I want to thank Tambay over at shadowandact.com (who officially became a part of my daily must read list - once again I say you should be following me on google reader, it's where I post all the interesting things I stumble across but don't have time to blog about.) for bringing this opportunity to support to my attention. From Shadow Act:
Damn!! I’m only just now finding out about this… I can’t make it, given the short notice, but maybe YOU can.You can head over to Shadow Act to view the trailer. Since I didn't catch this post in time to endorse last nights screening, the least I can do is shout out the filmmakers. From www.theprepschoolnegro.org:We’ve profiled the film previously on this blog (read our profile of it HERE), and it’s a film many of us were immediately drawn to for one reason or another – myself included!
The film is currently seeking distribution and film festival participation. However, the filmmakers have decided to take part in “limited outreach networking screenings.”
André Robert Lee and his sister grew up in the ghettos of Philadelphia. When Andre was 14 years old, he received what his family believed to be a golden ticket – a full scholarship to attend one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country. Elite education was Andre’s way up and out, but at what price? Yes, the exorbitant tuition was covered, but this new world cost him and his family much more than anyone could have anticipated.
In The Prep School Negro, André takes a journey back in time to revisit the events of his adolescence, while also spending time with current day prep school students of color and their classmates to see how much has really changed inside the ivory tower. What he discovers along the way is the poignant and unapologetic truth about who really pays the consequences for yesterday’s accelerated desegregation and today’s racial naiveté.
If you live in New York City, and are free this evening, from 7PM exactly, head over to the Studio Museum in Harlem, 144 West 125th Street, and check the film out; and if you do, let us know your thoughts on it. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by radio personality Malikha Mallette, and includes filmmaker Lee and Stephen Hill, Executive Vice President of Entertainment and Music Programming at BET. No specific word on ticket prices, but I’m assuming it’s whatever the cost is to enter the museum, which I believe is $7 (although it’s a suggested donation).
André Robert Lee and his sister grew up in the ghettos of Philadelphia. Their mother struggled to support them by putting strings in the waistbands of track pants and swimsuits in a local factory. When Andre was 14 years old, he received what his family believed to be a golden ticket – a full scholarship to attend one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country. Elite education was Andre’s way up and out, but at what price? Yes, the exorbitant tuition was covered, but this new world cost him and his family much more than anyone could have anticipated. (Read More)As a product of a scholarship funded prep school education, the movie premise speaks directly to me. In fact for a long time, my prepatory schooling was the source of much personal dismay and family dysfunction. I applaud the author for delving into the complicated world of inner city scholarship recipients.
Get more information about the movie and keep track of upcoming opportunities to see the film at www.theprepschoolnegro.org
Supporting positive Black endeavors IS Social Activism.
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