38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin Live - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - Carole King - ...

When I tell you that Ms. Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, did the darn thing at the
38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors @ Mica and Ahmet Ertegun Atrium at Lincoln Center, New York - believe it!

With love, Carla




 #QueenofSoul #ArethaFranklin #LincolnCenterNYC #TeamBH

Its Been A Minute

Santa Barbara, CA

Hey Everyone, How's it going? I know its been a minute since you've heard from me.
No worries, I'll be updating you with some really good, positive thoughts in a little bit, okay? On my way to Los Angeles, via Amtrak ("All aboard!")

Remember to watch the company that you keep. Stay on your path = stay in the light!

Sending you love & light,
Carla

Viola Davis wins Emmy Award for Lead Actress 2015 in a Drama Series

Thank you for such a heart touching, truthful speech! We are so proud of YOU, #ViolaDavis #HarrietTubman #Realtalk #Opportunity #Knock #Knock

Hurricane Katrina: Where Were You, When The News of the Hurricane Hit New Orleans, Louisiana?

It's been 10 years since Hurricane Katrina. So many things were going through my mind when I first turned on the news to see the catastrophic storm that hit
New Orleans, LA., August 23 - August 31, 2005. It was surreal,
watching so many people stranded on the roof tops of their homes. Helpless.
Spike Lee's documentary, 'When The Levees Broke' accurately summarized the tragic moments.  Time magazine also covered the story very well. 

Spike Lee's  Documentary - When The Levees Broke (Parts I and II)

Spike Lee's - When The Levees Broke (Part III and IV)

R,I,P, all those whose lives were lost because of the storm and the broken levee. 

My condolences to the many families that were torn apart because of Hurricane Katrina.

Love & light,
Carla
P.S. Where was I when Hurricane Katrina hit? I was in Southern, CA, Dana Point, spending time with my Cousin Dorothy Sims, the woman that helped raise me. We felt utterly helpless be cause we could not do a thing to help all of the stranded people on the roof tops. So many residents of New Orleans, LA suffered - and it hurt to watch them suffer.
 Cousin Dorothy passed 11/2015.
R.I.P my Dear Cousin Dorothy.

Los Angeles STATE OF THE NATURAL UNION - Nappywood™ - 3rd Annual LA Natural Hair & Lifestyle EXPO 2015 Wrap UP!(Part 1 of 2)

There were Greeters at the door that said,
"Welcome to Nappywood™ " when you arrived at the two-day #NaturalLifestylesMatter event.
 The Greeters made everyone feel at home as they directed everyone to The Reef.

L to R., Regina Kimbell, Co-Founder, Nappywood™, Co-Founder of Los Angeles NATURAL Hair & 

Lifestyle EXPO (LANX*),

Guy Walker, President, Wealth Management Strategies, as well as the moderator
for the "State of the Natural Union" and

 Renee Morris, Owner of Uncle Funky's Daughter hair care.

The Two-Day Nappywood™ LA
Event had great products like Miss Jessie's,
Design Essentials, Cream of Nature, Uncle Funky's Daughter to name a few!

Standing with the microphones,
L. to R., Visionaries Gwen Allen, Co-Founder,Los Angeles NATURAL Hair &Lifestyle EXPO (LANX*) and
Regina Kimbell,
Co-Founder, Nappywood™  and  Los Angeles NATURAL Hair &Lifestyle EXPO (LANX*),  

Sitting panelist from L to R - STATE OF THE NATURAL UNION 
Juwana Todd, Co-Owner, Jojuda's Salon and Day Spa, Design Essentials Educator,
Lead Educator @ Design Essentials,
Dr. Kari Williams, Owner, Mahogany Hair Revolution Salon & Trichology Clinic,
as well as
 President, California Cosmetology Association, Los Angeles,

  Renee Morris, Founder/CEO,

Uncle Funky's Daughter,

Houston, TX,

Miko Branch, Co-Founder, CEO, Miss Jessie's  Hair Salon, NYC., and Cheryl Morrow PhD, Founder,
 Curl Academy-San Diego, CA

Regina Kimbell, Co-Founder,Nappywood™, and Co-Founder, Los Angeles NATURAL Hair &Lifestyle EXPO (LANX*),   
Renee Morris, Founder, Uncle Funky's Daughter, Sandi Cook, 
Team Nappywood™, Community Organizer LA. 

