but black women have twice that with skin like chocolate and
twice that with skin like chocolate and
twice that with skin like chocolate and hair that resembles tumbleweed and
hair that resembles tumbleweed and
hair that resembles tumbleweed and softest cotton it intrigues many I look
softest cotton it intrigues many I look
softest cotton it intrigues many I look like their favorite Chewie but don’t
like their favorite Chewie but don’t
like their favorite Chewie but don’t quite leave the same taste the skin has
quite leave the same taste the skin has
quite leave the same taste the skin has made me the ghetto caricature here to
made me the ghetto caricature here to
made me the ghetto caricature here to entertain you in my hair and exhibit
entertain you in my hair and exhibit
entertain you in my hair and exhibit that after many hours of looking can
that after many hours of looking can
that after many hours of looking can only be understood if I let you touch it
only be understood if I let you touch it
only be understood if I let you touch it knowing you have nobody but yourself
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] Thanks so when I was 11 I had a massive
Thanks so when I was 11 I had a massive
Thanks so when I was 11 I had a massive kinks and curls that my mom never
kinks and curls that my mom never
kinks and curls that my mom never explained but now told me I was
explained but now told me I was
explained but now told me I was responsible for along with that out of
responsible for along with that out of
responsible for along with that out of nowhere I had people telling me I was
nowhere I had people telling me I was
nowhere I had people telling me I was pretty for a dark girl so I spent my
pretty for a dark girl so I spent my
pretty for a dark girl so I spent my time researching and experimenting
time researching and experimenting
time researching and experimenting different ways to hide my curls with
different ways to hide my curls with
different ways to hide my curls with extensions and lightening my skin with
extensions and lightening my skin with
extensions and lightening my skin with funky creams needless to say I was a hot
funky creams needless to say I was a hot
funky creams needless to say I was a hot mess in middle school I thought if I
mess in middle school I thought if I
mess in middle school I thought if I ignored it and try not to draw attention
ignored it and try not to draw attention
ignored it and try not to draw attention to my darkness that people would forget
to my darkness that people would forget
to my darkness that people would forget that was a black woman and just see me
that was a black woman and just see me
that was a black woman and just see me as a woman and that was not the case
as a woman and that was not the case
as a woman and that was not the case when I moved from my predominantly black
when I moved from my predominantly black
when I moved from my predominantly black neighborhood in the Bronx to Virginia to
neighborhood in the Bronx to Virginia to
neighborhood in the Bronx to Virginia to be a student at a predominantly white
be a student at a predominantly white
be a student at a predominantly white art school my differences were amplified
art school my differences were amplified
art school my differences were amplified my reflexes rose to a new level from
my reflexes rose to a new level from
my reflexes rose to a new level from dodging people trying to touch my hair
dodging people trying to touch my hair
dodging people trying to touch my hair my darkness automatically made me an
my darkness automatically made me an
my darkness automatically made me an expert on American black culture I was
expert on American black culture I was
expert on American black culture I was still being other din this new space and
still being other din this new space and
still being other din this new space and I began to wonder if I was the only
I began to wonder if I was the only
I began to wonder if I was the only person who felt this way and that led to
person who felt this way and that led to
person who felt this way and that led to the making of so the stories and poems
the making of so the stories and poems
the making of so the stories and poems the woman share in the film are their
the woman share in the film are their
the woman share in the film are their own I asked them to share and they gave
own I asked them to share and they gave
own I asked them to share and they gave me beautiful responses of unique yet
me beautiful responses of unique yet
me beautiful responses of unique yet similar experiences of struggle with an
similar experiences of struggle with an
similar experiences of struggle with an aspect of their identity and that’s
aspect of their identity and that’s
aspect of their identity and that’s something we can all relate to when
something we can all relate to when
something we can all relate to when things don’t go the way we would have
things don’t go the way we would have
things don’t go the way we would have expected unwanted we tell these stories
expected unwanted we tell these stories
expected unwanted we tell these stories as a way of making sense of it all as
as a way of making sense of it all as
as a way of making sense of it all as people we have an innate need to share
people we have an innate need to share
people we have an innate need to share stories the tradition of intimacy and
stories the tradition of intimacy and
stories the tradition of intimacy and the mutual sharing of oneself between
the mutual sharing of oneself between
the mutual sharing of oneself between storyteller and listener is empowering
storyteller and listener is empowering
storyteller and listener is empowering and creates a powerful bond telling
and creates a powerful bond telling
and creates a powerful bond telling stories reaffirms your values and allows
stories reaffirms your values and allows
stories reaffirms your values and allows you to clarify what’s important it is an
you to clarify what’s important it is an
you to clarify what’s important it is an act beyond belief that imprisoned us in
act beyond belief that imprisoned us in
act beyond belief that imprisoned us in the past and sharing and listening we
the past and sharing and listening we
the past and sharing and listening we find peace and hope for a new narrative
find peace and hope for a new narrative
find peace and hope for a new narrative a better narrative as people we love
a better narrative as people we love
a better narrative as people we love stories we love them because we need
stories we love them because we need
stories we love them because we need them stories connect us to each other
them stories connect us to each other
them stories connect us to each other they are our truths I want you to act
they are our truths I want you to act
they are our truths I want you to act someone to share their truth with you
someone to share their truth with you
someone to share their truth with you and I guarantee you’ll discover a new
and I guarantee you’ll discover a new
and I guarantee you’ll discover a new truth to your own thang
truth to your own thang
truth to your own thang [Applause]
thank you so much for sharing your work
thank you so much for sharing your work in your words with us it was a beautiful
in your words with us it was a beautiful
in your words with us it was a beautiful film Thanks is there any specific reason
film Thanks is there any specific reason
film Thanks is there any specific reason you chose to film it in black and white
you chose to film it in black and white
you chose to film it in black and white while I was really important for me to
while I was really important for me to
while I was really important for me to shoot it on film so that I could
shoot it on film so that I could
shoot it on film so that I could manipulate it the film was all shot on
manipulate it the film was all shot on
manipulate it the film was all shot on 60 millimeters so then I was able to
60 millimeters so then I was able to
60 millimeters so then I was able to hand process it to make it look a little
hand process it to make it look a little
hand process it to make it look a little funkier so the scratches and the soul is
funkier so the scratches and the soul is
funkier so the scratches and the soul is a shin on the film all happened because
a shin on the film all happened because
a shin on the film all happened because I pasta it myself and I really wanted
I pasta it myself and I really wanted
I pasta it myself and I really wanted the film to play along with the
the film to play along with the
the film to play along with the materiality of the film so it kid mimic
materiality of the film so it kid mimic
materiality of the film so it kid mimic kind of the way we play along with our
kind of the way we play along with our
kind of the way we play along with our well I played about my skin texture
well I played about my skin texture
well I played about my skin texture while my skin complexion and my hair
while my skin complexion and my hair
while my skin complexion and my hair texture thank you um if anyone has any
texture thank you um if anyone has any
texture thank you um if anyone has any questions for all bailius she will be at
questions for all bailius she will be at
questions for all bailius she will be at the interactive session after the talks
the interactive session after the talks
the interactive session after the talks so thank you l baliya bank
so thank you l baliya bank
so thank you l baliya bank [Applause]
”
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