Black Men Loving

At the beginning of the year I was reminded of the sentiments of one of my Board members, when reflecting on the impact of our work at EPIPHANY Inc., that "Black Men are In."  We knew that the state of Black men was destined to be a topic on our national agenda. We did not foresee the explosive reaction that so many would have--and so quickly--in response to our sometimes injustice system.  We demand a new narrative. The time is now. And in my work and fellow filmmakers work, I am happy to celebrate those who are steadfast in presenting all who walk this earth as equals. It was a pleasure getting to know and welcoming the latest filmmaker into the fold, Ella Cooper of Toronto. Thank you, Ella, for your beautiful new film on fatherhood titled Black Men Loving. I was inspired and thrilled to add it to the Black Dox selection of articles for ByBlacks.com. Please click here for our interview and the trailer.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s a phrase that has been leaving my lips all week.  This week in particular has me happily delivering this greeting publicly, but privately shedding tears. Tough week.

This country was just knocked to its knees again by race. Why do events in Ferguson, MO (a few exits up the highway from where I grew up) weigh so heavily on our minds? Our lives are accustomed to patterns.  Setting a schedule, washing the dishes, depositing a paycheck…some patterns we count on for our comfort and some we dread. Into which category does the killing of young Black men fall? 

The names of the dead are too many, the cries for justice are too often and the families of these victims are too weary.  When young Black men are marked for death and are considered disposable for so long, a pattern was to have formed like all others in life—eventually taking on the role of what we consider to be common sense. But we have the human race on our side.  Enough human beings have their neighbors/sons/daughters/brothers/sisters’ humanity to protect and serve.  I am thankful human nature reveals itself to make sense at times. Peaceful protests by hundreds and thousands in the name of justice happening across a nation built on race?  For this I am grateful for a pattern that instead of promoting racial division, sparks a movement for change.

Ferguson Map

International Men's Day is Upon Us

As I write this we are on Day 3--Mental Health Day--of International Men's Day and #19DaysofHealing. How do we incorporate the health and well-being of men in our daily lives?

As a woman who films and speaks in public spaces on When Young Black Men Learn About Love, I especially take an interest in the emotional stability, mental capacity and relationship possibilities of men.

I am thrilled to participate in the international observation of #IntlMensDay this year with two #EConvo events.

1) An EPIPHANY Conversation: Male Feminists meet Sacred Bombshell Abiola Abrams. Please RSVP here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/c35j21u98usssect4nc0cv9krmg.

2) An EPIPHANY Conversation: Real Talk with The Good Guys with Dr. Rhonda Perry. Please RSVP here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cphdn7oajinb32q1vaijn3t4j2c


And, as always, our films on young Black Men and their thoughts on Love are available at www.LittleBrotherFilm.com. Please purchase this educational series for your classroom, organization, NGO or house of worship.

We're having a conversation during these #19DaysOfHealing on Facebook as well, here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1524948244414243/?pnref=story.

Let's talk to our men. Today.

The Perfect Pitch?

I'm very much looking forward to my appearance as one of the U.S. panelists featured in the upcoming Toronto event, The Big Pitch, from 404 Media Group.  Have a book or business that needs publicity? Want to expand your audience and multiply your sales?  I'll be in the presence via webcast of a number of esteemed industry guests who will join me and the hosts in sharing our adventures, expertise and tips! No industry secrets here. We're all about the reveal!  There are many ways to get your product noticed. I am grateful for the avenues that have been afforded to me and I am always willing to share. I'm also thrilled to spend this three-hour session learning what works and what doesn't from others in the know.  Click here for what is sure to be an exciting and informative evening designed to move your project forward at lightning speed and with amazing results.  And hats off to 404 Media Group for what is sure to be an amazing opportunity for attendees.

Building Happiness

My latest article to publish with Toronto's ByBlacks.com features on camera expert Nick Jardine, a contractor who's becoming a television favorite to audiences everywhere. Jardine hails from Canada, by way of Australia, by way of South Africa. Well traveled and well versed on the craft of building beautiful homes, Jardine takes it one step further by providing renovations for clients that makes their lives easier, more enjoyable and beyond what they ever envisioned.  "I build happiness," says Jardine. And we're happy to have his expert advice when we try to play Mr. or Ms. Fix-It ourselves. Click here for the full article.

