“My Name is Jerry” Screening at Film Festivals Worldwide.

A divorced salesman spends his career getting doors slammed in his face. He has no social life and doesn’t have a relationship with his daughter. His life sucks-until he meets Jordan…

My Name is Jerry, starring Doug Jones (Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer), Catherine Hicks (7th Heaven), and Doug Stark (That 70’s Show), is directed by Morgan Mead and is screening at film festivals worldwide.

The film is recognized by the International Filmmaker Festival for “Best Picture” and noted Hicks as “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” and “Best Soundtrack” for My Feet Move. It also won “Best Feature Comedy” at the Route 66 Film Festival. My Name is Jerry was also an official selection in the Omaha Film Festival, Festivus Film Festival, Santa Clarita Valley Film Festival, Heartland Film Festival, Tacoma Film Festival, and Grand Rapids Film Festival. My Name is Jerry won the Hoosier Award by the Indiana Film Journalist Association and The Indie Award of Merit.

Mead and another screenwriter, Andy Janoch are the original writers of the screenplay. David Hamilton wrote the final drafts.

Thanks to Mead, My Name is Jerry increased filming credibility for Ball State University as well as the students involved with the production.

“It was also the first film ever to be developed by a production company and produced through a university.” Mead said. “A little history in the making!”

Mead is also director of My Bloody Wedding and the documentary, The Alpha and the Mega. He is originally from Plymouth, Indiana and went to Ball State for three years and finished his bachelors at the New York Film Academy. He now owns his own production company, Clothespin Films in Indianapolis, Indiana.
 

My Name is Jerry is scheduled to be released on DVD this Fall.

Cornbread n Jazz in Elkhart, Indiana.

I had the amazing opportunity to not only attend the Cornbread n Jazz this past weekend but also got a chance to participate as a spoken word artist there at the Historic Roosevelt Center in Elkhart, Indiana.

Familiar with the venue having been there two months ago directing and performing in the 3rd annual Michiana Monologues, I pretty much thought I knew what to expect: a little bit of poetry and singing…cool!  I am always up for an open mic.  For the most part, I was right but what I didn’t expect was a short play, the wide array vendors showcasing their talent, and the smell of black-eyed peas and cornbread!

Yes, some people sang, some people recited poetry, they even cracked a few jokes.  Some people just shared their ministry or mission of visiting Haiti.  Others celebrated their victory from illness.  Then there were just some people who came to watch.

Cornbread n Jazz is rich in culture.  Most importantly it is rich with talent and well-organized;  not just on stage but behind the scenes as well.  As I would like to mention names, I do not think it would be fair simply because I understand how many people it takes to organize a successful show.  So I say “Bravo” to everyone involved with planning and organizing Cornbread n Jazz this past weekend.  I look forward to the next one!

Join Cornbread n Jazz on Facebook!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cornbread-n-Jazz/122296798584

“Precious” Was Not Accepted in Theaters Everywhere. Why?

Director Lee Daniels was quoted in The New York Times saying he was “embarrassed” to show Precious at the Cannes Film Festival. Nikki Giovanni mentioned in her speech she gave at Indiana University South Bend that she is boycotting the film.

On November 6, 2009, Precious was not shown in any South Bend or Mishawaka major movie theatres. Yet the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Cinema is showing the film. Indiana University South Bend’s Titan Publishing screened Precious April 1. What is the big controversy about this movie and why was it released only in certain demographic areas yet our educational institutions are showing it?

Precious began as an independent film based on the book Push by Sapphire. The film is directed by Lee Daniels Entertainment and Smokewood Entertainment. It would soon get picked up by Lions Gate Entertainment after the 2009 Sundance Film Festival screening.

Precious brings the audience into the world of an overweight girl, Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) who is an illiterate African American teenager. She comes from a background of poverty, physical, and mental abuse.

The journey begins with Precious being expelled from high school because she is pregnant—for the second time. When Precious is confronted about her pregnancy, her response is delivered in the stereotypical way of a black woman, terse and with attitude. On her way home, the audience walks with her through the ghetto where she is harassed by black teenage boys who yell obscenities and shoves her to the ground because she ignores them. Precious finally makes it home to squalid public housing and there we are introduced to her lazy and verbally abusive mother, Mary (Mo’Nique) who spews a harangue of distorted reasons why her daughter needs to drop out of school and cash in on her pregnancy by registering at the welfare office.

Through dialogue, it is revealed that the welfare system supports their household and that Precious pregnancies are a product of incest. Precious’s father raped her and Mary not only watched it happen but exploited her daughter’s misfortune by collecting an additional welfare handout for Precious‘s child, her own granddaughter.

