In doing my research for the Beyond Sixty Project I have run across numerous reminders of the many African-American women who have made a difference in our nation’s history.  Harriett Tubman and the underground railroad and Rosa Parks who showed incredible courage on an Alabama bus so many years ago are just two of the women I have been reading about. I wish they were here today so I could interview them and better understand the depth of their courage and resilience.

And then there is Madame CJ Walker, the first female millionaire in America.  I feel like I have been able to best understand her through my recent interview with A’Lelia Bundles, Madame CJ Walker’s great-great granddaughter and biographer.  To think that a woman born in 1867, on the same Louisiana plantation where her parents had been slaves, would become the first woman millionaire seems inconceivable.  Madame Walker’s story is fascinating, powerful and a testament to the determination and resilience I am finding in so many women.

You can learn more about A’Lelia Bundles by watching a clip of her interview in the Beyond Sixty Project website.  http://www.beyondsixtyproject.com

For more information on notable African American women check out this site: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/africanamerican/a/black_women.htm

Nothing Left Unsaid, the documentary about Gloria Vanderbilt and her son Anderson Cooper.  That was the 10th and final film I saw last night as a part of the Sundance Film Festival.  You can catch it on the HBO Docs channel.

What a great experience this has been. I am so thankful for the people who took the time out of their schedules to learn about the Beyond Sixty Project. Unanimously positive feedback and creative suggestions are much appreciated.  Special thanks to Keri and Steve for your visit and support!

Looking forward to getting home to my family and getting started on the next phase of the Project.

Thank you for following along and remember to contact me if you know a woman with a story!

P.S. If you are a film buff I highly recommend Sundance.  Give me a holler and I can give you more details.

Melissa 

 

Last night I experienced Kim Snyder’s documentary, Newtown. I use the word experienced over watched because of how it made me feel. 

Kim was in the audience along with some of the family members affected by this horrific tragedy.

This film was beautiful in that it did not exploit or sensationalize the people or the event. It was not about the shooter. It was not necessarily a political piece, although you could not walk away  without  thinking  more deeply about guns in our society.

This was about the aftermath of the tragedy, and the lives that the victims families and community now live.  It was powerful and thought provoking. 

Kim Snyder did an outstanding job of gaining the trust of the Newtown community and portraying their profound loss, while showing their resilience to move forward day by day. Their grief, as you can imagine, is stunning. 

I hope everyone will experience this film.  It is important. It will move you and maybe even change you a bit. 

 Melissa

#Sundance #womeninfilm #Newtown

For as long as Sundance has been around I wanted to come and experience it.  Each year I would contemplate it but the timing was never quite right.

This year the timing could not be better and to top it off we were just ready to launch the Beyond Sixty Project website which holds the teaser for the project.

So here I am, watching movies like I have never watched them before, listening to and meeting some of the Directors and finding immediate connection with random festival goers and assorted film people when I talk about the project. These people are kind, interested and willing to to offer ideas and experiences.

Add to this the background of the beautiful Park City mountains and it makes for a wonderful experience.

More to come from this magical place.