“I am VENUS”

(spoiler alert)

What better way to close out my final blog for Afrofuturism, than with the fearless, extraordinary, ground-breaking, BAD ASS women of “Black Panther?” The 2018 movie "Black Panther" is a conventional Marvel action film with an uncommon cast. A significant portion of the action is carried out by the female primary characters, who are not only there to further the objectives of the male protagonist.  Each of them has a distinct plan and purpose. The film alters these modes of representational performance via the expressive qualities of Afrofuturism. Internalizing the multifaceted nature of Blackness via using the lens of Afrofuturism as a means of comprehending black experience gives a legacy of pride, as well as a sense of belonging that facilitates one's connection to a Pan-African culture.  The film has the capacity to provide a hopeful vision of Africa because it uses futuristic themes as its foundation. Beyond the cliches of civil society, an entirely novel image of Africa is emerging. Modern, technically passionate, skilled, powerful, and most importantly liberated women are shown in the new image.

Black Panther establishes early on that it is not your typical superhero film, whereby the women are docile and the male character must come to their rescue. On the contrary, the women of Wakanda are not only able to manage their own positions but are the true backbone of the nation because to their leadership and remarkable gifts. Not only does Black Panther feature Okoye, the bold and fierce general of the Dora Milaje, but also Nakia, a super spy and valiant fighter. Whenever T'Challa has doubts concerning his own capacity for leadership, his mother, Queen Ramonda, reassures him. Shuri, T'Challa's younger sister, is perhaps the most brilliant person in Wakanda and the genius behind the majority of the country's modern technological advancements, including his spectacular suit and the weaponry he equips.  T'Challa is defended by his all-female private armed force, the Dora Milaje.  Nevertheless, it is the women of Wakanda that support T'Challa when his strength is at his most vulnerable, allowing him to reclaim his throne. Rather of being stereotypes of marginalized Black women, the characters of Queen Ramonda, Shuri, Nakia, and Okoye are fully formed, pivotal players who elevate the film to great heights.

Black Panther transcends the medium of film. This Afrofuturist element transports us to a universe where the melanin of fierce women is the deep, beautiful shade seldom seen in mainstream Hollywood productions. It is revolutionary that intelligent, powerful, and stunning Black women of color are finally being represented in mainstream in a positive light. Black women in film need not play the damsel-in-distress archetype; this film demonstrated that strong, independent women may find love and be happy. As a daughter, and as a mother of two beautiful black daughters it overjoys me and transcends my soul that they have a clear vision of who and what they can be, and who and what they are, and the connection they will always have to their ancestors, like my mother and grandmother (RIP).

 “Miss Supadupa Fly”

The music of the '90s is something that I deeply miss. My formative years were soundtracked by songs from this era. You couldn't help but get down to the rhythms and adhere to the messages because they were so innovative. My senses brightened as our professor discussed Missy Elliot's Afrofuturist imprint in music during lecture. Missy was a visionary who brought Afrofuturism into the mainstream. It was while watching BET’s 106 & Park with my sister and cousin that I first saw Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott dangling in the focal point of a lens, as if floating in the air encased in a large, inflated garbage bag, gold hoop earrings, round helmet, and bug-eye sunglasses. This video alone had us enthralled.  We were quickly enrolled into the "Hee-hee-hee-ha" fan club. LOL!

In 1997, after nearly a decade of hardcore gangsta and political rap, Missy provided us instantaneous authorization to be strange, different, and purely humorous without resorting to gimmickry or originality. Feminine but not stereotypically so, she proved that people could appreciate a woman for more than just her physical appearance "cute face and chubby waist" (in 2005's "Lose Control"), decades prior to the topic of positive body image became a hot topic in the entertainment industry. She didn't utilize her sexuality to write a story of fantasy but rather to evoke wonder. We were witnessing someone who was opposed to our ideas of what a woman should be like, and it was ground-breaking during this era. I was a teenager at Missy Elliot's peak popularity. On Saturday nights, my friends and I would frequent, "World on Wheels (W.O.W)." Every Angeleno knows that W.O.W. was the place to be on a Saturday night. The music was a motivating force that got you moving, and things got lit on the skating floor when the DJ began mixing Missy and Timbaland.

When groups that are underrepresented are presented with futures in which they do not appear, it sends the wrong message. And especially for young Black girls who are exposed to discrimination and gender bias from an early age, positive portrayals of the future are crucial. Missy often goes into futuristic concepts in her art, creating imaginative scenes that include spaceships, superheroes, and other aspects of science fiction. Unmatched depictions of black people in pop-culture. Black folk have historically experienced the pull of the cosmic vibration that unites us all. Despite the challenges, we draw from our life stories and blend them with our supernatural powers to produce a narrative that is unmatched in its vividness, originality, and unmistakable uniqueness.  Missy Elliott has been called one of the great Afrofuturists, and rightfully so; she is responsible for a number of the most groundbreaking works in musical history. Realism and the actual soul of Black folk are reflected in her music, dancing, videography, and sense of style.

In order to ensure that young Black females visualize a promising future, Afrofuturism is vital.  Black women of today are creators, leaders, and heroines who can do anything. Missy has paved a path for other black women to carry the torch, like Janelle Monaè.

