Why this Film?
When you hear the name Shaniqua, what usually comes to mind first? I've found that in my social and professional circles, the words ghetto and tacky were often associated with that particular name. A few years back, after a conversation about baby names that spiraled into a deconstruction of race and class in America, I began to question why so many people have discomfort with certain names. After having similar conversations with people from all walks of life, I began to realize the importance of naming as it relates to profiling, bullying and self-esteem.
As a professor at a HBCU, I ran across every kind of name that you can imagine. In academia, a place where race and class intersect, my awareness of how names impact people’s lives became even more heightened. In classrooms that were diverse, but largely black, students were sometimes surprised by how much of their thinking about themselves was based on negative stereotypes. In rooms filled with people of color, race wasn’t a dividing line, but social class was.
To illustrate some of my points about race and class, I often used scenarios that involve finding employment, or applying to graduate schools. When asked their views about how to present themselves on resumes, most felt that names like Shaniqua were liabilities. I was often told that “Shaniquas” are loud and unprofessional. There was usually an acknowledgment that the stereotyping was unfair, but that acknowledgement was overshadowed by a concession to the belief that perception is reality.
Recently on the show Big Brother, a biracial contestant was called Shaniqua by a white cast mate. The name Shaniqua registered so deeply, that the contestant had to be comforted. The name is so loaded that it can now be used as a slur. There's also a recent story of a young woman changing her name from something that was too "black" to avoid being bullied.
I learn something new every time I speak with someone about naming. The issue is not just about potential employment discrimination. It's also about how we interact. I’ve never heard an open and honest discussion about our names and how they make us feel about each other. In the end, it really comes down to a simple question. What makes Shaniqua any different than Susan?
I am creating this campaign in the hopes that you will be interested in working with me on what I believe will be a well-crafted multimedia project. In addition to the film, I would like to edit an anthology about African-American naming that will include essays from people with various perspectives on the topic. I also plan to lecture and host forums about the topics of naming, storytelling and independent production. As someone with 20 combined years of experience in the areas of public relations, marketing, creative writing and academia, I bring many resources to the table that go well beyond production. I am an artist-scholar with the goal of educating while I entertain.
The Funding
The money being raised through this campaign will help me to continue shooting and to launch some of the interactive elements of the project.
Expenses
- Travel - I have an extensive list of people who I am interested in speaking with about this subject. Being able to include more voices from various regions of the country, will add more depth to the film.
- Research - While the interviews are key, this topic requires some research and consultations with people in various fields to add context to the discussion. We'll need books, journal subscriptions, consultants etc.
- Production costs - I'm used to making it happen on a tight budget, but some things cost money and there's no way around it. I'm working with a small team, but I still need the resources to provide them the tools they need to do their jobs. We have equipment and labor costs that need to be covered. Your donations help us get more shooting days.
- Digital Media - I can figure a lot of this stuff out myself, but as we plan to do some really exciting things online with our audience, we need someone who can really jump in and get this done. We will use a portion of the funding to support our digital efforts.
$25,000 keeps us moving and will help us get a considerable amount of shooting done. I am also applying for grants, fellowships contest etc. We're making this happen no matter what.
Please excuse my "perks." I'm trying to keep the overhead low and put the money on the screen. I'm hoping that getting to see a great film is the main perk you're looking for.
Other Ways You Can Help
- Share the trailer and campaign page!
- If you are an editor, contact me. I'll do an interview, or write a guest post for your blog or magazine.
- If you know people with "nontraditional" names, put them touch us. We may want to interview them.
- Follow me on Twitter @phillbranch
- Send good vibrations. This work is fun, but it ain't easy.
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