We Are Still Mad

Just hosted an incredibly informative #EConvo on the supposed return of the Chibok schoolgirls that was supposed to take place this week.  None of our panelists were convinced it actually would happen. There are too many failures in the surrounding environment to ever see the girls--or any children of the region--safe, educated and thriving.  We learned that 80% of the educated youth do not have jobs available to them.  Abortion in the state of Nigeria is illegal.  Any money that Nigeria claims to be swimming is not accounted for. A $20 million safe schools initiative from the UK? Where is it and which schools are secure?  Boko Haram does not want to see girls educated. Well, we need to be educated even more. Please click here for our webcast. Please share it with your communities. We met the press secretary for Representative Frederica Wilson from Florida, a lawmaker who keeps the pressure on our government to keep the pressure on the Nigerian government and the abductors on a daily basis (#JoinRepWilson + #BringBackOurGirls on Twitter). We need to keep up the protests and activism and not succumb to activists fatigue. We are still mad! And we want innocence back. We want human trafficking to come to an end. And we want a solid education and a promise of a future available to children everywhere!

The Camouflage of Race

So honored to yet again have an article published in the Toronto publication ByBlacks.com.  Meet Mary and Susanna, slave and relative of the slave owner to whom Mary told her story.  The turning point in their lives are documented more than a century later in artist Megan Morgan's beautiful photographs set in her unique style of hybridity.  The photographer, the influence of her own background on her art, and the inspiration and connection of this incredible moment in history may be found by clicking here.

Fall Catalogue

I am excited to announce that I have been busy designing some very fun and informative online classes.  For those who wish to boost their social media profile and design a media plan (on and off the Web) for your artistic endeavors, startups and inventions, let's connect either one-on-one or in a series of online group sessions! We're in the age of DIY. I'll have tips on managing your time online and identifying where everyone has a potential fan base-in-waiting. I'll be here to coach you through it (at very reasonable prices -- try $18/month for six months for some). Our #EConvo Media Planning Workshop Series will debut the first week of November. Will have info up for applying and sharing next week.  Only a few slots available! Hope you join me! We're sure to have a blast!!

A Different Kind of Love

These past few weeks have kept me busy with some writing projects that I am really proud to have researched and shared with all of you.  One is on a situation I have frequently encountered that I felt needed exploring in print.  The best way to describe it is as we get older:  Life can either get messy or get simple. I just hope we give each other a chance to make the choice. Please click here for my latest article for The Good Men Project on the Rules for Dating While Married.



New Address

Yes, I still receive snail mail. And yes, I have a new address! After years of being at PO Box 2126 in Midtown Manhattan, I have moved to Manhattan's Upper West Side.  Please send all snail mail here:

 

Nicole Franklin

EPIPHANY Inc. (optional)

27 W. 60th St.

#20344

New York, NY  10023-9991

 

The phone and e-mail stay the same and may be found on my Contact page here.  Thanks, Everyone!!  Yes, I still accept handwritten notes! Very romantic and nostalgic.

William Greaves Remembered

When my friend and mentor Bill Greaves passed away I instantly reflected on all of his accomplishments. And I instantly knew that I only knew a fraction of his impact on our media lives.  Luckily I write for the Canadian publication ByBlacks.com.  Bill spent 11 years there. He met his beautiful wife, Louise, there.  A large part of his filmmaking roots where there. So please click here to read where my tribute to a pioneering auteur and civil rights champion begins. 

Director William Greaves on his set of Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One.

Director William Greaves on his set of Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One.

Back Home to Ferguson

For all who are inquiring about solutions to the crisis in Ferguson we have been working under the radar a bit, but I can now share with you some of our plans.  Here is the incredible partner I have been lucky to team up with at Qeyno Labs.  Please read about our upcoming Hackathon in "Why We Are Going To Ferguson" by Kalimah Priforce (and see if you can spot my Mom in the photos!) at this link: http://bit.ly/10a975C.  We were already in the planning stages for an annual Hackathon in St. Louis beginning in April 2015. Then came the horrific event of Michael Brown's death.  Our call to action is now. If you are interested in joining our advisory board or team of volunteers, please reach out. Thank you so much. Technology put to good use in the hands of the children will bring a bright future.

Qeyno Labs' Abby Bobe.

Qeyno Labs' Abby Bobe.