 It was truly an all inclusive hair care affair. This was an inclusive event.The #NaturalLifestylesMatter,  2 Day #Nappywood Event had something for all hair grades, whether you were transitioning from perm to natural hair- there was a product/treatment
 in the house for you!
 Do you know what we talked about? Our hair, and how to treasure what we have, no matter how thin or thick your hair is, be it grades 1-4,
there was something for you!

There were so many talented, qualified #Hair-educators on hand, helping all to learn more about how to love their Natural #Hairdos at this awesome
#InternationalBlackHairtage Event -  and it was FUN!
We learned first hand, from the experts at the  event
 how to moisturize and add shine and bounce to what you have. 

Philanthropist Regina Kimbell and Gwen Allen are Visionaries on a Mission to educate women and men around the globe about how to care for WE - with Soul.
The #Nappywood Team, helped support #SpecialOlympics 2015 Team from Tanzania, providing hair care products for the Team!  

A "Must READ" book - Miko Branch & Titi Branch, Co-Founders of Miss Jessie's Hair Care Salon, NYC.
(We love you always, #TITIBranch)

 A beautiful Model having a conversation with the lovely Miko Branch, Co-Founder of Miss Jessie's Hair Care and
  Dr. Kari Williams, Owner, Mahogany Hair Revolution Salon & Trichology Clinic, 
as well as
 President, California Cosmetology Association, Los Angeles

Just pay attention to the next time you step off a plane, train, automobile, curb and are traveling through LA, NYC, DC, Atlanta, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas,Texas, Alabama, Louisiana-
even Globally,
Ghana, Kenya, Capetown, South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, The Congo, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Eritrea, Tanzania to name a few places - women are taking the time to love their hair.

How awesome is that?...more to come!

Love & light,
Carla

P.S. Thank you Gwen Allen and Regina Kimbell & #Nappywood Volunteers, for the generous donation gift bags with tons of hair care products that was given to the
#Special Olympics Team from Tanzania, that took home the GOLD
 here in Los Angeles, CA in 2015!

*Gwen Allen, Co-Founder, Los Angeles Natural Hair & Lifestyle EXPO,   
 and LANX* Weekend
Regina Kimbell, Co-Founder, Nappywood™ and  Los Angeles Natural Hair & Lifestyle EXPO Weekend (LANX*)
Please join our Meet Up group - #HappyInNappywood

Special Olympics - Los Angeles | July 25 - August 2, 2015

There were over 6,500 athletes from 165 countries competing in LA - awesome!
Thank you, Mayor Eric Garcetti!
 Los Angeles City Council President, Herb Wesson Jr., and his lovely wife,
Fabian were in the house!
Thank goodness that Maria Shriver's Mother, the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver had the foresight to visualize and implement the Special Olympics. 
Congratulations to all of the participants in the Special Olympics World Games in LA, CA 2015
#SpecialOlympics
@LA2015

Herb J. Wesson, Jr. Los Angeles City Council President Council Member
District 10. and his lovely wife, Fabian Wesson
(Photography by Albert E.Lord III)

Special Olympics Los Angeles, closing ceremony at the LA Sports Arena
#SpecialOlympics2015
(Photography by Albert E. Lord III)

Special Olympics Delegation - Team of 8 from Tanzania
Competing in Athletics, and bringing home the GOLD, SILVER and the  BRONZE
in relay racing. - and Moza Cooper, The zebra and black gift bags have hair care products given to team by
LA Natural Hair & Lifestyle EXPO #Nappywood  #HappyinNappywood
(Photography by Carla Thomas)

Thank you, Albert E. Lord III for all of the work that you do, holding up the torch,
 representing  District 10, Herb J. Wesson Jr., Council President.

Albert E. Lord III, Deputy Office of
 Herb J. Wesson Jr., President of Los Angeles City Council, District 10
 Twitter:  @HerbJWesson
(Photography by Albert E. Lord III)

Thank you, Moza Cooper, for taking the time to take me to meet and greet a group of
Champions from Tanzania. It was a pleasure to meet everyone. Hats off to the CEO!


Love & light,
Carla

'Stop Eating CRAP' - Andrea Chasse-Galbreath

"Be the Champion of your own health and happiness."
That is precisely what Author, Health & Lifestyles Consultant, Fitness Professional
and Mother of 3,  Andrea Chasse-Galbreath shows you how to do in her recently released book,
 'STOP Eating CRAP'.