You Are Now Entering Another Dimension

(spoiler alert)

Recently, I had an obligation for my Afrofuturistic course to watch the film, “White Mans Burden.” What makes this film Afrofuturistic is that it portrays a parallel American society in which African Americans comprise of the racial hierarchy. The film envisions a world where African Americans are the creators of the status-quo. This is an explicit illustration of the "what if" challenge posed by many Afrofuturists: what if all aspects of society—including popular culture, hairstyles, politics, and more—are seen through a Black lens? Which is empowering. Existing in a nation where Black culture is the norm is thought-provoking. Louis Pinnock (John Travolta) is a white manufacturing laborer, and devoted family man who is on the brink of financial ruin. He gets fired, his family is displaced, suffers an assault by Black officers and being falsely accused of being a ‘peeping-Tom’ while delivering to Black CEO Thaddeus Thomas (Harry Belafonte). In order to play the character of Louis Pinnock, who is a demoralized and overworked man, Travolta resorts to applying metaphorical blackface (uggh)! If you haven’t guessed it yet, regardless of the parallel universe, the white man is still the savior. Big SURPRISE! SMH!!!

My qualm is that more time wasn't spent delving into the film's compelling idea of race relations by director Desmond Nakano. The first few scenes do a great job of leveraging the reverse gag to highlight the various ways in which a person's complexion may alter their attitude, and expectations, and they do it in an engaging and effective manner. Take Pinncock's interactions with black police officers at different times in the film as an example. Think about the officers’ preconceived notions. Observe how the wife of Thomas reacts when her son brings home a white girlfriend. My only criticism is that I would have liked to see the film expand its scope to include other societal issues outside the perpetuation of racial stereotypes in Hollywood.

The protagonist of “White Man's Burden” is an unappealing and unpleasant hybrid of the White Savior and the Mystical pseudo-Black man, which does little to subvert, challenge, or critique archaic racial stereotypes. It's difficult, if not impossible, for filmmakers to strike the right tone when trying to convey the complexities and tensions of America's racial past on film. In America, racism is corrosive and persistent. It's not as simple as this twisted allegorical minstrelsy might have you think. Without adding an Afrofuturistic notion that the film doesn't seem to comprehend, this may have just as well been about a poor white man kidnapping a wealthy black man and maintained the same interplay. 

White Man's Burden aims to be part of a school of thought-provoking science fiction that asks, on a personal and societal level, how white folk would react if, by some fluke of the future they found themselves on the receiving end of the same brutal racial prejudice that they routinely inflict on individuals of different racial backgrounds. 

I am She and She is Me (spoiler alert)

Hey Fam! Let’s talk about Julie Dash’s very thought-provoking film, Daughters of the Dust. The film's breathtaking visuals and exhilarating narrative left me gasping for air. After a two-year battle with breast-cancer, I lost my mother in 2021. This is exactly the sort of film my she and I would have enjoyed viewing together while relaxing on her bed. Now that I have already screened it, this "Mother's Day" weekend, I would like to re-watch with my daughters.

The film is an Afrofantasy which offers a vision of timelessness by presenting a mystical image of Black womanity, history, and community that transcends a simplified comprehension of the African American experience. Each individual considers where they are in relation to the past, present, and future as they take back control of who they are, families, communities, and the world at large. Treasuring, utilizing, and sharing our collective past is essential. Yet, freedom also lies in the power of choice.

This film was created by a black woman, features black women, and is aimed deliberately at black female audiences. Dash created this evolving film without anticipating that one of the most prominent figures in the music industry, Queen Bey, would adopt it 25 years later. The stunning visuals of Beyonce’s Lemonade album explored themes of black womanity, southern customs, racism, and fury. Lemonade marked Bey's second visual album; however, it seems to be the very first time she composed original music just for the score of a visual album. Dash's film served as an obvious framework for Bey's vision, considering the subject matter and the attention to detail devoted to the photography within the film.

The American South, where Africans were forced to live in servitude, is celebrated in these two mystical works, "Lemonade" and "Daughters of the Dust." Although the Gullah village on the South Carolina coastline served as the setting for Dash's film, much of the film's gorgeous settings were re-created in Louisiana for Lemonade. Whimsical representations of black women sitting in trees and, in particularly, the usage of the trees' separateness as a communal place in both works highlight the significance of the natural world to the existences of black women. Of particular note, both works feature black women and their connections with one another in situations when neither males or whites are present. The narrative of the film centers primarily around black women, with male villagers only appearing as supporting characters. Both works highlight the many faces of black femininity. How thrilling, and potentially revolutionary, is it that present Black women artists are recognizing the contributions of Black women artists of the past!!! I am humbled to see this as the future and as a symbol of my ancestry as the granddaughter of a black woman, daughter of a black woman, and a mother of a young black woman.

The Land of Paz

Our current society is plagued in a history of inequity and injustice. Marginalized members of society do not have the access needed to grow, thrive, and survive! “In order to rise from its own ashes a phoenix first must burn.” Butler (1993). These are the words that motivated me to create a new society, out of the ash from todays. These are the words that helped me to gather other like minds to rise up.

I envision a society opposite of our current. My society will be called, Land of Paz. It can be found 20 years from now off of a remote island. This is a future society full of sweeping landscapes, purple hills, blue skies, crystal clear waters and evergreen forest. There will be many species of animals and plants in the forest that are adapted to living there. Everyone has the same rights and opportunities. This will be a utopian society where people of all backgrounds are able to collaborate and live together harmoniously. Land of Paz will offer global citizenship to the ‘pure of heart.’ This society will be free of crime, famine, disease, pollution, domination and corruption. All racist, xenophobes, homophobes, supremacist, and vile humans have no place in the Land of Paz. Totalitarianism is exiled in this society. A protective layer shields the land from anyone who is hate-fueled.

