Director’s Statement

Black people throughout the diaspora believe our ancestors support us with their strength and wisdom. This is especially comforting as the world can be a solitary place when we inhabit white spaces. In our story, Keisha’s foremothers act as personifications of the decisions black people make when engaging with white people in positions of power. They also add a touch of humor and a whole lot of personality.

I know the importance of being able to express yourself through appearance. Especially during adolescence, it is often the first form of showing our personalities to the world. There are many other black women who have been in Keisha’s position; judged because of how we look.

I was immediately drawn to the script because of the way it portrays a very real issue in a concise and clever fashion. It also reminded me of my own natural hair journey that started during highschool. Pressure from society and even my family came in the form of passive aggressive comments. I’ve been treated differently, I’ve been stereotyped all because I chose to rock the hair that I was born with. To be a black woman is to be unfairly judged. It’s to live with our hair, our clothes, our bodies and voices being stifled to make others comfortable. When we can see ourselves on screen taking up space it can help us envision a world where we don’t have to shrink for anyone. Our stories deserve to be seen.