So far the story of an obese black teenager depicts negative aspects about the African American community. It could be said that this is why Daniels may have been embarrassed to present the film. In the New York Times interview, Daniels admits that he did not want to “exploit black people” by directing such a consciously grim movie like Precious which rehashes stereotypes. During Giovanni’s visit to IU South Bend, she referenced a hypothetical situation of an individual who, unexposed and uneducated with black culture might have a misconstrued perception of the black community based on certain movies like Precious.

With the help of the character Miss Blu Rain (Paula Patton), a teacher from Each One, Teach One, an alternative education center for troubled teens, Precious eventually learns to read and write. The movie credits Precious’s enlightenment with a montage of African American figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Langston Hughes, Alice Walker, and other historical people who made a significant impact in black history. Aside from the montage of positive role models, the movie remains focused on the main character of Claireece “Precious” Jones.

The bleak reality of Precious’s life exposes social issues like rape, incest, teen pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS. Marshall Fine of the Huffington Post said, “…this film takes [the audience] places they don’t want to go, that it is an experience to avoid – a look into a world of which they want no part.”

Because of the gritty content, it could be said that the reason why Precious was not released in every theatre is due to the fear of negative feedback. Perhaps Precious was not released in South Bend or Mishawaka because of old traditional and religious values that the Midwest is so well known for. However the movie was released in larger cities that had a wider array of diversified demographics. Nonetheless, Precious grossed approximately $1.8 million the first week. Soon after, with the increasing support of positive reviews and Academy Award nominations, Precious soon followed after other successful independent films like Slumdog Millionaire and The Wrestler. People became more curious as to what the hype about this movie is all about.

This movie address a variety of social issues that are so critical that perhaps the University of Notre Dame and IU South Bend could not academically afford to ignore Precious. To remedy Giovanni’s concern with this movie, maybe for the unexposed and uneducated, this movie should only be viewed in a liberal arts school. As for Daniels, he says that because we have a black president, “It’s O.K. to be black” and that he “is no longer ashamed” and so, Precious it is.

Introduction to my second book. Coming soon.

I’ve got a story to tell but telling it will only expose those who have worked so hard to portray a perfect reputation.  A reputation that most people, including myself I reluctantly add, built their own dreams upon.  Now this is not about exposing people’s dirty laundry.  It’s about telling my story!  Oh how easily dreams crumble when you build them on sand.

As a writer, it is often the challenge of telling a story without exposing the true characters from which the inspiration comes from without tarnishing their reputation.  I think that is why fiction was invented, to prevent liable.  So, I will tell my story without using names and if I must, swap in a fictitious name just to appease.  I mean no harm by telling my story.  So, I hereby call this a fictional book so that we all can go to sleep at night knowing that good people do not do bad things, a good leader is always right, and a bitter woman wrote these events.  

My name is Impartial.  That is all you need to know.  My story is the pinch of reality that these fairy tale fantasies of single women finding their Knight in Shining Armor needs.  Take for instance, the whimsical book I Won’t Apologize For Being A Woman written by Zorina Exie Jerome.  For those who have not gotten the opportunity to read this book, it is a book of poetry and prose which tells the story of how a young, single woman applies her newfound Christian beliefs to everyday urban life and her quest to find the man of her dreams.  She describes her life before and after she became a Christian.  The before is dark and the after is heavenly.  What the author failed to describe in her book was all the gray areas of interacting with fellow believers on an everyday basis and how even the most sanctified man can hound and molest the minds of desperate, gullible, and submissive women.    

Don’t be alarmed.  This book is not just for religious people.  It is not just about religious people being bad.  It’s about insecure, bitter, and plain old angry people commonly known as Haters pretending to be good, and how their true colors come out by their own behavior towards good-hearted people.  Haters are not all religious either.  Religion is just my inspiration which, consequently, affects my lifestyle at work and other organizations I’ve interacted with.  Again, you do not have to be religious in order for this book to apply to you.

Wealthy Adopts Welfare Mentality.

If taxpayers must involuntary bail million-dollar companies like AIG out, then we need to implement stipulations that require the fat cats of these fallen companies to humbly resign, bringing in new executives with fresh ideas and a shared perspective of growing our economy first and foremost, not their wallets.  This misuse of taxpayer funds proves that you do not need to live in urban areas in order to improperly handle money.  This only proves that even the wealthy misuse money on a higher scale.  Have not the countless white collar crimes proven this? 