Throughout history patriarchy has dominated society. In Land of Paz, I envision an elimination of any form of totalitarianism and an equitable distribution of wealth and power for all humanity within the community. The fundamental goal of this society is to end dominance, supremacy and promote unity and solidarity. In this utopia, everyone has the same freedoms, liberties, and responsibilities. There is no discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In this society, people are not marginalized because of race, class, status, gender or sexual orientation.

Land of Paz will be run by a public-run government which thrives off universal healthcare for everyone. There will be no crisis from global warming since all human activities are sustainable in this society, which will help it to thrive and survive. Conservation is essential in this society. We use the lands offerings as our nutrition, we harvest, respect, and treat our land as a living entity. To protect humanity, creatures, and ecosystems, it is essential to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and adapt to the effects of climate change. Improved air quality and less water needed for energy generation are two additional benefits of solar power. In the Land of Paz, our sustainability is provided by solar energy and ‘Paz Herbs.’ Our solar energy produces a living molecule that triples the growth production of our plants, and one herbs. Our ‘Paz Herbs’ (peace herbs) are infused with vitamins and minerals that promote well-being, energy, fights off disease and results in longer lifespan. Our waters are the fountain of youth. The same molecule filtrates into the water supplies and contributes to the growth and sustainability of this society. All ‘Paz’citizens work together to sustain it.

 Education is essential in this society and shall be free. There will be fewer demands on students to get perfect marks and more on learning the subject matter. Compared to what we're witnessing now, students are being forced to study subjects that aren't of interest to them but serve the government's agenda, tests and exams are racially and socially class bias. Personal growth and a firmer commitment to upholding universal freedoms and rights will be central goals of education in Land of Paz. Education must support the upholding of paz (peace) and the spread of mutual appreciation, tolerance, and friendship among all living creatures. With personal growth and development lessons, we will encourage young people to follow their passions and learn to think critically. Students will take greater pride in their education if they are given options from which to choose. Additionally, there will be no memory erasure of history. Critical Race Theory will be indoctrinated into the educational institutions and lessons implemented into the curriculum of K-12.

The Land of Paz is a society in which social awareness and love for all humanity takes the place of religious doctrine and ideology. The primary objective would be for the populace to abandon their various religions and unite under a shared commitment to values of love, prosperity, peace, equality, and spirituality. We will apply these words into our ‘Paz’ morale, “All that you touch you change. All that you change changes you...God is change.” Butler (1993). These words will serve to fuel our society with hope. As a result, there will be fewer opportunities for animosity and opposition, and more incentive for people to work together toward a single goal: a world without hatred. God's love will guide our interactions with one another. Music and dance will serve as the culture within this society. It will be what keeps our faith and hope strong and what continues to bind us to our ancestors. Our ancestors will be closely connected to all ‘paz’ humanity and will serve to guide and ground us.

The ‘Others’

(spoiler alert)

I’m back ya’ll and honestly if not for Professor Due, not sure I would’ve ever found blogging therapeutic or a means to purge. I shared with you all my breakthrough with last quarters course, “The Sunken Place”, well ya’ll - she’s done it again. Yet again, my lens has been shifted and I am seeing and hearing with a different set of eyes and ears. My family has always functioned through dystopia – it was what gave us the resilience and hope. Much of our escape came in the form of music, dance, and TV/film. Professor Due has enlightened us on the impact of many revolutionary Afro-futuristic artists, such as George Clinton, Herbie Hancock, Sun-Ra and the renowned writer, Octavia Butler… many whom I may write about on another date.

Afrofuturism is easily identified by the way it draws emphasis to its own uniqueness via the grandeur spectacle of an intentionally marginalized 'othered' condition of blackness, often using tropes of aliens, androids, and other inhuman creatures.

Today I want to discuss an artist who has revolutionized Afro-futurism in modern society and set her sights on the future from the inception of her career. She is among my top artists and now even moreso. Janelle Monáe is an openly black, queer, woman, and an accomplished artist. To distribute her identity in a manner that destroys conventional expectations of Black womanhood and gives women the power to envision self-defined Black womanhood’s’, Monáe purposefully creates complex histories of subversive Black womanhood. A closer look into Metropolis and the androids' fight for freedom is present throughout each of Monáe's albums. In the "emotion-film" for Dirty Computer, everything comes to the forefront.

In film Monae, plays an android named, Jane 57821 who is facing a complete erasure of her history? Sound familiar? This feature coincides with Black history and the suppression of our past. Those in power have the ability to subjugate past events through mischaracterization, the banning of historical texts on enslavement, and the use of authoritarian measures in an attempt to suppress remembrance and invoke erasure.  At the beginning of Dirty Computer, Monáe delivers an eerie narration in which she explains the grim circumstances into which the audience is about to be thrust. "They started calling us Computers," she says bluntly. "People started vanishing, and then the cleaning began.  You were unclean if you didn't fit the mold. If you didn't conform to their standards of behavior, it made you unclean. It was unclean to put up any kind of resistance."

