Vigilant Defenders: Gideon's Army

Here's a documentary I found a few years ago. I'm surprised Gideon's Army hasn't received more recognition beyond National Public Radio and the New York Times.

Let me respectfully take that back. The film premiered on HBO in July 2013 and it was awarded the editing prize at 2013 Sundance Film Festival. However, you probably never heard of it.

The film's producers, Dawn Porter and Julie Porter, takes a deeper look into the daily work of public defenders Brandy Alexander, June Hardwick and Travis Williams. They are on a mission to find justice in the Deep South's judicial system. 

What documentaries are on your must see viewers list? Share your comments below or email them to tcsviews@gmail.com.


Find out more on the documentary at GideonsArmyTheFilm.com 

2014 Top 10 Blog Posts for Arts of Cultures

It’s been quite a year for Arts of Cultures. 

The blog started out with stories about emerging artists in the multicultural art scene, with the likes of Maeva Fouche and Miki Turner. 

It then branched out and gave tips on how to build your art career. Whether you’re a painter, author, singer or a member of any part of the creative world, there was a tip just for you when Art Tip Tuesdays were posted. 

And as issues in American culture started to become the main topic of conversation on social media, digital news and everyday chit chat, Arts of Cultures peeled back the layers and shed light on controversial discussions. From Shonda Rimes being called an Angry Black Woman to ongoing talks of how social injustice continues to be a problem in America when it comes to people of color and the human race.

25 to Life: Take 3

William Brawner, the main character in the documentary 25 to Life, built up the courage to share his HIV status on a local radio program after keeping it hidden for 25 years. The documentary showed how friends, family members and female sex partners felt betrayed. 

William Brawner & his wife

To Brawner’s benefit, he has a solid support system from some dear friends and family members, which includes his mother, as well as his loving and supportive wife, who is not infected with the virus. 

Some people who are HIV positive are not as fortunate as Brawner, especially when it comes to a place to lay their heads in a home of their own. 

Summer Discoveries

This summer I spent some time at Point Pleasant Beach along the coast of the New Jersey shore. I also spent a few days in Boston, Mass., to attend the National Association of Black Journalists Annual Conference. During my time away from my day job and Arts of Cultures I found a few cultural topics hiding out in the not so obvious places and I'm surprised more people aren't having these conversations.

First topic: Where do people of color take their vacation?

25 to Life: Take 2

The documentary 25 to Life, which made my list of ‘Films of Color’ to see, tackles the importance of keeping the conversation of HIV and AIDS on the table. 

There are still misconceptions surrounding HIV/AIDS. People young and old seem to believe that there is a cure for the virus and that it is a Gay man’s disease. Society forgot that the virus can be contracted through unprotected sex, intravenous needles, and in William Brawner’s case - who is the star of 25 to Life -  a blood transfusion, which he received back in the 1980s.

Surprisingly the film wasn’t just about Brawner dealing with life after revealing his HIV status to friends, family and casual sex partners after 25 years of keeping his diagnosis a secret. At some point of the movie the HIV story was overshadowed by several issues that plagues Black American culture. Fatherless sons, how to be a man, promiscuity and denial were the main topics that stuck out to me. 

25 to Life: Part 1

In the recent post of 'Films of Color', I mentioned a few films that were created, directed, and produced by people of color. 25 to Life is one of the films that made the list. The documentary about this young man who built up the courage to stop hiding his status of of being HIV positive has stuck with me ever since I walked out of that theater. (Movie trailer and a word from the producer below)

Films of Color

Black films continue to have a hard time tapping into the mainstream movie scene. The ones that actually make it to local theaters near you are usually subject to ridicule and bad critiques.

Take this past weekend for example; Think Like a Man Too hit theaters and generated roughly $30 million during its opening weekend, which placed the film at No.1 in the box office, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Movie critics were harsh prior to the release. US Metro, film and tech editor, Matt Prigge’s headline read, "The second 'Think Like a Man' ditches the self-help and the laughs,” Kate Erbland of Film.com wrote, “It’s all, quite strangely, boring,” and Anita Gates of the New York Times thought that, “Things turn loud and desperate and stay that way.” The critiques on Meta Critic goes on and on but none of the negative critics made any comments once the numbers rolled out Monday morning.