Keeping Up Appearances

One of the best parts about filmmaking is actually screening the film, speaking publicly on the topic and receiving instant feedback from audience, fans and friends.  I was really thrilled to make an appearance this past Sunday on friends’ Chana Ewing and Tracy M. Adams/DJ Monday Blue’s new radio show The Doyenne’s Den on BBoxRadio.com.  So relaxing to chill with some really bright women and have some bumpin’ music to bat!  Thursday of this week sees the first two chapters of Little Brother launching into an afternoon of discussion led by our favorite film consultant Dr. Raymond Winbush. If you’re in this region of Tennessee, please visit this forum and take home some knowledge and warm feelings toward the state of our young Black men.  They need us.  And this Saturday, I’m thrilled to appear before the extension of our New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) membership by going Upstate to be on an UPWIFT panel “Women in Diversity in Film and Television.”  All of these appearances show our EPIPHANY community the importance of our work. Let’s keep them up! And contact me here for your next event as well.  See you soon!

PEC has Launched!

For fans of media done right a direct link to action is finally here. Figuring it out took a minute and my full concentration a minute more, but I am so convinced we are now at a point as media creators and consumers where we can work together to put quality product and messaging in the digital space. I formed a producing club! And I would love for you to join us!

For everyone reading this post, please visit a page I set up at Patreon.  By clicking on Patreon.com/NicoleFranklin and donating as little as $1/month, you have instantly joined the Producing EPIPHANY Club (PEC).  You, the PEC membership, now have a direct payment plan toward expanding the storytelling in the current landscape.

EPIPHANY Inc. is now in its 15th year of production. We have gained numerous—and extremely loyal—community of supporters along the way. And we listen to our community and it is only because of the community that we are able to distribute our educational and commercial films to a wider audience. Thankfully distribution has not been too much of a problem for us. But funding has its challenges. So, we decided to start working on our business model a bit more. And it’s simple. With the current technology, we are able to keep budgets and number of crew to a minimum. What else is a nice minimum? Being able to have our community fund not just one, but a few projects at a minimum of $1 per month.  PEC members now have an affordable option to support films they know will educate, entertain and succeed. And we will be able to continue quality filmed storytelling at the forefront because of our PEC community.

I have to applaud Patreon for providing this platform.  And it is working for thousands of creators out there. Why not us?

Join us at Patreon.com/NicoleFranklin.  For a minimum of$1/month you instantly become a member of the Producing EPIPHANY Club (PEC). Signup is easy. Increasing, decreasing or discontinuing payments is just as easy.  Re-registering is a breeze as well! Your PEC dollars are a wellspring for our ventures:  financing the modestly budgeted, but top quality short documentaries and feature films (yes, dramatic features—we have scripts!) currently in development, community service, and employing cast and crew! 

For $1 and $5/month pledges, PEC members enjoy the following:

Opportunities for Casting within EPIPHANY Inc. productions
Participation in Polls/Surveys that EPIPHANY Inc. conducts
Invites to screenings and premieres of EPIPHANY Inc. films

Funding Graduation Gifts for the stars of our long-term documentary series Little Brother

Downloadable Scripts and Notes for EPIPHANY Inc. insight
Consultation with EPIPHANY Inc. President Nicole Franklin about any aspect of the business
Opportunities to be an ambassadors for EPIPHANY Inc. Film and media across the globe
Participation in Giveaways
PEC Member -requested Talk-Backs and Q&A with EPIPHANY Inc. Cast and Crew
PEC Member spotlights for promotion and thank you’s benefitting your ventures as well!      

We are the Club that WILL have to you as a member, but still be the cool Club to join. And, if we’re not, we are confident you will definitely let us know.  Membership is easy. Just click here.  Thanks!!

A Graduation Gift for our Little Brothers--for $2 per month!

Thank you, Everyone, who has followed our journey as five years ago, producer J. Tiggett and I began a film project like no other:  10 short documentaries, 10 cities across the U.S. filming young Black men (nine to 13 years of age) and their thoughts on Love. As you will see at LittleBrotherFilm.com it has been quite an adventure and this year's production of Chapter 5 leaves us more inspired.

While keeping this annual filming schedule, we have met many beautiful families in the following cities:

Camden, NJ

Chicago, IL

St. Petersburg, Fl

Muskogee, OK

Tucson, AZ

Guess what. Our Little Brothers from Chapter 1, Little Brother:  Things Fall Apart, are not so little any more.  And we would like to send them into adulthood with a proper graduation gift directly from the fans.

So many of you have helped us with many resources needed to continue as an independent production that has aided in the shift of perception of young Black men through our national media lens. We still have a long way to go, but we are pleased that Little Brother is responsible for bringing positive images of Black boys to the screen.  We are happy to say that audiences are supporting the educational distribution of our films through Third World Newsreel. And they are ready for more.

So why I am requesting $2/month of you today? 

As an executive producer of content I've joined this wonderful new platform called PATREON. My production company EPIPHANY Inc. has been producing films for 15 years and we are pretty sure we will continue to work outside the system to bring films to the world that matter.