The queer-positive themes present in the film also deal with the intersectionality of identities. In the film, Jane and her companions find safety in the Black, queer society they have created, away from the politics and the dangers of the external world. To be dirty has been reclaimed as an affirming descriptor, and Jane's life demonstrates that this is a revolutionary act in itself. Something about the act of reclaiming impacted me profoundly.  A really close friend of mine from high school is now an activist on behalf of the LGBTQIA community. She said I provided a safe place for her when she opened up to me, and that acknowledging her sexual orientation was a huge relief. Jane concealed herself within Cindi Mayweather's glamorous yet gender-bending tuxedo vibe.  Overtime, however, Jane manages to liberate the android through Afrofuturism and queer discovery by utilizing her ancestral knowledge.

A key component of resistance and self-empowerment in Monáe's work is rediscovering an affinity to a history that has been erased. By channeling the power of her alter ego, Cindi, utilizes her knowledge of black heritage and culture to bring herself together after years of being fragmented.  With Dirty Computer, Jane and Cindi come together to become an entire person: a black queer woman who is confident in her own strength.

Monáe’s Afro-futuristic work has been ground-breaking in today’s society. As well as fortifying and advancing fresh cultural, theoretical, and political currents. She is a major figure in culture today because of how intersectional her art is. Moreover, she makes a major contribution to the reform of discussions concerning racism, sexism, homophobia, and the capitalist system.  It traces her performances of happiness, desire, anguish, and optimism across a variety of mediums to illustrate how she envisions Afrofuturist, post human-centered, and post capitalist utopias while still being rooted in the reality of being a Black, queer, woman in a white-dominated business.

My life's trajectory has changed drastically after I began taking more ethnic/cultural studies courses, like “The Sunken Place...” More than ever before, my thoughts often gravitate toward Critical Race Theory whether I have conversations with others, watch films, or consume any other kind of media. As a result of my education and experience, I am able to identify the problematic language and imagery that keep perpetuating racism and oppression. Every morning, I open my eyes, and in all my interactions, I try to be as sensitive as possible to the everyday black horrors I am suffering. In light of the profound influence of films like "Get Out," "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," and "Nope," I'd like to share a recent event and encounter I had at my university.

The potency of a microaggression lies in the fact that they are often implicit in terms of harmless naivety, making the target seem overly dramatic/sensitive if they react negatively. This is a textbook example of gaslighting! It's meant to break you down emotionally and make you feel like a nothing, all while giving you an out that you can use to seem completely insane. Recently, Netflix presented a film titled, "You People" that really opens ones views and has the ability to transform our cultural sensibilities. This film as the three mentioned above have created conversations surrounding liberal racism, white privilege, and microaggressions into the mainstream. I am a scholar of the ASC at my university. We are required as scholars to participate in quarterly conferences with the committee members and board of directors who also had a role in our selection. The purpose of these meetings is to develop networking relationships. In the film, “Get Out”, Chris suffers through the social nightmare of attending a soiree full of affluent white folk who violate his personal space, touch him inappropriately, probe him, and overtly sexualize him. While doing all this, they desire him to acknowledge their philanthropic regard for black people.

Chris' experience at the soiree was pretty much exactly what I encourage you to visualize the ASC event I attended to be like. From the moment you walk through those glass doors, you can't help but to feel like a 'spectacle'. Like in the film "Nope", Jupe capture’s his audience’s attention who are anxious to be entertained by the spectacle. At the conference as you move throughout the crowed, you are practically chased down by one person or group after another and met with the most microaggressive language. The first thing I heard was, "Wow, look at you!” “You look so polished; you could be mistaken for a committee member."  "Sheryl, come look at this hair" or "Look at that hair." "It is amazing; you have an exotic appearance." “Inquiring minds want to know, how long does it take to do that to your hair?" “Does it take a long time to wash?” "How do you wash it?" “Can I feel the texture.” The question: "How do you sleep with it?" Although I could go on, I believe you have the idea. These individuals are clearly unaware of how frequently I question my own appearance because of my race or how I have to think about my responses or just anything I say. I as my community are faced with not wanting to draw unwanted attention to ourselves. We do not uphold the privilege of our white counterparts. What if I asked Sheryl, “Are you a natural blonde or hiding the greys?” We already know how that would boil over. SMH!

Chris remains calm during the initial encounters with Roses family and friends while he endures a barrage of liberal racist acts, a tactic he has clearly honed over many previous encounters. Chris' tactic of being silent is meant to defuse any potential conflict and project an image of subservience and cooperation. The increasing peril Chris is in is put into perspective via the lens of his increasing terror and his careful efforts to keep a cool head and on his best behavior throughout the film. This is exactly how I carried myself throughout the event. It’s a survival mechanism.

There are just a small handful of black scholars in this elite club. There were only two of us there that day, and one of the committee members went out of her way to introduce us. This introduction felt like another scene in “Get Out” when Chris is intentionally introduced to the only other black person at the lunch. Not to mention but this peer literally held a very similar expression of Andre. Talk about eerie! With this experience, like the film it emphasizes the feeling of complete fetishization with black bodies.

Recently, I had a conversation with my niece who is dating a nice Jewish guy. She discussed with me the many microaggressions she faces when amongst his family. After giving me a few examples, I suggested she educate them, as I could clearly gather that they are very much unaware of the discomfort they were causing her. She quickly responded with, “H*ll no! It’s not my job to educate them.” She couldn’t have been more right. Racism becomes a living entity in films like “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner” and “Get Out.” The "Sunken Place" is very symbolic of a conscious prison for us. When we shout as loud as we possibly dare, or even at a moderate level and tone, the system just becomes louder and more effective at silencing us. These films allow a universal audience to get a glimpse into the everyday horrors of the black community.

“Who’s Afraid of the Big BLACK Boogie MAN?”

