This is all I have. As a young black man, and as a black man with a family, this is how I keep myself from going to jail. Im not going to let them undermine this. Every bit of energy I put into this is so we can collectively not be undermined. I know that seems utopian in the sense that this is just a movie, but for a lot of us who have been continuously shut out of it -- and for me in particular as a cinematographer of color -- I dont see myself. So, for me, I use this as a space to keep myself sober, a space for me to be a logical, healthy citizen. As much of a contentious relationship I have with this country, as my grandfather would say, I respect Marcus Garvey, but I aint going back to Africa with him. Im going to get mine right here. Though I am going to go back to Africa, too, this for me is what keeps me sober. They can intrude in my house. They can make me wonder in fear the fate and destiny of my son, who is a 15-month-old black boy and its real for my wife and I. Thats something we talk about everyday. They can come in my house in many different ways. They can come in my space in different ways, but I refuse to let them come into this space. Because this is what makes me a good husband. This is what makes me a good father. This is what makes me good brother. A good collaborator. This makes me a good community member. So I think we just have to be focused on ... if its just [one thing] in our life thats going to be sacred for us, so that we dont get intellectually destabilized and culturally imbalanced, we have to fight for that. And be confident that its ours. This will keep us at peace. - Bradford Young
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 05:56:10 +0000
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