The black narrative in film has had its numbers of challenges in the face of serving stereotypes, acting opposite white counterparts, dictation from white directors telling a black story and just the case of there not being enough black people onscreen.
Since 1986 with your first feature film She's Gotta Have It, you have occupied the screens in telling our black stories and presenting the black American culture. A black director that was changing our numbers onscreen in a beautiful way. You continue to challenge political views, racial identity/oppression, and gender issues. You leave no space untouched, unexplored and that is what I have come to expect upon watching your films. They all have an element of surprise in the storyline, and familiarity in terms of being in the context of contemporary world matters had right now.
Do The Right Thing, despite being filmed in 1989, is still material we face in 2020 with growing gentrification, the theft and appropriation of black culture, and the catastrophic tensions that arise when we attempt to have a conversation addressing it. People just love black culture but are just unwilling to love black people. Our culture and people are at the center of entertainment, industrial work, and all other aspects of American Culture. The people who have built this country from the ground up are still the most disrespected and disregarded. The cinematography for this film elicited this confrontation especially well as well as the anger that comes with having enough.
I have learned the importance of intentional messaging and purpose for my art from you. Especially as a black woman. Upon meeting you, which hands down was an incredible honor, I was in such a hustle to figure out this whole industry and all of the moving parts. I just took it upon myself to seek to meet with one of the best to do it and figure out just how it all works. I left the meeting with the simple advice of yours that I was at first reluctant to hear, "Slow Ya Roll" which you had also given to me written on a paper I had brought with every question imaginable to industry work written on it. I had no idea what that could mean because were we not suppose to work hard to become all that we can become? You were saying you must move with intention. I cannot just be doing things for the mere purpose of doing it. That then is a lost opportunity of creating and being a part of something with true meaning. It is not that we must move slow, but we must move strategically. We as a people have an obligation to propel ourselves further in all aspects. We have our ancestors' lost opportunities to uphold and ignorant people to move out of the way to give more of us the American Dream that has long been denied from us.
In your recent insta live you said Can't Stop, Won't Stop and that is just what it is. We can't stop our excellence and we won't stop our excellence.
You and your work hold an empowering place in our culture. You continue to teach, entertain, and inspire us. I do not see what people have termed as the Renaissance of Black Film coming to no periodical end. You and your work have cemented this space for us in this industry for time to come.
Sincerely,
Kayla Mary Jane
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