WARNING!!!! SPOILER ALERT!

Candyman, the original 1992 film, is both a problematic and revolutionary representation of black horror. This is a tale of black suffering, as seen from a white perspective. Let's get right into it. When I first saw this film, I was nearly 12 years old, and was very frightened. Okay, I'll admit it: my recollection of this film is traumatic.

OMG! With clearer vision, the whole "Be my victim" scenario is despicable. In hindsight, this is a striking illustration of ‘rape culture,' which I had previously failed to recognize. This is a common practice in Hollywood. In my "Sunken Place - Black Horror" course, we viewed a film with a similar scene. Shot in 1915, the film is named "Birth of a Nation." Images of black monstrosity are crystal clear. Images of a white man in 'blackface' chasing a white woman through the woods. Comparably as depicted in the film, black men face the very realistic prospect of being executed for pursuing a white woman.

As a nearly 12-year-old girl, I didn't understand the seriousness of the issue posed by this feature. The film's intention was to evoke a sense of fear among audiences universally, and it succeeded brilliantly. But let's go into further detail. The movie's goal was clearly to instill irrational fear of the "Big Black Man" in its audience. That includes my people! I am really 'shooketh’ OMFG!! As a black woman, this film succeeded in leaving me terrified of the Big Black Boogie Man, and let's be honest, the prospect of ever having to be exposed to life in a destitute community like Cabrini Green was just as horrifying. It's disconcerting, however, to think that the filmmakers really attempted to make things appear more destitute on film. What a disappointment to find that Cabrini Green didn't resemble the deprivation as depicted on screen. This film reminds me of all the films I've seen over the years that have given me an unrealistic vision of minorities and even some of my own people. Films like - Juice, South Central, Don't Be a Menace II Society, Colors, and The Brave One starring Jodie Foster (OMG, this movie here - scene where she’s violently raped and brutalized!!!).

Candyman additionally gives off “King Kong” vibes. The big black monster obsession over the innocent white woman, destroying anything and everything that gets in his way. In the bonfire scene Candyman is seen wearing this large fur coat, clutching Helen (blonde white woman) firmly, which is very reminiscent of imagery in King Kong. What makes Candyman so appealing is because it exemplifies the widespread but unfounded fear of black men, black masculinity, black power, and black revenge. This pervasiveness is what makes the film so terrifying. For many black people, Candyman represents the many lives lost to white supremacy.

Let's fast forward 28 years into the remake of the film. From "Be my victim" to "Tell everyone” in a single sentence. There is a heavier political undercurrent in this new adaptation, but the horror elements are still there. Now more than ever, we can visualize black trauma through a black lens. All the murders of black people that have been disregarded throughout history. The film comes at a very opportune time in our current social climate, with the countless of black murders at the hands of those who are supposed to uphold the law and the continued social unrest. In the original film Candyman was tortured and lynched by white supremist because his love of a white woman. However, it’s very problematic that he in turns terrorizes his own people, which has always bothered me. And not just haunt any black community, but one of the most underserved. They already have enough to agonize about. 

The visuals in this latest adaptation are stunning. Images of unrest and the Candyman myth are very apparent in Anthony’s painting. The people of the now-gentrified Cabrini Green housing complex were evicted so that developers could take over. Framing Anthony is William's last desperate attempt to save the neighborhood from becoming transformed, since he is one of the few surviving inhabitants. William’s reasons are that gentrifiers may avoid the complex if they learn that Candyman has resurrected. Although he appears afraid of this transformation, and though it appears as his ‘calling’ so to speak (looking into his past), we are getting a front row seat to the metamorphous in which Anthony, the protagonist, turns into a nefarious redeemer of the victims of police brutality. It commemorates the atrocities that occurred on Candyman in the past without forcing viewers to revisit via a puppet show. He's a key component of the Candyman storyline because, no matter how hard he fights, he's connected to America's profound history of racism.

Let’s get into the character of Anthony’s mother played by Vanessa Williams, who also reprised her role as Anthony’s mother in the original film. For some reason, the part when she makes the non-verbal signals and then says "don't say that" took me, since it so clearly plays to the audiences’ sensibilities. Those who are know... know. You should neva...eva... say that man's name. Forget saying it 5x's.... DONT SAY HIS NAME!

The film hit close to home for me because of the realistic comparisons it drew to my own experience of leaving an unhealthy relationship. Anthony's mental health is affected by both his own childhood trauma and the suffering of his neighborhood, which had an adverse effect on his relationship with Brianna (this name continuously made me think of Breonna Taylor). My first husband's substance abuse, mental illness, and perhaps traumatic upbringing almost took my life. I was left displaced in a women's shelter in South Central Los Angeles with 2 children. I was living out my worst fears - talk about real-life black horror!!

At the film's conclusion, Candyman represents all the Black victims who were unjustly murdered as a result of white supremacy. The Big Black Boogie Man was transformed from a monster into a redeemer. Among other things, Candyman is a horror film, a parody (at times), and a political film. It heavily alludes to the slogan "Say Their Names" and confronts with the pain of Black history that has been inflicted by institutionalized racism.

“Chasing the American Dream”

WARNING!!!! SPOILER ALERT!

