From the Archives: 06.19.19 "Sweet Water: The Return of Black Communal Living"
Community is key.
I’ve been thinking about Community more often, since editing “Sweet Water” a short doc about Black communal spaces, & as the name implies; a Black commune in Southside Chicago, called “Sweet Water.” Fortunately, some good friends, Alex Antoine & Aaliyah Cristine, introduced me to this place.
Now, I shot this back in 2019, during a very difficult time in my life. Through most of the year, I had no permanent place to stay.
What’s worse, is that I had over $5k worth of equipment stolen in the SAME DAY I finally moved into a permanent place.
Nearly all of my footage from my grandad’s 101 birthday, clients, Kenya, and Haiti; anything that wasn’t on my phone, was lost..
But then I was like: “Nah, f*ck all that.” And got to editing.
Then I got triggered: reminded of how much I lost that couldn’t be replaced…
My now-deceased great grandfather’s 100 birthday. Gone.
The short film I shot guerrilla-style in Haiti - in BOTH creole and English: gone.
I stopped editing.
Then, I got upset with myself that I had given so easily before.
Then I’d begin editing once more.
I’d repeat that cyclical hell for weeks. Then months. Then years.
Until finally… I resurrected “Sweetwater,” with the help of VFX Editor Shawn Gadley & Writer Ean Kessler.
That’s what you’re seeing today:
Three years of werq, community, and perseverance.
Enjoy &3
Always Question. Always Explore.
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