There are dreamers, and there are doers. Andrea Chasse-Galbreath is a doer.

Andrea Chasse-Galbreath shares her 15 year battle with healthy living and
weight-loss/control in her book, 'Stop Eating Crap'.

When you meet people like Andrea Chasse-Galbreath, and then get the opportunity to workout with her, you realize that Moms can truly manage the family, rearing children and stay on top of their health at the same time.

 In the book, 'STOP Eating CRAP',

Andrea Chasse-Galbreath helps others who are concerned about their heath, get a grip on their lives - teaching them to #StopEatingCrap

Andrea Chasse-Galbreath, Author, Health & Lifestyles Consultant 

Words to live by. - Arthur Ashe

Andrea Chasse-Galbreath is an instructor @ Billy Blanks Taebo Studio

 Do yourself a favor and do what I did - get a copy of  Stop Eating Crap.
                                      You will be so glad you did!

Visit Andrea Chasse-Galbreath's website: #AndreaGalbreath
You can follow Andrea on Twitter:          @andreagalbreath
You can friend Andrea on Facebook:         Andrea Galbreath

Avis Casimir, Editor at Large,

We Are Growing Higher and Higher

We Need to Take A Moment and Listen to some Songs in The Key of Life ~ Stevie Wonder

Life. A precious gift. Something to treasure.

"Sometimes our pains and trouble can make you wish you were born in another time and place...But you can bet your life and that as twice as double, that God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed. So make sure when you say your in it, but not of it, that you're not making this place sometimes called hell. Change your words into truth and then change that truth into love, and maybe our children's grandchildren and their great-grandchildren will tell...and I've got to say Always - Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key of Life "As"



Love & light,
Carla

The King of the Jungle - Hear Him ROAR!

This week was really an unusual one. Got good news (friend is getting married) and bad news
(the death of a friend). What with all that's happening in the news - the shooting of
9 innocent people in Charleston, NC. - I could go on and on.

What I wanted to say is, who ever you are, know that you've got to do whatever it is that you want to get accomplished, as soon as you can.

Why?

Tomorrow is not promised to any of us.

Thank you, all of the men that decided early on to marry, have children and stick to it -stay with it - committing yourself to your family. A big shout out to all of the step-fathers, uncles, cousins and brothers who have helped out as a father figure to their siblings - No one said it was going to be easy - being a parent, but it is so rewarding!

The King of the Jungle and his Cub - ROAR!

So, to all of you men who have stepped up to the helms, helping single mothers raise their children, being the father figure that is so so needed in every child's life - hats off to you.

Children who have been raised by men with true grit are so grateful and thankful to you.
In that regard, that's why I say, everyday should be Father's Day!

With love & light,
Carla

150th Anniversary of Juneteenth Celebration - 6/20/21st 2015 @ Leimert Park

Black Arts Los Angeles (BALA), 6th Anniversary, in full swing.
Join in celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Juneteenth
in Leimert Park. #BALAEvent2015

Black Arts Los Angeles (BALA) a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is throwing there 6th Anniversary of there stepping into the ring, and including the 150th Juneteenth Celebration, in honor of the fact that according to the Emancipation Proclamation, all slaves in America were free.


The battle of Antietam (a.k.a. Sharpsburg) set the stage, providing the necessary Union victory needed  to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Henry Louis Stephens, untitled watercolor (c1863),
black man reading a newspaper w/ headline
"Presidential Proclamation/Slavery".
(wikipedia.org)

Images courtesy of Houghton Library, Harvard University The Emancipation Proclamation was issued on Jan. 1, 1863. The writing on the bottom of this copy, in the hand of Charles Sumner, a senator from Massachusetts, states that this was an “official copy from the Department of State.” The document is part of the Houghton Library collection.

The facts are, President Lincoln, via an executive order, issued January 1, 1863, changed the legal status, as recognized by the US Fed Government, of 3 million slaves in the designated areas of the South, from "slave" to "free". The ratification of the 13th Amendment,
Dec 1865, made slavery and indentured servitude, expect for those duly convicted of a crime, illegal, everywhere subject to the Unites States jurisdiction. 

