This past weekend the Little Brother production team and moderator Jarvis Sams were presenters at The Association of Black Psychologists Student Circle 6th Regional Conference. We were hosted by Howard University. Our film presentation and discussion were part of day-long events that exposed budding psychologists to the mental health profession and to those of us who support their efforts. For the very impressive Howard crowd we screened Little Brother: Things Fall Apart (Chapter 1) and Little Brother: A Do Right Man (Chapter 3). Personally it never gets old to hear that our film was "excellent" and "a relief." Watching our young men on screen is a special treat and offers a different perspective of young Black males as they talk about the love they feel in their lives. Sams, a first year doctoral student based in Los Angeles, led the discussion with a request for audience members to write their impressions of Black males aged 13 on an index card for the anonymous box we provided. I am still reviewing the submissions as it informs my team of the work still to do. Numerous times the word "impressionable" came up. Other thoughts: "Given so much stress from such high expectations but so little help or attention to reach it." "Struggles." "Fatherless." "Being profiled." "Trayvon Martin." We hear you Howard. And the Little Brother film series feels even more empowered to continue giving our young Black men a voice.