 

Look at it this way; does it make sense to give a homeless drug addict money to pay for their mortgage when their drug addiction is what brought the home to foreclosure in the first place?  Of course not!  Just the same, we can not afford to give companies like AIG bail-out money until they show evidence that there is some reform within the executive structure.  Otherwise, we will have only taken welfare to another level. 

 

Welfare was originally created to help low-income families for a minimal amount of time—to rise above the lifestyle of poverty.  Yet, it is known all too well how most welfare recipients can abuse its benefits, using it as a primary source of income to support themselves and their families for the duration of a lifetime.  The same is happening with these companies on the brink of bankruptcy.  We need to reform this Bail-Out Plan so that it explicitly ensures that it will only help companies that are willing to help themselves—not to bonuses, but to help themselves in order to help this economy and ultimately, our country.

The Inheritance of Tears

Today, I cried.
And only my spirit knows why.
As words can not articulate your prayers to God,
So the prayer of tears provides the sufficiency of all your mind has to say.
Your body provides the vessel where your prayers are displayed.
God puts our tears in a vessel and cherishes every one.
He accepted every tear that represents generations of wounded hearts,
lost minds, and even broken bodies.
The frustration of not being seen an equal.
Not being able to stand up for yourself, less risk a noose, or getting burned to the stake.
Your life is at stake.
And now you feel like less of a man.
Granddest of fathers, I understand.
How you took your frustrations out in your home of dirt floors.
It’s like, she’s your wife–but not really yours.
The Master’s whore.
His whip. Your scorn, she bore.
Those emotions with attitude, you left as an inheritance.
I don’t know why God chose to play the interference. With me.
My mind is set free.
But generations of tears still live inside me.
They came out today.
Because finally, they’re free.

Getting Over the Hurdle of Separating Church and State

Does anyone remember the term “separation of church and state”?  Why does this not apply to Senator Barack Obama?  As America appears to have excused The Pope from the Catholic sex scandals, so should Obama be exempt from the offensive comments of his former pastor.  Yet, this is not the case, proving once again, the idea of separating church and state will always have double standards.

For centuries, the conflict of whether Church or State should govern has always been an issue.  Temporary resolutions like oh, I don’t know, THE FIRST AMENDMENT, in The Bill of Rights of The United States Constitution states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting free exercise thereof…”.  The phrase, separation of church and state coined by former President Thomas Jefferson believed religion, being a very personal subject was a conscience state of mind that was between an individual and his God.  According to the British philosopher, John Locke, this concept of thinking is what early settlers brought to the American colonies and is what influenced the authors of The United States Constitution.

Today, a man runs for president and suddenly, America wants to combine state and religion even though former President James Madison wrote in The United States Bill of Rights, “practical distinction between Religion and civil Government is essential to the purity of both, and is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States”.

If this is true, then why can we not make the distinction between Senator Obama as a political official and Obama who according to Jefferson, “owes account to none other for his faith or his worship…,” taking into consideration that “…the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions”.

That said, why are we focused on the opinion of a preacher who supposedly is not considered a legitimate power of government?  Many citizens expressed how scary it is to have someone with Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s viewpoint ruling our country.  Yet, it is not Wright who is running for president.  It is a senator who is (or was) spiritually influenced by him.  At the end of the day, America is persuaded to focus on our president’s political decisions, disregarding his religious practices and beliefs because after all, it is guaranteed to all of us in The U.S. Bill of Rights.

Reverend Wright’s sermon is taken out of context as if he and his congregation are planning to hand America over to foreign adversaries on a silver platter.  It can be said President George Bush and Senator John McCain are already taking care of that by planning to send as many U.S. Troops to Iraq until someone’s ego reaches its apex. 

Perhaps Reverend Wright’s proclamation of what he believes about our country pricks the hearts of Christians, Catholics, and other denominations because they know the prophesies written in the Book of Revelations reflect current travesties.

To all the offended and self-righteous, Revelations is the last book in The Bible.  I highly recommend it.  It is a good read.

Any proclamation Obama’s preacher may have had regarding religion was extinguished with bitter hate stemmed from generations of rejection and oppression.  I am by no means making excuses for Reverend Wright.  Yet, I understand where his anger comes from.  This does not mean that I fully support Wright’s outrageous opinions either.

It can be said everyone has a friend, relative, or colleague whom they are closely associated with whose political and racial opinion differs from their own.  Why, consider Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro.  I challenge you to even consider The Pope who is associated with The Roman Catholic priest, nuns, and monks where an estimated 0.2% of them are proven abusers.  The Pope states his moral opinion differs from the theirs.  If Obama must suffer the ramifications of his ex-preacher’s opinion, then why and how is it that The Pope remains sovereign?  Granted, we are comparing apples to oranges with The Catholic religion verses the U.S. government institution.  Yet, isn’t that what America is doing by paring Wright’s sermons with Obama’s presidential campaign?

