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mixed roots

“Other” Mixed Story told through Song

“Other,” a song by Guante & Big Cats, featuring Chastity Brown, See More Perspective & Chantz Erolin

The song “Other,” from Guante & Big Cats’ 2012 album “You Better Weaponize,” explores mixed-race and mixed-culture identities in a way that is intimate and personal while also keeping an eye on the bigger picture. Featuring Chastity Brown, See More Perspective and Chantz Erolin, the track weaves together different experiences, styles and approaches to coming to terms with what “mixed” really means. More on Guante: www.guante.info

Listen to the song now: http://guanteandbigcats.bandcamp.com/track/other-w-chastity-brown-see-more-perspective-chantz-erolin

 

Thank you Guante for sharing your story with us!

Tumblr Roll Call: Afro-Latin@ Documentary

This is a documentary series by Dash Harris (twitter handle: @InADash) on racial identity and the African Diaspora in Latin America and the Caribbean. Click here to learn more about the series: http://negrodocumentary.com/

Here are some quotes about the series from the tumblr blog:

“I was soooo inspired !!! Your project on educating the world about Afro-Latinos through your documentary Negro, is so amazing.” -Jisela Rodriguez

“Though the issue is very sad, it’s beautiful how so many conscious people are in this documentary speaking their stories. I’m a Black-American and I do have relatives from Mexico and I hardly know much about them because I felt we were too different to even get to know each other. This documentary has changed my mind,” 

“Viva los afrodescendientes! viva latinos! I love this. I have shared this as much as possible! Keep up the good work” 

“Loving this docu-series! I cannot wait to see what’s coming next. Very proud of how this project is portraying *us*! -Lidia Anain

“You have no idea how much your first piece has amazed me in every level. I related to every single second if it. I relate to this documentary so much I cannot even begin to write down all the things that are in my mind…it’s insane to see a series just about me. That is literally me. It has touched me beyond words….I can’t even wrap my head around it. Please keep up the good work. i support you.” -Jasmine Oufkir Cruz

 

Kravitz Talks-Growing Up With White Father Black Mother

Lenny Kravitz has not been silent about his racial background. He has been known to tell his story through music.  In his recent album, Black and White America, he discusses the world in which his parents met and he was raised.

In this video he shares what it was like being called out by a student on his first day of school that his father was White and what it was like being a mixed in school.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/lenny-kravitz-race-biracial_n_3355448.html

Great Opportunity For Chicago-based Filmmakers – DEADLINE

Kartemquin films, which produced outstanding documentaries like Hoop Dreams and The Interrupters is looking for diverse filmmakers for their Diverse Voices in Docs professional development program. The application deadline is December 3, 2013 – you can access the application HERE

 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?usp=drive_web&formkey=dHF1cVdxVU0tajlTWko3Q1U3UWxJREE6MQ#gid=0

Here’s some more information on Kartemquin and the program from one of my favorite blogs, Shadow & Act:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/kartemquin-films-starting-up-development-program-for-documentary-filmmakers-of-color-for-second-year

Laura Kina’s Art Exhibit 11/16/13 in Maryland

Indigo: An Exhibition of Textiles by Laura Kina and Shelly Jyoti

Saturday, November 16, 2013
Gandhi Memorial Center
Opening Reception from 2 to 4pm
Inaugural Remarks at 2:30pm

With Distinguished Guest Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India

RSVP for Opening Reception by 11-14-2013
info@gandhimemorialcenter.org
301-320-6871
Exhibition May Be Viewed Through January 2014
Fridays and Saturdays 10am – 4pm and By Appointment

Gandhi Memorial Center 
4748 Western Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20816
www.gandhimemorialcenter.org

This exhibit is presented by the Gandhi Memorial Center in cooperation with 
the Embassy of India and with support of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Shelly Jyoti’s “Indigo Narratives” refer to the 19th century history of India’s indigo farmers, their oppression and Mahatma Gandhi’s subsequent non-violent resistance leading to India’s freedom. Shelly lived in Gujarat, India and her “Narratives” use traditional embroidery by rural women in Gujarat with support of Shrujan: Threads of Life and indigo resist dyeing printing on khadi fabric with the 9th generation ajrakh artisans of Gujarat famed for their bold embellished textiles. www.shellyjyoti.com

Laura Kina’s “Devon Avenue Sampler” is a portrait of her South Asian/Jewish Chicago neighborhood, West Roger’s Park, and features a bricolage of pop street signage rendered in patchwork quilt paintings. The “Sampler” includes works hand embroidered by artisans from MarketPlace: Handwork of India, a fair trade women’s organization in Mumbai, India. Laura lives and works in Chicago’s “Little India”, a vibrant multiethnic immigrant community.www.laurakina.com

The common thread between both bodies of work is the color indigo blue from India’s colonial past, to indigo-dyed Japanese kasuri fabrics and boro patchwork quilts, through blue threads of a Jewish prayer tallis, to working class blue jeans in the U.S. Since 2009, “Indigo” has exhibited in galleries and cultural centers in Baroda, New Delhi, Mumbai, Seattle, Miami, and Chicago.

SNAPSHOT: a true story of love interrupted by invasion

Fusing words, dance, music and film this story chronicles the quest of a mixed-race daughter from Southern Appalachia who eventually finds her homeless Vietnam Veteran father suffering in Hawaii. SNAPSHOT was nominated for BEST ACTRESS at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, special selection at: Cape Town Festival South Africa and International Women’s Festival Tornio Finland and recipient of: Brooklyn Arts Council Individual Artist Grant, and Kentucky Foundation for Women Arts Meets Activism Grant. See the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdNsYF6UJro

West Virginia PBS premiere Sunday November 10 at 8pm and Tuesday November 26 at 9pm

 

Find out more about this storyteller at: www.mitzisinnott.com

Lionsgate Buys Interracial Comedy Pitch

 

from indiewire.com

from indiewire.com

Gary Anthony Williams  and Jeannie Roshar are an interracial writing team (who also direct and act). They co-founded the LA Comedy Shorts Festival, which premiered the short film I Own You – about the ups and downs of interracial love. They have now sold the film as a feature to Lionsgate (the company that brought us Crash, Precious)

Here’s a plot synopsis of the film, written by Roshar:

Ronnie, an African-American man, and Betsy, his Caucasian wife, are shocked to learn that in the 1800’s, her family owned his in slavery. At first, Ronnie brushes it off, but then an ax, a dashiki, Oprah Winfrey and a cotton ball cause him to look at his wife in a whole new way.

We’ll be keeping track of the film here on our blog. Let us know if you had a chance to see the short and what your thoughts are! We at MixedRootsStories.org are cautiously optimistic.