WHO
We are in a moment. And the moment is remarkable. For the first time, a woman stands poised to possibly become the President of our nation and leader of the free world. Despite one’s politics, it is clearly a time when women are at the forefront of politics and movements.
This is also a time of change and challenge, when people yearn to reach for the stars but find themselves battling economic and social forces that threaten to ground them. People seek inspiration to burst through the barriers - to build a better life in America.
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It is at this exciting, uncertain, promising moment that “Black Women in Medicine” is set for release. The groundbreaking documentary, directed by Crystal R. Emery, chronicles the unsung journeys of Black female doctors overcoming adversity to achieve excellence! These women have become leaders and innovators in the overwhelmingly male-dominated medical field. “Black Women In Medicine” shares the motivational stories of women who have managed to make it in the medical profession, despite obstacles like lack of resources or educational opportunities and the hindrances of sexism and racial bigotry, achieving their goals against all odds.
“Black Women In Medicine” also highlights positive role models to counter the negative imagery of Black women currently dominating mainstream media.
The film will not only challenge your preconceptions about what kind of person becomes a physician, it will help you rethink the barriers you may face in your life — and consider that there is infinite hope for your own success whatever your dreams might be. It is also a film that will encourage the next generation to set no limits on their own lives!
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THE SITUATION
Today, only 4.5% of all doctors in the United States are African American and 2% of all physicians are Black women. This sobering statistic has real-life implications for the health of our country.
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Dr. Joycelyn Elders, the first African American woman to serve as the United States Surgeon General put it best when discussing the need for young people to be exposed to individuals who look like them as doctors: "You can’t be what you can’t see!" And with our film, audiences around the country - including children - will understand that it can be done and that THEY can do it!
THE DIRECTOR
Crystal R. Emery exists to inspire others to challenge the self-imposed and other-imposed barriers to reach their fullest potential. A Black woman from New Haven, Connecticut’s inner city, she’s gone on to work with some of the biggest names in entertainment and to be published by Time Magazine. When illness (a form of muscular dystrophy) shut down use of her limbs, she didn’t allow herself to be written off. Instead she thought bigger, becoming a director, playwright and author, while running a youth charity. “Black Women in Medicine” is her second feature-length documentary.
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WHERE and WHEN
“Black Women In Medicine” will have its world premiere in New York City on August 26th at Cinema Village located at 22 East 12th Street New York, NY and its Los Angeles premiere on September 2nd at Laemmle’s Music Hall at 9306 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA. We have chosen to launch our film at these venues because they are both Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) qualifying cinemas, ensuring that our documentary meets the criteria to be considered eligible for an Academy Award nomination.
WHY WE NEED YOU TO DONATE
Although our film is completed and ready for broadcast by American Public Television, the technical specifications for television broadcast are quite different from the film formatting required to screen our documentary in commercial theaters. In addition to that, we have had to expand the film’s duration from 55 minutes to 65 minutes. The film’s technical requirements represent 20 percent of what your donation will go to. To be Academy Award-eligible, we are required to invest in specific media advertisements, which will count for 27 percent of the funds we raise. The advertising requirements include having to take out ads in film industry trade publications and hiring a publicist to ensure that we get film critic reviews, which are also required by the Academy. Developing awareness about the project, both in local communities across the nation and within digital communities online, is a crucial part of building a theatrical release campaign that will catch the attention of the Academy and its voting members. 20 percent of the funds we raise will go to enhancing our website and expanding our digital outreach. All of these items fulfill the requirements to become eligible for a possible Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) Oscar nomination.
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A MESSAGE FROM CRYSTAL
When I began “Black Women in Medicine”, I had no idea how big it would get or where it ultimately would take me. I did know, however, that something deep within me, that sacred place where universal mind resides, kept telling me, “This story must be told.” And the good spirit guided me through the ups and downs, never allowing me to give up. Help me to bring the unbelievable, heartwarming stories of female physicians to viewers everywhere by participating in the “Black Women In Medicine” IndieGoGo Fundraising Campaign so that others will begin to step into their greatness.
