The Project - 

www.black-americana.tumblr.com 

Black Americana is a four part photo-essay presenting a commentary on Black American life and patriotism.

Vol. 1 - Island in the Sun (See images below)

When we werent marching, dodging fire hoses, and police dogs biting at our brown skin when we werent singing songs of freedom, and training how to peacefully resist in southern sit-ins, we were doing what other Americans did we went to the beach. Island in the Sun, a first installment in the ground-breaking series Black Americana re-introduces, and reclaims the image the representation of free Black women and men living their lives openly and beautifully. The series seeks to offer a broader lens of Black American life not often seen a restoration of Black bodies on a summer day in 1950s America. The beach setting is significant. says Brandon Littlejohn, Creative Producer of Black Americana. Beaches are visually associated with affluence in urban areas because of Black peoples limited access. Littlejohn continues, I wanted to capture Black young women and men in these spaces, because after all, this was a reality for Black people during this time. This is the other side of the southern Black domestic worker; the other side of the Black male porter. This too was Black American life, in all of its splendor.

- Geneva S. Thomas

The next 3 installments will cover Black patriotism, family, and education. The culminating collection of images will then be showcased in a gallery showing and packaged as a photo-book. This first portion of fundraising is to get us through step 1 - Bringing these images into existence.

The Impact

Creative Producer, Brandon Littlejohn, and Photographer, Rod Gailes OBC, are collaborating to create a brilliant four-part photography series that showcases classic American settings through an Afro-Elite lens. The Black Americana series encourages African Americans to challenge societal messages about Blackness, while aspiring to higher levels of art and education on their own terms. Creating opportunities in the creative industry via a collective effort and artistically challenging the way African Americans have been conditioned to see themselves are two main goals of the Black Americana series. 

-Taylor N. Lewis

If this goal isn't met, the project will still go one. Lack of money has never been an deterrent before. The greatest resources one has are the friends and family standing to their left and right. If I have to forge forward with just that, I am still ahead of the 8-ball. 

The Money

The funding goal of this project is $10,000.  But with community participation, I know it can be done. You know the optimistic theory ---> If I get 1,000 people to donate $10, the goal is reached. Its ambitious, yes, but many people these days have about 1,000 friends just on Facebook! So its not impossible. Tens of thousands of people are right at our fingertips but it takes the whole community to make it happen.

So, I am proposing a challenge. YOU donate at least $10. Then YOU forward this link to 10 PEOPLE and get them to donate $10 too. Thus, the 10:10 Challenge.

$10,000 may seem like a lot, but proper equipment rental alone can absorb that budget. Luckily, I am working with a talented and devoted team. We were able to get the 1st part of the series done with a lot of sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears! In order to execute the full vision of the next installment, we need budget to make that happen. 

The first installment was shot over a 20 hour day at Fort Tilden beach in 90 degree weather, lugging equipment up and down the beach in blazing sun (with minimal food/water for a 20 person cast/crew). A true labor of love. The concepts for the next 3 installments can't be properly executed that way. Time, and multiple locations alone require budget to make this happen. 

This pays for:

-Equipment

-Props

-Wardrobe

-Hair & Makeup equipment

-Location rental

-Permits

-Production Expenses

and most importantly 

-People's time and talent!!!

SPREAD THE WORD! 

Social media tools are the key to the 10:10 challenge and helping to reach this goal. Indie GoGo makes all the tools for sharing this link readily available - so Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Email/Newsletter, & Blog away! Even if you can't donate - spreading the word is just as important!