This spring, Black Girls Film Camp (BGFC) will give young Black girls an opportunity to learn about the film industry and how to tell their own stories on film. Participants will work with professional production teams and industry experts to produce a powerful collection of short films on Black girlhood to be showcased across various national public platforms including film festivals, community, and college events across the US.
BGFC was created to cultivate a creative, safe space for Black girls to learn, embrace their authentic selves, and tell their stories through film. Did you know?
- Black girls are six times more likely to be suspended than white girls
- Actual suicide death rates for Black girls ages 13 to 19 increased
by 182% from 2001 to
2017 - Black girls are less likely to receive adequate mental health care compared to white girls
- Black girls report higher rates of sexual harassment, both in
school and out of school,
than any other group - Adults view Black girls “as less innocent and more adult-like than
white girls of the same
age, especially between 5–14-year-old” - Black girls say they are often given less support than their peers and that authority figures often react to them more harshly
- Black girls have the lowest literacy proficiency rate out of their gender peer group in the United States
These factors prevent Black girls from reaching their full potential into adulthood. It’s been far too long that Black girls’ voices have been silenced.
Thus, BGFC is more than just teaching young Black girls how to create their own film, it is also a transformative space for healing, support, visibility, and where Black girls feel affirmed that they matter and that their stories matter. BGFC works to not only provide a safe, creative outlet for young Black girls to express their true emotions, but it also exposes them to a lucrative career path, making connections with people in the film industry who look like them and can help to open doors.
