Episode 38 - Jacquil Constant - “That’s How I Knew”
Photo Credit: Jerome Thomas
[Image Description: Jacquil is pictured from the chest up. He wears a beige Kangol cap and a yellow and white patterned shirt over a white t-shirt. He smiles. His head is turned slightly to the side.]
In this episode, I speak with a friend, filmmaker, and professor, Jacquil Constant. During our conversation, we chat about our time working on Bridging the Divide: Tom Bradley and the Politics of Race, BADWest, and his documentary short, Haiti is a Nation of Artists. We also talk about his Haitian heritage and the festival he founded which is now in its seventh year, the Haiti International Film Festival - how he started it and how it has grown even during the past few pandemic years. Starting a film festival from scratch is no small feat and Jacquil is truly a man with a vision, that’s why this episode’s song is Nipsey Hussell’s “That’s How I Knew.” Our conversation was recorded in January 2022.
Episode 27 - Ashley O’Shay - “Basquiat”
Photo Credit: Jameel Bridgewater
[Image Description: Ashley is pictured from the chest up. She stands against a black background, wears a black sleeveless top, gold hoop earrings, and makeup. Her black curly hair is shoulder length.]
In this episode, I speak with DP and director, Ashley O’Shay. We chat about the uniqueness of Chicago filmmakers, How she discovered her love for cinematography, her work on national brands, her work on Surviving R. Kelly, and her feature debut, Unapologetic, which centers queer Black women in the Black Lives Matter movement. Because we’ve got to show love for Chi-town and It’s so important for Black folks to both stand in our righteous rage and joy this week’s song is Jamila Woods’ “Basquiat” featuring Saba.