Man Up!

This site is for and about being an "artist" for social change, and it is only right that I introduce myself to my audience and express why I believe this is such an important subject. I am a filmmaker from the South-Side of Chicago. Those streets raised me and showed me things that I never want my kids or kids kids to experience. Now don't get me wrong, I love my community but the chances of making it out is slim to none and only the strongest survive. I watched a lot of my friends come and go, live and die, lose themselves to the very streets that were once upon a time all I knew. 

So then I was left with the question, the question that changed my life forever: What can I do to make it better? 

After graduating from Young Womens Leadership Charter School of Chicago, I moved to California to attend California Institute of the Arts majoring in Film/Video with a minor in Cultural Studies and a emphasis on African American Studies. I was determined to change the cycle and educate people through entertainment. 

I have posted my film for your viewing and please feel free to comment and engage with the subject matter. The name of the piece is called Man Up! and it is a documentary about African American male sexuality and gender representation. While a lot of people shy away from this topic, I think it is something that has been swept under the rug for way too long and needs to be discussed. 

Enjoy, 

The Artist

This is only part 1 of this project! 

To Be Continued!