On average each Little Brother chapter features six to seven young men. They have a lot of fans in our EPIPHANY Inc. network.  We are at the halfway mark with our 10-chapter filming goal and in reviewing the numbers I have exciting news. We have enough fans now to begin distributing a $1,000 stipend to each young man as he enters into adulthood.

Will you help us?

By visiting www.Patreon.com/NicoleFranklin you will see how easy it is. There are a number of levels to contribute to keep the films of EPIPHANY Inc. going.  But I've started a $2 per month level to be able to turn a large portion of that amount into a significant gift directly to our young men from you, our audience. There's strength in numbers. And by design this donation amount of $2 monthly/$24 annually will hopefully not be too much of a burden.

If you feel it is, there are other ways to assist! 

Would you please consider one or all of these options today?

1)   Visit www.Patreon.com/NicoleFranklin by January 31, 2015 (extended deadline) and pledge $2 per month. A large portion of Pledges at this level go directly to each Little Brother of the early chapters in time for a $1,000 gift toward their college or professional future in May 2015. 

2)    Please consider sharing this post with three friends. If I have at least half of my social media followers on board for $2 per month, we would have successfully covered a one-time gift for Little Brothers in all of the chapters already filmed and those to come by graduation day 2016!

3)    Please share this post with your social media network. Here is the Bitly link: http://bit.ly/1uaimxK.

4)    Volunteer with EPIPHANY Inc.  We have plenty of opportunities for you to volunteer with us to continue the Little Brother films and more. Please e-mail me at Nicoleedits@gmail.com with inquiries!

5)    Please share this post with businesses or entrepreneurs who would like to sponsor EPIPHANY Inc. productions at $15 per month! As of September 2014 we have 500 views per month on our AnEPIPHANYConversation.com website and 10,000 views per week on Google+. We will get you maximum exposure to customers for bargain prices.  See our sponsor page here:  NicoleFranklin.com.

6)    Not a fan of subscription-based giving?  Not a problem. One year of contributions at $24 or a two-year contribution of $48 can be contributed as a tax-deduction through Fractured Atlas, the fiscal sponsor of An EPIPHANY Conversation. You may easily contribute a $24 or $48 lump sum--again as a tax benefit to you--through Fractured Atlas by clicking here. 

7) Enjoy the $2 per month but do not wish for it to be an unlimited deduction from your account? No problem! When you subscribe as a $2 (or any other level) per month Patron, just let me know that you only want to do so for whatever length of time you choose. Twelve months, 15 months, or 36 months? That's fine. We'll mark our calendars to remind us to remind you to cancel at Patreon.com/NicoleFranklin. You may also cancel at any time. Thank you!

8) Is PayPal your preferred method of giving? We accept that too! By donating $24 or $48 to the PayPal account at Nicoleedits@gmail.com, you will be making an enormous contribution to our Little Brother Graduation Gift in a way that is more convenient for you. Thank you!

9) Do you want to cover one or more of gifts to the Little Brothers for $1,000 per student on your own without waiting for the $2 community ask to reach its goal? We would be delighted! Please contact me at Nicoleedits@gmail.com for this tax-deductible option! 

10) Keep the faith and send our Little Brothers encouraging notes and messages. Either through our Little Brother FB Fan page or at LittleBrotherFilm.com, a kind note from you goes a long way! Thank you!

Thank you for considering the $2/month pledge toward a Little Brother Graduation Gift. You may increase or cancel your payments with Patreon at any time.

EPIPHANY Inc. productions are top quality community films and digital media. This is a global community. Please consider becoming a Patron with us. These are your films.

Thank you!

 

Father Figure

I am excited to have published my latest article on documenting the African Diaspora here in the Toronto-based publication ByBlacks.com. It's titled Father Figure.  I never had to search far for my father.  He committed to being a family man when he married my mother in the late 60s and he still takes my calls when I now want to know what he's up to instead of the other way around.  I, thankfully, do not understand the pain, anger, loss, abandonment that comes with growing up without a father in the household. With feminism at the forefront these days, I have probably--and naively so--been a believer that healthy families are in abundance in the form of single mother households. I have friends and family who have proven that with their successful sons and daughters.  But we cannot gloss over those who find the absence of their biological father too much to bear. It is a burden that keeps on giving.  And when does one start healing? My Black Dox article this week was very special to me in that I was introduced to street photographer Zun Lee by photography curator extraordinaire Deb Willis. She found our work similar in that we pursue documentary stories that work to heal young Black men.  Zun Lee discovered he was of African descent as a young child born to what he thought were two Korean parents. But, he found out the truth: His Black father left them upon learning his mother was pregnant.  Zun's reconciliation with his feelings has come in the form of a collection of extremely personal images in the book titled Father Figure - Exploring the Notions of Black Fatherhood. It is set for release this month by Ceibafoto LLC.  Insight to the incredible work of this physician turned photo artist may be found in my article here.  Well done, Zun Lee. Well done. 