Senator Obama’s ex-pastor is no different from the person scarred by a bad childhood.  Yet, only the underprivileged netting between $21,000 to $22,000 a year who are forced to live in affordable housing that is often located in hazardous communities can identify with this.  Dare I say not even non-minorities who today, suffer the social backlash of racism have only felt what could be thought of as a grain of sand compared to the overall treatment of the working-class citizen.

Yet, we have been told for years to “get over it”.

Some do.

Some don’t.

The bottom line is that Senator Obama has.

So, to all the people whose feelings were hurt from the words of Reverend Jeremiah Wright.  To all who are appalled by such outrageous statements against our country.  To all the white women whose hearts were pricked from Wright’s discriminating comments.  I urge you to march to the words of our forefathers and distinguish the actions of Senator Obama from his religious beliefs, which according to our U.S. Constitution he really owes no explanation for;  and if you can’t,  then I suggest that you simply get over it!

 

McCain and Rev. Wright’s Rage

Let’s just get over the fact that Senator Barack Obama happens to be a black man with a religiously irate preacher and admit he is the only presidential candidate who can make rational decisions with a level head and does not waste the public’s time with delusional tales of sniper adventures.

Senator Obama does not have an anger management problem.  Senator John McCain, a.k.a, McNasty does.  I don’t know what you’re opinion is about this, but the last leader who had anger issues and spoke tenaciously about war, caused a genocide of an estimated six million European Jews.  Yet, some favor McCain because he chooses to perpetually deposit trillions of dollars into foreign militia so that they can police their own country rather than invest in domestic healthcare.  People want Senator McCain as president because they apparently like the fact businesses receive ridiculous tax credits for conducting business overseas, leaving Americans unemployed.  It can be said that McCain supporters don’t necessarily agree with contributing welfare to unemployed citizens who, ironically, might be able to afford their own healthcare if they could get a job but cannot because big businesses are employing overseas and the government pays them to do so! 

All due respect, Senator McCain reminds me of the rich, snobbish family who would rather tongue-kiss their dog and put diamond collars around it’s necks rather than be their brother’s keeper.

Granted, a percentage of people take advantage of the system that often hinders people from contributing to the welfare of low-income citizens.  That said, reform the system by adding restrictions with more detailed responsibilities for case workers.  Get organized!  There is too much money filtering throughout our country NOT to get it right.

At the same time, I’m not one to throw my money away either.  Yet, as human beings, we have an obligation to contribute to the underprivileged.  Don’t we?  Perhaps we are all just too selfish and focused on pursuing the happiness believed to lie in our own perception of The American Dream.

But I digress.

Let’s just conclude by noting Senator Obama is not the angry one.  His ex-preacher is.  McCain is just a short fuse.  Like a recovering alcoholic might slip and take a drink, McCain is subject to lose his temper in The Situation Room.  Yet, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s ex-preacher, who is NOT running for president, by the way, is getting media coverage as if he is.  Meanwhile, Republicans believe McCain, a man who has admitted to having problems managing his own emotions, can manage our United States military better than Senator Obama (again, whose ex-preacher displayed emotional resentment toward political issues, not Obama himself).

Yep.

Give me the man with mental problems over the senator whose religious choice is in fact a constitutional law that is supposed to be viewed as a separation of church and state.

The Angry Preacher.

Having come from a church where my pastor, or in my case, a resigned Apostle who spoke offensively is a personal and touchy subject.  Because of that, I have the authority to speak upon Senator Barack Obama’s preacher, Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

American history tells us what kinds of leaders are birthed from such radical thinking.  At the same time, Biblical history tells us that great men have been birthed because they thought outside the box.  In fact, our nation celebrates Jesus Christ’s birth and his resurrection every year.  Yet, America gets offended when someone proclaims what he stood for. 

The separation of church and state are now facing off.

As a black woman, not only did I have the opportunity to choose on behalf of my gender and color, but now I feel somehow, I must choose between my faith verses the righteous way to govern.

Consequently, the two are not that different.  Although it can be argued that the two indeed clash.  This all depends on an individual’s viewpoint.  What is your perspective?  Is it from the spiritual or political eye?