African American Men - Military Service in the Civil War

earned the right to go from being held in captivity, 

to being free citizens in America. 

(Photo: Wikipedia.org)

considered the Emancipation Proclamation the crowing achievement of his presidency/career.
Quiet as it's kept, President Lincoln had to issue the Emancipation Proclamation twice.


Fast-forward to today. America, the Beautiful. We've got work to do. 




As the late, Dr. Maya Angelou said in
"Still I Rise"  -
 "Out of the huts of history and shame -
I rise. 
I am the dream and the hope of the slave -
I rise.
I rise.
I rise.  

Love & light.
Carla

Black Arts Los Angeles is a 501(c)3) founded by Moza Mjasiri Cooper and Gail Jennings. 

SFAACC-Juneteenth-Business-Awards-Luncheon-6-19-15

What a wonderful, empowering way to celebrate Juneteenth in San Francisco!
Get your tickets now for the #SFAACC Juneteenth Business Awards Luncheon, at the
San Francisco Marriot Marquis.

Hope to see you there!
Love & light,
Carla

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/You-re-Invited--SFAACC-Juneteenth-Business-Awards-Luncheon-6-19-15.html?soid=1110757552761&aid=b7IRdW6H6Do

#SFAACC Juneteenth Celebration
#CDAConsultingGroup 
#SanFranciscoMarriotMarquis

#PinkPump Affair @ Montage Beverly Hills - It's ON!

It's time for the 7th Annual Pink Pump Affair -  Yay! 


Every year, Mother/Wife/Humanitarian/ Mother & Child Advocate,  Areva Martin, Esq., and her team of #caregivers at

Special Needs Network INC., is all about the children.
Support Camp Joe Patton Academy Camp (JPAC)

7th Annual #PinkPump Affair @Montage Beverly Hills
Sunday, May 17, 2015 - Get your tickets NOW!

The Special Needs Network, INC., (#SNNLA) get together and throw a fabulous event that supports parents, #caregivers with children who require #SpecialNeeds to attend the
Joe Patton Academy Camp - (JPAC), 
a camp that provides a week of fun for children who require round the clock care. The parents and caregivers bring the children to JPAC, and are given a one week break, during the summer.

The  next #Pinkpump event is this Sunday, May 17, 2015 @Montage Beverly Hills.
 Get your tickets now, because the event is selling out!
How awesome is that?

Special Needs Network INC. - StreetTeam, advocating for #AutismAwareness!

Love & light,
Carla

Happy Mother's Day!

Just imagine if everyone around the world treated their Mom as if everyday was Mother's Day. Wishful thinking. Quite often, people take their Mothers for granted. Thinking that Mother will always be there. Not so, for many.

If you have been entrusted with the job of being a Mother, you realize that it's not an easy job. In my opinion, there is no other job that is more rewarding then being a Mother.
It rates in the top 3 positions of being one of many women's  top accomplishments.
So if you are fortunate enough to have given birth, adopted a child, been, or is currently a Foster Parent, raised your grand children, your great-grandchildren  - siblings, cousins, distant relatives or even neighbors - count yourself blessed.

Having the love of a Mother is better than finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow!

Enjoy today, and everyday with your Mother, if you are still blessed to have her!

Love & light,

Carla

( All capital letters on M for Mother is done intentionally, with so much respect)

It's Friday! Let's Do This!

It's Friday, and time to shift gears and get on over to where ever it is you like to spend your T.G.I.F., okay?
I would recommend that you stop on over to the Montage Hotel and grab a spot at
Chef Scott Conant's place - SCARPETTA. Chef Scott Conant is holding it down on the East Coast
and the West Coast - Okay?! The atmosphere is lovely, the food is delicious!

Montage Beverly Hills, the perfect spot!

The Man - Chef Scott Conant, Owner of
Scarpetta BH, Scarpetta NYC, Scarpetta Toronto,
D.O.C.G. Enotecca at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, NV,
SCCulinary Suite  = Holding it down!

Love & light,
Carla

Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts Adds New Board Members

The Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts
The Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts has just appointed five new Board Members - YES!
Please join me in welcoming the FAB Debbie Allen, Jacqueline Avant, Carol Goldsmith,
Cinny Kennard, and Jamie McCourt.
Welcome, Ladies!

