Special to The Truth
Amid funding headwinds, national media arts nonprofit intensifies support for diverse Black stories with world premiere of a climate and social justice film.
Black Public Media, the Harlem-based national media arts nonprofit, is doubling down on its mission to fund and support stories about the Black experience despite recent funding challenges.
BPM has acquired “We Call Each Other,” the debut short film by Chicago director Sarah Oberholtzer, for its “AfroPoP Digital Shorts” series. The film, which has been released on Black Public Media’s YouTube channel ahead of Kwanzaa, brings to life the Kwanzaa principle of Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility),observed on December 28.
“We Call Each Other” is an emotionally rich drama of a fictional community
facing drought and environmental racism. Against the backdrop of
long-standing environmental racism and chronic drought, the film’s
protagonist Naullin faces a personal dilemma when someone steals the liquid
fertilizer he uses to tend his at-home garden. The short film, which weaves
nonfiction recorded audio into a scripted story, features residents who
lean on one another to create safety and redemption far outside the
criminal justice system.
The December/January episode of “AfroPoP Digital Shorts” comes to streaming
as BPM deepens and expands its long-standing efforts to ensure that Black
stories like “We Call Each Other” remain available on public media despite
Congress snatching back $1.8 million it had allocated earlier this year.
The funding was rescinded when the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was
gutted by the federal government. In response, BPM launched the Black
Stories Production Fund, supported by an unprecedented grassroots
fundraising campaign to raise $9 million over the next two years — ensuring
that Black stories are never again subject to political interference or
chronic underinvestment.
“For more than 45 years, Black Public Media has helped bring important
stories like Sarah’s to audiences nationwide — stories rooted in community
and responsive to the issues shaping our lives,” said Leslie Fields-Cruz,
executive director of BPM. “Public media is stronger when Black story
tellers and the full breadth of Black experience are centered in the
conversation.”
“We Call Each Other” grew out of four years of community organizing work by
Oberholtzer (they/them), an advocate for divestment from policing and
militarization in favor of people-centered infrastructure. Their
stand-alone film is a part of an anthology-format short film series
imagining community outside of carceral strategies for public safety.
The film is directed, written and produced by Oberholtzer; Johnaé Strong is
producer. Executive producers are Aymar Jean Christian and Kristiana Rae
Còlon.
Watch “We Call Each Other” on Black Public Media’s YouTube channel and donate to the BPM’s Black Stories Production Fund this Giving Season
at:
For more information about BPM, visit* blackpublicmedia.org
or
follow it on social media at: @blackpublicmedia (IG, FB, TikTok and
LinkedIn).
Black Public Media supports the development of visionary content creators
and distributes stories about the global Black experience to inspire a more
equitable and inclusive future. For 45+ years, BPM has addressed the needs
of unserved and underserved audiences. BPM-supported programs have won five
Emmys, 10 Peabodys, five Anthem Awards, 14 Emmy nominations and an Oscar
nomination. BPM continues to address historical, contemporary and systemic
challenges that traditionally impede the development and distribution of
Black stories.
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