Our Voices Project

06/17/2026

She's setting the tone for this Juneteenth weekend with that answer. You betta SAY THAT, MA'AM! 📣✊🏾

I'Yhana Avent () is one of our featured panelists for our BEING BLACK IN AMERICA screening TONIGHT at 6pm at Rochester City Hall (City Council Chambers - Room 302A).

There's still time to RSVP!
https://beingblackonjuneteenth.eventbrite.com

We're going to get into what our art means to us, how we preserve our culture and history through it, and ways that the community can and must support it.

See you there!

06/15/2026

What we've always known ourselves to be comes out of us through our art.

Cocoa Rae David () is our camera operator, the studio owner for where we shot our film, and a featured panelist for our BEING BLACK IN AMERICA screening this Wednesday, 6/17 at 6pm at Rochester City Hall (City Council Chambers).

We're going to get into what our art means to us, how we preserve our culture and history through it, and ways that the community can and must support it.

To RSVP, tap the link in bio!

06/14/2026

Our art is often imitated, never duplicated.

This is a quote that Ta**us () makes in the film BEING BLACK IN AMERICA screening this Wednesday, 6/17 at 6pm at Rochester City Hall (City Council Chambers).

We're going to get into what our art means to us, how we preserve our culture and history through it, and ways that the community can and must support it.

To RSVP, tap here: https://beingblackonjuneteenth.eventbrite.com

P.S. The music you hear in the background is Ta**us's. Give him a follow and support him on !

06/12/2026

Kick off Juneteenth weekend with our screening of BEING BLACK IN AMERICA!

📽 BEING BLACK IN AMERICA
📆 Wednesday, June 17 at 6-8pm
📍Rochester City Hall, 30 Church Street
🍿: Refreshments provided
🎟: Free & open to the public - to RSVP, visit https://beingblackonjuneteenth.eventbrite.com

🎞 BEING BLACK IN AMERICA is a documentary short film that shows an array of different thoughts and attitudes behind Blackness and what it means to everyone on a personal level by asking one central question, What does being Black in America mean to you?

📣 Immediately following our screening, storytellers featured in the documentary, along with entrepreneurs, community leaders, and educators, will facilitate a discussion about Black Art--what it means to us, how we preserve our history and culture through it, and how we support our Black artists and creatives.

We're excited to announce that our panelists will include Dee Ponder, Rae Da, Ta**us Savant, and Iyhana Avent.

♿️ The venue is wheelchair accessible and the film has subtitles. (We're working to confirm ASL Interpretation as well - stay tuned!)

HUGE thank you to Stanley Martin for your support and for hosting us!

06/08/2026

I had a quick exchange with Rian Johnson (Director behind Brick, Looper, Knives Out, The Glass Onion, etc.) and I’ve been spiraling ever since. (In a good way.)

I’d been trying to figure out why I’ve been so emotional over this - and yes, I know it’s “you just met one of your faves, Jackie - it’s really not a hard thing to grasp!” but hear me out because it’s more than that.

Several years ago, I was working on set for a local director who said something that devastated me. I forget what movie or movies we were referencing, but she said, “it’s just a movie.” Now, I’m not the best with processing my emotions. Since therapy, I’ve definitely gotten better at this, but it took this small chance encounter all these years later for me to realize why she’s wrong.

Movies are an art form - they entertain us, they move us, they teach us, they challenge us. Like other art forms, they evoke emotion and memories.

Would we collectively say that about other art forms? I want to challenge you if the answer is anything, but no in my latest Substack - link in bio!

I'm pretty sure he won't see this, but Rian Johnson - thanks for the inspiration!

- Jackie

I met Rian Johnson over the weekend and I've been spiraling ever since.

06/03/2026

THE INJURED BODY is a film that you NEED to see. That your family, friends, colleagues, peers, students, and community leaders need to see. I'm still processing all of the stories we heard over the weekend. WHEW!

If you're not booking a screening with mara, please fix that right now. Run, do not walk to neelumfilms.com EXPEDITIOUSLY!

, you did such an incredible job directing and editing this film. So many stories of women and non-binary folks sharing stories that, whether they knew it or not, were all very interconnected and that so many of us can resonate with.

Shoutout to for the cinematography, with the still photography, and the rest of the crew and storytellers for putting together a beautifully-made, powerful, and thought-provoking film.

It was an honor discussing the film with you, mara, and I'm grateful to know you, friend.
-Jackie

05/29/2026

If our city supports artists, why are so many of us struggling? Let's talk about it after our community film screening of BEING BLACK IN AMERICA on the week of Juneteenth!

🎬 BEING BLACK IN AMERICA: SCREENING AND DISCUSSION
📆 Wednesday, June 17 at 6-8pm
📍Rochester City Hall, 30 Church St.
🎟: Free and open to the public
RSVP here: https://beingblackonjuneteenth.eventbrite.com

BEING BLACK IN AMERICA is our award-winning documentary short film that shows an array of different thoughts and attitudes behind Blackness by asking one central question, What does it mean to you to be Black in America?

Following our screening will be a panel discussion + Q&A about Black Art - what Black art is to Black people, ways that we preserve Black culture and history in our art, how we protect our art, and how the community can support Black artists.

That Saturday, June 20, visit us and other Black-owned businesses at the Black Business Expo at between 10am-4pm.

05/28/2026

I almost pity them...ALMOST.

Get over yourselves.

05/28/2026

Hear me out...

SYKE! Of course we don't live in a post-racial society and as artists it's our duty to share stories of the global majority to learn how we tear down all of the -isms.

That's why we're excited to watch The Injured Body, Directed by mara ahmed, and host a post screening talk at The Little Theatre on May 30 at 11:30am.

Get your tickets at thelittle.org and we'll see you there!

05/28/2026

Hear me out...

SYKE! Of course we don't live in a post-racial society and as artists it's our duty to share stories of the global majority to learn how we tear down all of the -isms.

That's why we're excited to watch The Injured Body, Directed by mara ahmed, and host a post screening talk at The Little Theatre on May 30 at 11:30am.

Get your tickets at thelittle.org and we'll see you there!