Photography by Zun Lee.

Photography by Zun Lee.

Nicole and Donald Franklin.

Nicole and Donald Franklin.

Hands Up for Gideon's Army

I'm honored to have another article of mine published in ByBlacks.com.  This Canadian magazine focused on the Black community has kept a close eye on what has captivated the world as of late:  Our U.S. justice system.  I have been quite distressed this past week as I am from St. Louis.  I grew up there.  It's my hometown. Ferguson was right up the highway from me. The fact that racial strife is being played out from the Heartland for the world to see just says to me that our dirty little secret is finally out.  At the time I am writing this, it has now been more than a week since an unarmed Black teen was gunned down on the street by a white police officer. Again. When are the scales of justice ever going to balance?  My interview with filmmaker and former litigator Dawn Porter on her exceptionally engaging and raw film, Gideon's Army, was already in the works when Michael Brown was shot. If this young man, who is no longer with us, would have been given the opportunity to have his day in court, he may have had the good fortune to be represented by one of the talented public defenders we talk about here.  Please visit our Black Dox article in ByBlacks.com at this link. And let's keep our Hands Up for the children.   

A CyberParty with a Purpose

It's mid-August, the weather in the NorthEast is gorgeous and I've decided to host my first CyberParty!  Why would I even entertain a party atmosphere when the world is exploding in my hometown of St. Louis?  Well, I'm the kind of #STLWoman that likes to party with a purpose.  For four years now I and producer J. Tiggett along with film consultant Dr. Raymond Winbush and a team of soldiers have dedicated our skills and resources to the film series I executive produce titled Little Brother.  Little Brother is a 10-chapter anthology featuring young Black men on camera expressing their thoughts on love. We hear about relationships, family, hopes and dreams.  We designed this series as 10 chapters so that we would saturate the market with positive media images of young Black men.  Maybe if there are more options of how Black boys are portrayed on screen, they would not get shot.  

Here we are again. This time in Ferguson, MO. 

We may not know all of the details of the officer-involved shooting, but having anyone's child laying on the street for four hours is a situation not even suitable for a dead dog.  Period.

So, we have a CyberParty coming up with a $2500 sales goal for customers. Details may be found here and by clicking on the flier below.  If we raise our goal, then our Little Brother team goes into two schools or community organizations--for free--to donate a chapter of the film series and host an interactive presentation for students and the educators who work with them. As many times as we can present positive images of young Black males--and their testimonies on camera which also come with their fears--we believe this will help change the landscape of how they are perceived, treated, respected in the United States where we clearly seem to have a problem.  

Help us meet our sales goal. Shop and share our news! Meet us in the field and suggest our next venue for our assemblies.  We're calling them "Little Brother has Class." We have the voices of young Black men that apply to all races and that, my friends, is something to celebrate.   

#TBT + #1World1Family - 2x's!

I just came home from a fantastic screening of Through A Lens Darkly. This incredible documentary of African American history through photographs brings the accuracy and inspiration of Black culture in the United States through images of which most of America seems to have drawn a blank.  No more.  Thomas Allen Harris, his muse Deb Willis, and producer Ann Bennett have almost 1,000 rarely seen photographs in this beautiful story of resilience and dignity and it is coming to an NYC theatre to qualify for some top awards and a place at the box office. We need to be there. Here are the details of the run: August 27 through September 9, Through A Lens Darkly will be at the Film Forum, 209 West Houston St., NYC 10014. Advanced tickets are available now. The filmmakers also want you to know that group rates are available for a class, department, organization, or social group.  Every seat needs to be filled for these two weeks. 

There's one more call to action I'd like to share. We have two more Thursdays before the opening. Let's make Throwback Thursday one to remember.  When posting photos of your history this Thursday, August 14 and Thursday, August 21, let's include two hashtags:  #TBT and #1World1Family.  This film more than ever illustrates the importance of documenting our true history by starting with our family.  Congrats to the film team--of which I was thrilled to be a part of as well--and here's to a packed Film Forum opening weekend! #TBT #1World1Family. Let's do this!