Debbie Allen, Board Member,
Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts

Jamie McCourt, Board Member,
Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts

Clarence Avant and wife, Jacqueline Avant, Board Member, Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts 

Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts is located in the heart of Beverly Hills- 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90210 | 310.746.4000

On Twitter: @TheWallisBH | Facebook: Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts
#TeamBH #TheWallisBH

"Four Corners" - Featured @ The Pan African Film Festival LA - It's a Wrap! 2015

Shot on location in South Africa in the Cape Flats, Four Corners is a film based on actual experiences of the residents. The film is fast paced depiction of young people fighting a war that is over 100 years old.
"Cape Flats is the most violent neighborhood in South Africa and one of the most violent neighborhoods in the world," says the film's director, Ian Gabriel.

"Four Corners", Directed by Ian Gabriel. A South African Film that mirrors the
lives of many of our youths in America

 

Farrakhan (Brendon Daniels), a general in the 28 gang in Four Corners prison has just been released from prison after 13 years. He wants out of the gang life and his only goals besides wanting to live as a law abiding citizen are to avenge his father's murder by a leading member of the rival 26 gang and to find his son, who was born 13 years ago while he was in prison. In the beginning of the film, we meet Ricardo(Jezzriel Skei), Farrakhan's 13-year-old-son, who is being interrogated by the police for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is something different about Ricardo and the detective knows this and sets him free. Ricardo is a chess prodigy and wants to leave the juvenile section of the prison in time to make it to chess practice after school.  The game of Chess is Ricardo's only oxygen and he plays like his life depends on it. Though Farrakhan and Ricardo's paths won't actually cross until later on in the film, the audience gets enough clues throughout the film to figure out that Ricardo is the son that Farrakhan is looking for.

Ricardo's life spirals out of control as he is pulled into the 26 gang in
Cape Flats and is forced into robberies, gambling and a gut wrenching shootout. It's hard to imagine that Ricardo had many other choices  in this community. Poverty and destitution are continuous and ubiquitous in this dismally violent community. Like Ricardo, the vast majority of the youth live in fatherless homes. The fathers are not in the homes because they are in the prisons; a depressing mirror image of the reality for many black and brown children in the United States. 

Farrakhan is passionate about living on the right side of the law, but he is in the wrong side of town. He is a former member of the 28 gang living in 26  gang's territory.  These 2 gangs have been at war for the past 100 years in Cape Town. There is no welcome wagon when he arrives  in Cape Flats and no promise of peace from the members of the 26 gang. Farrakhan makes a promise to himself and his new love interest that the path to his future will be guided by peace. However, the sadism that he attracts prohibits him from excluding bloody options.   

These stories are centered around the mixed race people of the Cape Flats in Cape Town, South Africa. Even though South Africa saw the end of apartheid over 2 decades ago, the Cape Flats remains segregated and comprised of mixed race residents. These are the people that played the extras and even some of the main characters in Four Corners. Shooting on location gave Gabriel the opportunity to provide desperately needed jobs and revenue to the Cape Flats. The residents provided the vast array of services necessary for film production from craft and catering to security (courtesy of the Cape Flat gang members).

The Cape Flat residents welcomed the idea of shooting the film,
Four Corners in their community. They were enthusiastic to have their stories told. They are the forgotten people of South Africa. They were not white enough to benefit from apartheid and they are not black enough to benefit from the notoriety and gains made by some South Africa's black people after apartheid. The mixed race people of the Cape Flats wanted to be seen and heard. Their stories resonate with Ian Gabriel, who is also a mixed race South African.

Gabriel said that he got the idea for the film on a trip to the United States. He had a conversation with a Baltimore social worker who told him about the legacy of families that had generations of sons and fathers going to prison. This revolving door is detrimental on the entire family and the community. This resonated with Gabriel and he wanted to do a film which spoke the harsh truths of the people of South Africa's Cape Flats. In the film, "Four Corners", a senior prison general tells Farrakhan that there is no need to go out into the world to look for his son because just as he (Farrakhan) had to end up in prison to find his father, Farrakhan's son will surely end up in prison and find him; A generational curse.

