By Alexandria Leatherberry
The Truth Reporter
On Friday June 20, the Toledo Museum of Art closed the first night of summer with the final premiere of “When We Free the World.”
The museum held a week-long celebration for Juneteenth which highlighted artists of all media, and the Friday night movie brought meaning to the gathering. The film was comprised of nine chapters, representative of the 2020 written publication, that were aimed to answer one big question, “What is a man?”
At first thought, a viewer might construct his or her own simple framework of what has been the driving stereotype he or she is conditioned to believe. However, Powell’s film instructs the viewers that they may need to challenge their own definitions.
The film is framed around a speech that Powell made at the 2018 National Bioneers conference titled “Redefining Manhood.” His address at the conference was clear as he shared his own journey “to move from toxic manhood to what is healthy masculinity.” The film shared a collection of interviews with those on a similar pursuit to define their own manhood.
The interviews raised topics such as the effects of trauma, threats to Black manhood, the necessity of community and healing from the dismantling of mental barriers. The participants shared their perspectives featuring a range of individuals, such as Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark, New Jersey, to community changemakers like the University of Toledo’s David Young.
Following the film Rhonda Sewell, TMA’s director of Inclusion, moderated a discussion during which she asked Powell about his selection of participants. Powell responded with simple criteria: active in the community and have something to say. He explained his approach was to capture as many stories as possible.
“You see other stories out there and it helps you understand your own,” stated Powell. Powell shared a broad perspective from 70 male voices across five generations. Powell, of course, did not execute this task alone, his wife Evangeline Lawson also produced and wrote alongside Powell.
“He lived it and I was witness to his experience,” said Lawson as she also recollected her motivation for the film.
The Toledo premiere was the final premiere of the project as the creators look to move the project onto streaming platforms. It was an honor for the Toledo Chapter brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha to share this moment with Kevin Powell who is also a proud member.
“When we Free the World” is one of many of Powell’s works. Having established his writing credentials with Vibe magazine in the 90s – he was a senior writer during the founding years of Vibe magazine from 1992 to 1996 – he has authored over 14 books.
Beyond films and books Kevin Powell’s writing has also received a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Poetry. Powell has proven his artistry to have no bounds and has translated it into multiple formats making his work accessible for all.
Powell’s activism has focused on ending poverty, advocating for social justice and ending violence against women and girls. He was a Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Brooklyn, New York, in 2008 and 2010.