If the perspective is from a spiritual viewpoint, particularly Christian, which is the religion American was founded upon, then biblically speaking, Reverend Wright speaks the truth to a certain degree.  His proclamation of doom and gloom on America reflect those from the book of Revelations, prophesying damnation on a civilization that has not turned from their sins and refuse to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The offensive part comes only in the reverend’s opinion which from a political standpoint is appalling and insulting to any political official as it should be if anyone’s job, career, gender, or race was spoken ill upon.  However, Reverend Wright is entitled to his own opinion and if anyone does not like or agree with his sermons, they have the right and liberty to go to another church.

Now Senator Obama has already stated that he does not always agree with Reverend Wright’s opinions but he does look up to him as a spiritual advisor.  American citizens have a valid concern in wanting to know who influences the political candidates running for President of the United States.  A man of Reverend Wright’s political viewpoints is indeed a pivotal factor in determining how Senator Obama plans to rule as president.  Yet, these presidential debates are designed to determine who and what our future president stands for.

From a political viewpoint, consider this:  like Geraldine Ferraro stepped down from Senator Hillary Clinton’s campaign, so should Reverend Wright resign from Obama’s.  Ferraro and Wright’s personal opinions and beliefs have tainted the Democrat’s campaign.  The difference between Ferraro and Reverend Wright is that Ferraro’s statement was aimed directly at the presidential campaign.  Reverend Wright’s sermons were not. Both comments are offensive.  However, Reverend Wright’s speech was geared toward a smaller audience while Ferraro pushes her opinion upon the masses.  Both possess the individual right to relay their message any way they like.  Neither comment has a place in the arena of political campaigning.

Just as Obama’s retired preacher Reverend Wright had his pulpit, I’m sure Ferraro is on her soapbox proclaiming her thoughts and beliefs in front of a substantial audience then later having tea with Senator Clinton at high-noon.  Just because Ferraro resigned from Clinton’s campaign does not mean that they are no longer colleagues.  Is not Ferraro and Clinton long-time friends just as Reverend Wright and Obama are?

Reverend Wright and Ferraro actually have this in common:  Their own righteous indignation of disgust toward a particular group or class that may have cost Clinton and Obama their presidential campaign.

Overall, the only difference between Ferraro and the reverend is just their opinion!

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King set the example of what a spiritual leader and political activist should be.  King says, “We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline”.

King referenced “our struggle” toward the black population.  In this case, we ought to refer “our struggle” to America’s struggle or more specifically, the Democratic struggle.  Neither Ferraro nor Reverend Wright has appeared to adhere to this teaching.

Time for Obama to Move On. Ferraro a Distraction.

Having pondered over Geraldine Ferraro’s ridiculous statement about Senator Barack Obama achieving his political status because of the color of his skin, then claiming to be a victim because multitudes have voiced how racist the comment was, two conclusions remain.

First conclusion:  Ferraro is nothing more than an opportunist.  She gained a high position in Senator Hillary Clinton’s campaign and allowed dormant racist thoughts, which she clearly refuses to recognize, to manifest through the media.  The theory here is that once she discovered the Rush Limbaughs of the world applauded her statement, she realized she did not need Clinton anymore.  She claims she stepped down from her position to stand by what she believes in and not to hurt the Clinton campaign.  I’m sorry, but the damage is already done!  Ferraro said what she said as a Clinton representative.  Why step down now?

Ferraro knows by re-hashing such an offensive and controversial statement, she will continue to get as much media coverage, if not more than the political candidates.  It can be said with national attention like that, Ferraro is well on her way to becoming a published author and maybe a radio personality. 

That said, Ferraro stepped down because she saw the opportunity to start her own campaign based on being a so-called victim by stirring up the old melting pot of the watered-down version of a separate-but-equal mindset.

Consequently, Ferraro’s tantrum is damaging the entire Democratic Party, smoothing the way for McCain, all for her personal gain.

Furthermore, it is absolutely ridiculous and downright pathetic for Ferraro to claim discrimination.  Unless she can identify with being raised by a people where some have inherit a dormant mindset of being afraid to improve themselves and their quality of living from generations and generations of mentally oppressed people who by law, was not even allowed to try to better themselves, she cannot begin to understand what it is like to be discriminated against for the color of her skin; maybe for her gender and even her ignorant tongue, but NOT because of the color of her skin.  Ferraro is the lucky one.

Second conclusion:  Senator Obama needs to brush this issue off the soles of his shoes and specifically address the issues supporters have been waiting for him to address.  He cannot afford to let this sad and tired attempt to distract him from what can be assumed was his original tactic which is to answer that 3 a.m. challenge.

If Obama can ignore the Ferraro accusations and respond to the media’s questions regarding it with a swift answer of how he plans to operate as Commander in Chief, he will succeed in shutting the mouths of his enemies proving to America that he is indeed capable of effectively serving the term as President of The United States.