As for the prison scenes, Gabriel says that this was the easiest shooting day he's ever had. The prisoners in the film were all ex-convicts. There is a prison riot that takes place immediately after the brutal shanking of a prison general in the beginning of the film. Gabriel says that the only direction he gave the main actors and the extras was to conduct a prison riot and everyone knew just what to do. Prison riots were nothing new to this bunch so they needed very little direction to pull off this brilliant scene! Gabriel used actual prison generals to play the parts of the prison generals in the film. The history of prison generals in Cape Town's prisons is long and prevailing. Gabriel says that the prison officials run the prison for 8 hours a day while the prison generals of the 26 and 28 numbers gangs runs the prison for 16 hours a day. They were able to acquire gains for the prisoners in civil rights, better lockdown times, increased hours for exercising and better working conditions. The prison generals in the Four Corners prison are highly respected and regarded. There are definitely some obvious pros to having the prison generals wield so much power. However, Gabriel gives us a front row seat to some of the deadly outcomes of the prison generals' reign.

Chess is a constant thread in Four Corners. Ricardo, the 13 year old character, makes moves in his life according to the rules of Chess. He compares each person in his life to pieces on the chess board and deals with them accordingly. There is a striking difference to Ricardo's life when he is in his realm as a Chess champion and when he is out in the streets,
making every move possible to avoid becoming a mere pawn in this game of life and death. Gabriel explains that he uses Chess to such a large extent in the film because Chess has becoming a prevalent element of reform in The Cape Flats. Along with competitive Pantsulu youth dance groups, Youth Chess Teams are now formed in The Cape Flats to give the youth an alternative to gang affiliations.

Director of "Four Corners",
Ian Gabriel

Four Corners is a brilliant film about a forgotten people. In  the film, "Four Corners", the mixed race people of the Cape Flats live loud and in bodacious color! Gabriel's love and knowledge of the film's subject matter is extensive and impressive. He tells a story of a very particular group of people in a very particular place. However, Gabriel is never unaware that this story is universal and as true for the youth in the favelas of Rio to the youth in the South Side of Chicago. In my opinion the only thing that can make this film better is a companion documentary which gives the viewers some background on the Cape Flats, the numbers gangs in the Four Corners prison and the political and historical background of the mixed race people in South Africa.

There is so much more to learn about South Africa and Gabriel's film has rightfully claimed its place on South Africa's timeline by giving us an in-depth look at part of this country that we know far too little about.
Yougnesse Williams
Editor-At-Large
Photography by Yougnesse Williams
#PAFF2015 #FourCornerstheFILM

PAFF.ORG - Triangle: Going to America

Director and Producer, Theodros Teshome Kedebe,
Ja'net DuBois, Co-Founder, Pan African Film Festival,
and the cast of the Centerpiece film, Triangle: Going to America

The Honorable Consul General, Ambassador Zerihun Reta,
Director & Producer of the film, Triangle: Going to America -
Theodros Teshome Kedebe

Triangle: Going to America, made its world premier last night as the Centerpiece film at the 23rd annual Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. 

The film was written
and directed by Ethiopian filmmaker, Theodros Teshome Kedebe.  

The beautiful cast donned the red carpet in their finest Ethiopian garments and grace.

This feature film takes us on a journey wrought with grief and peril through the deserts of Ethiopia, 
East and North Africa, Italy, Mexico and the United States.

Cast members of the fim,Triangle: Coming to Americagathered in a circle celebrating the world premiere  of their fabulous film. They're doing a traditional Ethiopian dance at the after party.

This thought provoking film addresses several controversial issues.


On this journey women do not play the traditional gender roles of Ethiopian and Eritrean women. One female character tells her fiancé, "The only difference between men and women these days are the signs on the restroom doors." The film also deals with the sexual victimization that travelers frequently endure when trying to cross borders at the hands of the smugglers; the ones who have been paid handsomely to guide and protect them.  Financial exploitation is another common thread in the film. Even after the travelers are forced to spend money after paying multiple times to multiple people, they are threatened at gun point even when they have absolutely nothing left to give or refuse to pay again.

This is an important film as it broadens the discussion of illegal immigration beyond the assumption that all people who cross the U.S./Mexico border illegally are Hispanic.

This film exhibits not only the route that many Africans take to enter the United States without documentation, but also the range of reasons why people would leave Africa and risk a precarious trek through more than 10,000 miles of life and death situations and countless treacherous handlers to get to the United States.

