We recently joined forces with Hairfinity to screen select episodes of Pretty. I was uber excited to show our docu-series to an American audience in-person for the first time!
Who Came
We were joined at Brooklyn Swirl in Bedstuy, Brooklyn by some of the most warm and insightful women in New York. I loved hearing what they had to say but I also loved seeing what hair styles they were rocking.
What We Talked About
After the screening attendees had a chance to chat about some of the topics that came up. We started off by speaking about what the group may have had in common with the women we saw abroad. Surprisingly and unsurprisingly enough, the group had lots in common. The conversation quickly centered around the media portrayal of Black women and how like in Milan, London and Tel Aviv, media representation of Black women in the U.S. is lacking and often stereotypical. Watch highlights of the discussion.
What We Learned
In addition to cementing the fact that media diversity is a global concern, we learned that there’s lots that we can do to get more Black women in front of and behind the cameras, as well as in more jobs of influence and power outside of the entertainment industry. One of the suggestions that came up was to take a note from organizations like Black Women in Tech that are raising awareness around professional opportunities that exist in various industry, as well as informing and equipping members of the community to seize those jobs.
