Why We Protest

My Goal: $4,000

I'm raising $4,000 to fund a documentary project I have been working on. In particular, I am looking to purchase the following equipment, which will critically ease some creative barriers for this project: 

   - A second camera (Sony a7iii) 
   - A wide lens (Sigma 35mm f1.8) 
   - A gimbal (Zhiyun Weebill S) 

The Project: "Why We Protest: A Documentary on Systemic Racism in Canada"

Public discourse about anti-Black racism in Canada tends to feature, to some
degree, hints of denial. Televised remarks by politicians and conversations with lay
people often highlight how things are "not as bad here as in the U.S." We even point to the historic Underground Railroad as the quintessential reference point of Canadian exceptionalism, as we continue to deny the reality of anti-Black racism in
Canada. 

Of course, the story is much more nuanced than this. 

While several reasons account for this dismissiveness, the most consistent I have encountered is that most Canadians are not well-educated on the matter. Canada's education system, for instance, is critically deficient of the nuanced history and lived experiences of its Black population. This is the basic framework in which this project is undertaken. 

In Why We Protest, Black people in Canada tell their stories and experiences of systemic racism, particularly in Canada's Education, Health, and Legal sectors. These firsthand  accounts will not only challenge the Canadian mythology about our exceptionalism, but also - and critically - add to the meaningful public discourse on how we can challenge systemic racism here. 

Release Date: 

I hope to release the documentary in February 2021, Black History Month. 

As a token of my gratitude for your support, I will include your name to the credits for this project. 

Beyond this project, I want to continue telling stories that highlight the nuanced
lived experiences of Black people in Canada.