There's no doubt that Peele’s “Nope” is a complex and bizarre film with an ensemble of characters and images puzzling to follow. C'mon, let's not pretend! Can we honestly say that we all appreciated this film at our first viewing or even after? What majority of us recognized the message? How many of us sat there in our theater seats after the movie ended perplexed? I have a tremendous degree of admiration for Peele's work, but this one went completely over my head, even more so than "Us," which took us on an unexpected psychedelic trip down the rabbit’s hole. Peele's films invite in-depth analysis due to their abundance of hidden messages, cultural references, and visceral attraction. Nonetheless, his creative imagination is yet again changing course in this feature film, and it is up to the viewers to refocus their lens.

In all honesty, I couldn't help but feel like I was seeing a film adaptation of a storyline from the National Enquirer. Literally had me saying, “Uh Mr. Peele, what the what!?” I left the theater in absolute disappointment. I'll be candid and admit that I've fallen asleep while attempting to rewatch it many times after seeing it come up on HBO Max or Peacock. Hey, don’t fault my transparency folks. However, the film's cinematic display is astounding. I cannot proclaim enough of my sincere appreciation for this African American Studies course, “The Sunken Place…” I can now confidently assert that the film is indeed relevant if you look beyond the sci-fi and supernatural elements. There are mounds of concealed traumas that are unmasking. I am certain that Peele is using his platform to leverage his own fears. Since "Get Out's" overwhelming popularity, Peele has been expected to conform to this paradigm, yet with each film he takes us on a journey unlike the previous one and consistently running the risk of losing his prominence.

Peele is reinventing what it means to be black in film. Contrary to what is often portrayed in the media, he is offering us the exact opposite. The media's previous portrayal of aliens is utterly obliterated by Peele. He's presenting a viewpoint free of racial bias. Black actors finally have a stage to highlight their talents without fear of being insulted. When I was younger, I had limited access to media that featured people who looked like me in leading roles. In doing so, Peele is once again generating new ground. Black ranch owners AND a black queer woman! YAAAS, Peele, come through with the stampede! I also want to remark just how this film's theme—the cost of chasing the American Dream—almost mirrors that of Us.

My interpretation of the repeated use of the term "NOPE" in both "Get Out" and this film suggests that it has a hidden message, much like the scatting and call-and-response techniques used by black artists. It's saying, not today, not tomorrow, it ain’t happening! Hell no! We are no longer falling victim to your white nationalist BS. The spectacle is saying, NOPE! You don’t get to chase me down for your gain. "Don't chase the spectacle" is the film's message. The pursuit of the American Dream may become so all-consuming that it distracts us from appreciating the life for what it’s truly worth. The father of Emerald and OJ was slain with a coin to the head. We can see that Peele was intending to visually emphasize the adage "Don't let money go to your head" (oooh that was deep). The father spent years and years of building a business of training horses for the film industry’s exploitation, which would eventually become his fatal demise.

Let’s take Gordy as an illustration. He's a "monkey," a derogatory term that has a long history of being used against people of African descent. The spectacle that is Gordy is intriguing because of his allure, and he is being exploited for the television executives, cast and crew’s financial gain. His image reflects the African American experience symbolically. Let’s delve into his presumed traumatic backstory. He was taken captive after an abduction in which, most likely, firearms were used. What else would you expect from an experience of that magnitude? PTSD! For Gordy, the answer was a resounding "NOPE!" Let's assume the bursting balloons were the trigger. When you least expect it, how many of you will jump when you hear a balloon burst? Imagine the repressed memories that were triggered by that sound, which reminded him so vividly of his captivity.

Jupe's backstory and the way he lives presently functions as a physical embodiment of “Nope's” central themes and making him almost a co-protagonist of the film. He takes pleasure in revisiting his trauma, but he also has trouble coming to terms with the residual effects of Gordy’s rampage. He has turned his traumatic experience into an income stream, but this will ultimately be his demise. He is responsible for bringing this creature to Emerald, OJ, since he thinks he has some sort of cosmic connection to it. He failed to learn the crucial lesson from Gordy that you cannot objectify or exploit a supernatural entity or animal, just as he does with the Haywood’s horses and the creature. “Everything that glitters is not gold,” is a valuable lesson that Jupe did not learn. Like Jupe, Emerald, and OJ, with the help of two new friends, started following the spectacle. Like Jupe and their father, they were completely absorbed in the pursuit of the same thing that threatened to upend their lives.  As I alluded to before, the film is saturated with a running theme of trauma. Comparably, the film's main antagonist (the creature aka “Jean Jacket”) personifies the notion of spectacle.

To quote one of the films' most powerful lines: "This dream that you're chasing at the top of the mountain, it's the one you never wakeup from." The ultimate sacrifice of reaping the “Oprah shot” comes with at a heavy cost. It's fair to assert that the "Oprah shot" is a metaphor for the "American Dream," and that the concept of the "American Dream"—and the many ways in which people pursue it—can be the true antagonist.

“Mirror Mirror”

WARNING!!!! SPOILER ALERT!

The more I listen to these lectures and unpack amongst my peers in our discussion section, the more I am enthralled with this course. I'm viewing films I've previously watched literally with a new set of eyes. I’ve always had a very analytical mindset but the level of analysis we undertake with “Black horror” is ground-breaking! Please give Professor Due her flowers! I am completely invested. I was one of many who assumed that the cinematic feature, Us would be just as racially focused as Get Out. Peele is making history by refusing to be pigeonholed by Hollywood, influence, or notoriety.