What I loved most was that this was a very intelligent film. The comedy was edgy and witty, the dialogue was sharp and each outcome was unpredictable. The characters had an undeniable chemistry which produced scenes that made you laugh along with them, cry along with them,  fear and cheer along with them. There was a gut wrenching scene of grief that made the audience grown and forced me reach for my Kleenex. The actors were brilliant in making us care deeply about each and every traveler. The main characters were warm, lovable, resilient and strong and the excellent performances by the actors made the emotion in the scenes tangible.

Though the 2 scenes where nature pounded the travelers had CG that was so bad that it was distracting at best; I could not be mad at the filmmaker. 

Kedebe did a heck of a lot more with the incredibly low budget of $350,000 than anyone can possibly imagine. Kedebe got the idea for this film after a chance encounter with an old friend from Ethiopia for the first time in the United States. After this friend told him a ten minute version of this nightmare of a journey, Kedebe knew that this had to be a manifested into a feature film. Three years later,  Triangle: Going to America had its world premiere. Kedebe got the title for this film when thinking about the triangular layout of the transatlantic slave trade established 500 years ago. Kedebe made this film as an admonition to his countrymen to not risk their lives journeying through hell to get to a place where they will discover that they have only sold themselves into a new kind of slavery when they encounter the degradation and exploitation that stems from braving the Triangle to get to the United States.


Yougnesse Williams

Editor-At-Large

Photography by Yougnesse Williams

Vigilante... The Crossing - PAFF.ORG 2015

The Cast of  the film, Vigilante...The Crossing..Step By Step Productions, Producer, Dave Weekes,
 Marcia Weekes, Director
(Photography by Yougnesse Williams)

Writer, Producer Dave Weekes, Director, Marcia Weekes
Vigilante...The Crossing

Barbados has arrived! Writer and Producer, Dave Weekes, director Marcia Weekes has propelled Bajan film-making in a tremendous way. Her fifth film Vigilante... The Crossing is a modern day tale of Robin Hood meets City of God!

The film chronicles the struggles of ex-con Dexter Gooding who makes a radical change from egocentric violent criminal to an island version of Shaft in order to help his community which is now plagued with nightly shootings, robbery, sexual assault, police brutality and political corruption. Yes... we have seen all of these things before in Caribbean films. However, the exhibition of racism and prejudice by a wealthy Caucasian family towards members of Dexter's community is something brand new for the audience to ponder. The film also does not shy away from taboo... rich white privileged girl meets handsome, big, black, gun-toting gangster and causes rich white family sleepless nights.

In addition to the wonderful acting from a very talented cast, I found it delightful to see Caucasian actors speaking with authentic Bajan accents. These accents were not acquired with the assistance of a dialect coach; the actors are official Bajans. Weekes delves into a topic that is not discussed or acknowledged in the Caribbean to the extent that it is in the United States. Weekes manifests room for much needed dialogue about race and class issues in the Caribbean, which ultimately are as destructive there as it is in the United States.

What I enjoyed most about the film was watching Dexter, a young man who enjoyed reigning terror in his community in the past  redeem himself by now picking up arms and putting his life on the line to defend this same community against the new ruthless crime boss and his henchmen. And though I would have loved to see some scenes in the film where the white sand beaches and pristine turquoise waters were featured, I respect Weekes' decision to have the audience view Barbados and the Caribbean in general as more than just a great spot to vacation, work on a fabulous tan and limbo on the dance floor of a swanky Americanized resort.

 In Vigilante...The Crossing, the people of the Caribbean were real characters with complex personalities, complicated relationships and souls. Weekes' film fills a void in an industry where many mainstream films shot in the Caribbean tend to feature Caucasian characters only and the people of the islands are just waiters, maids, valets, pretty ornaments wearing bikinis on the beach or simply invisible. Vigilante...The Crossing is adamant in giving the people of the island strength and a prominent voice!

The film was shot on location in Barbados in 26 days. The Bajan Board of Tourism was a strong supporter of the production. 13 members of the cast flew all the way from Barbados to Los Angeles for the world premiere of the film Vigilante and adorned the red carpet with Bajan style and wonderful accents. As a fellow Caribbean myself, I am proud to say, "Allyuh, Vigilante is de rell ting, man. Gwon see de movie at de Pan African Film Festival before it dun. If yuh doh see it, yuh go be rell sorry!"

Yougnesse Williams
Editor-At-Large

Photography by Yougnesse Williams

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