I haven't had alot to say for the past few weeks while I've been off painting, but I just wanted to post a link to this great short film made by High-schooler Kiri Davis . She made A Girl Like Me at the tender age of 16 under the auspices of the Reel Works teen filmmaking program.I don't want to give anything away, but basically Davis does a documentary with other teen girls about the way they see themselves, in terms of skin color and Blackness. Then, she recreates the famous Kenneth Clark tests when the little kids are asked which doll the prefer, the black one or the white one.
Very interesting stuff!
Oh my god. I just watched it, and I am seriously crying. First of all, this girl - young woman - Kiri is an incredible filmmaker.
ReplyDeleteThe doll test is really what got to me. In 2006, the fact that little Black children see white dolls as "good" and "better" breaks my heart. It's interesting that in a society that has completely co-opted Black or "urban" culture, white is still seen as the ideal. Damn.
It's an interesting topic for me. I am a Black woman with natural hair (I haven't straightened or relaxed my hair in over 3 years), but I have a biracial, light-skinned daughter with - wait for it - "good hair."
I could talk about this all day...thank you for posting this link.