This all-black ensemble, including a black family with deeper complexion, is a first for the Hollywood industry. If it weren't astounding enough, they also belong to the upper middle -class society. Let's be honest, how many of us know of a black family who possess a boat and a vacation home in a prominent white community? Not that it's unheard of but those numbers are slim. To this day, Peele has not refrained from pushing for more representation in Hollywood's central figures. Even though this was an upper middle-class black family, there were still traces of their blackness, such as Zora’s unwillingness to get in the water. We black viewers knew exactly why Zora wasn’t setting foot in that water. How about Gabe's HBCU sweatshirt and the culture of survival that permeates most of the black community. Gabe says, "Jason, get the bat" in one scene. He's basically saying, "not my family, you got me  f***** up" as a concept. Many black viewers understood this moment well. I mean this family was ready. I didn’t hear anyone in the theater yelling, “run, what are you doing, girl hide.”

This movie is very reminiscent of many childhood stories I was fond of growing up. Let’s begin with “Snow White” and the envy that her wicked stepmother held. Using a mirror to indulge her vanity only to find out, ooops, “You are not the fairest of them all babe!” Something like Red and Adelaide. Before I go in deep with those two, another childhood story that came to mind was, “Alice in Wonderland.” Peele and these rabbits. Young Adelaide walks into this funhouse full of mirrors and into the “looking glass” aka “the rabbit’s hole”.  

This is the timeless tale of "The Haves and the Have Nots." There is less of a clear message than in "Get Out." Without this course, I'm not sure I would have been able to make sense of this convoluted feature. Have you noticed the two ink blots on the film's cover? They look like Adelaide and.... wait for it.... 2 RABBITS!!! Ooh chiiiiile , let's discuss these daggone rabbits. Fun fact... I have always thought rabbits were scary. Could it be their enormous eyes and oversized rodent appearance? Or could it be that my cousins had rabbits that they left outside in cages, and one day my cousin goes to take her bunny out of its cage, but alas, the bunny was DEAD. Not only was it dead, but the eyes wide open and bulging, ears sticking straight up, and body completely frozen as if it had been taxidermized Yea, I feel re-traumatized every time I see one. In several of Peele's films, this is a recurring motif. Zora even wears a t-shirt with a bunny and in the family vacation home there's a stuffed bunny. Those raw rabbits are a staple diet for the underground tethers. To what do you attribute this anomaly? Since rabbits are known to reproduce frequently, there's no scarcity of food. However, why consume raw rabbits? Oh yea, it's a HORROR flick. It really boils down to this, the rabbits exhibit duality, much as the tethered.

What a brilliant mind Peele has, and it is highlighted throughout this creative film. There's a twist in the plot: Red is really the original Adelaide (warned you this blog was a spoiler - lol), who was replaced with pseudo Adelaide as a child. That look Red gave pseudo-Adelaide, “B**** you stole my life” and that look of terror in the pseudo-Adelaide’s eye’s. I fell out when she pulled the Karen move frantically wanting to call the cops immediately, knowing what she knew. “The first authentic red lusted for Adelaide's privileged existence. Definitely hits universally. We are all privileged in some way; everyone has something that someone else covets. There is a high cost associated with privilege. The more one's hoards, the higher one's susceptibility. There are a lot of people at the top who don't seem to care who they walked on to get there. This is something that can no longer be ignored, as Peele is showing “Us” (see what I did there? LOL!).

Before I wrap up this post, I want to discuss the symbolism of the "Hands Across America," as depicted in the film. It was a campaign slogan for the fight against hunger and homelessness in America. Peele, being the visionary that he is, makes an allusion to the American Dream and the self - deception that people will do anything, at any cost, to quench their thirst for the American Dream.  The tethered protagonists' pursuit of the American Dream is a universal aspiration: the chance to break the cycle of poverty and marginalization and find success and fulfillment in society. Absolutely brilliant!

"Run Rabbit Run..."

“Run Rabbit Run”

WARNING!!!! SPOILER ALERT!

Do rabbits play a significant role in Jordan Peele's films, or am I the only one perceiving that? Makes you go, hmmm. The symbolism I can't unsee. First, let's discuss his film “Get Out,” we'll get into "Us" another day.  The first scene shows the character Andre strolling through a predominantly white neighborhood. We touched on the pervasiveness of "The disappearing black man" in class lecture. Andre vanishes without a trace, which is not unprecedented in today's world. In most cases, the disappearance of a black male is often unreported. Here, the song "Run Rabbit, Run" provides the soundtrack to a dramatic theme.

The film's racial overtones are a major theme. Several examples of microaggressions are brought up throughout the film. The "model minority" at the "all white" party said, "It's an advantage to be black." There were other buzzwords like "Black is in fashion," "Atta Boy," "Thang," and "My Man" followed. Moreover, there is seldom a lull in the conversation about former POTUS, Barak Obama, as if having a black president eliminated racism or voting for him excuses someone from being deemed a racist. The in-your-face cultural appropriation and desiring of black bodies, as well as assertions of "not seeing color," contribute to a notion of liberal racism.

The "Run Rabbit Run" song is only one example of the film's heavy use of foreshadowing. Chris, our black protagonist, and his white girlfriend, Rose is introduced to us by the sound of "Redbone" sung by Childish Gambino. The song's chorus kicks in right off the bat, “But stay woke! Niggas creepin’. They gon’ find you. Gon’ catch you sleepin’ (Oooh) Now stay woke. Niggas creepin’. Now don’t you close your eyes.” These words are absolutely telling. But let’s discuss it. This was my 3rd time and every time I watch it with a fresh mindset, so that I’m wide awoke! In another scene, Rod, the best friend of Chris says, “Don’t go to that white girl parent’s house.” These are not empty words; rather, they reveal much. Nevertheless, let's talk about it. We can view Rose a white woman just like the white rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland, “and the Armitage home (Roses family’s home) as the rabbit’s hole. Chris is on the verge of following the white rabbit down the rabbit’s hole.

Dean, Rose's father, can we talk about this creep?  Red flags about this character arose from every angle. How about his remarks on Rose doing us all a favor by killing one of the deer so that we may eliminate them from the ecosystem and compares them to "rats", we all know who he was truly hinting at eliminating… THE BLACK MAN! In this context, the deer is a symbol for black males, signifying the widespread belief that they are a threat to society because of their unassimilated ways and the widespread sentiment that they should be put away or eliminated to protect society.

What do you think of Mitzi, Roses mother and her hypnotic tea-and-sugar-stirring ritual, complete with spoon-clinking? The production and trading of tea has deep historical roots in the slave trade, making it more than just a symbol of wealth and social status. The importation of tea and sugar were two of the primary commodities that fueled the slave trade. The aesthetics of the Armitage estate are quite reminiscent of a plantation home, and the film's depiction of the slave trade, with the covert auctioneering of the black bodies, is particularly evocative. Get Out's central message that white supremacy exploits and violates black bodies has its origins in that dreadful era of American history. Did you all notice Rose's mom, Mitzi, serving "carrot cake" for dessert? Please forgive me, but I couldn't help but notice how often the symbolism of rabbits was used. When I consider the 'sunken place,' I also think of the rabbit’s hole and the white rabbit, Mitzi coercing him down the hole.

This reminds me of my first point about rabbits being symbols. From the shadows emerges a chilling scene: Walter, the groundskeeper, now overtaken by Rose's deceased grandfather Roman, dashes rapidly in Chris's direction. This reminiscent of the infamous children's book, "The Tortoise and The Hare (rabbit)" and the unparalleled speed and agility of the Hare. Another foreshadowing moment hinting to Chris "Run Rabbit Run."

Shout out to: "Taja Lindley" for this beautiful, creative, captivating, visual imagery!!! This image speaks VOLUMES! Stay WOKE folks! https://www.tajalindley.com/thebagladymanifesta

“Bag Lady”

A song that is currently resonating in my mental space is by Erykah Badu, “Bag Lady”. There’s a section of the chorus that goes, “Bag lady, you gone hurt your back draggin’ all them bags like that.” Where oh where do I begin to unpack all of this mental and emotional baggage? Last week was the first week of my new African American studies course titled, “Sunken Place: Racism, Survival, and Black Horror Aesthetic.”

Films I've seen previously, like "Get Out," are being seen from a fresh perspective. The "rose-colored glasses" are no longer being worn. Professor Due gives us some insight on the origins of Black Horror, explaining that "it was a means to transfer real life traumas — fear and anger into a fictitious drama." I've always found it odd that I just cannot get enough of watching horror, even if it makes me cringe, squirm, increase my heartbeat, and stay awake at night with nightmares. Where does it come from? Professor Due made a statement claiming, "those who watch horror did better during the pandemic." As much as I'd want to, I just don't have time to fully unpack this statement. Yeah right, who am I am kidding, I can't wait to unpack this! 

My mother abandoned my sister and me when I was just 5-years old. She left me and my sister in the care of our abusive, emotionally unstable, and often absentee father. My paternal grandmother took majority care of me and my sister until her health began to decline. She had adopted my father and his siblings from Germany, but that's a subject for another day. My sister and I were heading to school one day when we heard our grandmother's voice from a distance; upon turning around, we saw our disoriented and undressed grandmother (Nana) making her way up the street. Nana was exhibiting symptoms of dementia; I would learn later.  When I was 11 years old, Nana passed. Those 6 years in-between the time of her death were very emotionally and mentally taxing on me and my sister.  That was the beginning of the end for us. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2019, less than a year before the pandemic. Fast forward to the pandemic, and my mother succumbs to cancer. I felt abandoned once again. I have endured much trauma in my life.

A major part of my childhood from a young age I recall watching horror and thrillers with my mother, father, paternal grandmother, cousins, siblings etc. Television shows and films like, The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock’s – The Birds, Psycho (all of them) and Rear Window, Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Shinning, Poltergeist, many…many Stephen King films; Carrie, The Shining, It (I’m still freaked out by clowns), Christine, Pet Cemetery, Misery, Cujo and soooooo many more. Every person in my family I listed above had experienced trauma. Due to the brain's inability to differentiate between fiction and reality, when I watch a horror movie, a component of my mind believes that "Freddy Krueger (for example)" is after me in real life. So, how exactly can watching horror help you decompress? Specifically, those of us with anxiety and trauma. It makes me think of my ancestors and how they were able to survive such inhumanity, such brutality. Once the mind has gone through several traumatic experiences, it strengthens and realizes that it is capable of surviving. Regardless how it may seem, horror films inform us that fear is not fatal. Therefore, those who watch horror and/or have endured traumatic events may have done much better during the pandemic. Without this course, I highly doubt I would have been able to conceptualize this.

When so much of life seems out our control, horror may help us recover and get control over our feelings. Black men are being executed unjustly, and no one is being held accountable, eerily similar to the Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras. Women's rights to their bodies are being violated, with the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Black Horror is more than a cinematic feature; it is a daily lived reality for Blacks in AmeriKKKa.