The Light

"My journey towards a college degree is about to come to a close... and I just felt like I should share a part of my journey with you all. Below is an essay that I wrote for acceptance into the Creative Minds in Cannes program... hopefully this will shed some light on my background for your convenience..." P.Reels



In the beginning it was love. I was introduced to the art form called film and I fell in love. It was the year 1999 and my family and I had just moved to California (from Seattle) and once again I was the new kid. Then it happened. I remember it vividly. My teacher announced an extra credit opportunity filming the football team games and editing the highlights. I was very curious and decided to take on the position. That was middle school. The rest is history. The next few years I didn’t think much of it but in high school I joined a program that directly involved the art of the field of communications.


I remember creating a project about the Harlem Renaissance that was very special to me. I was able to learn about my history, which I felt was not something addressed in as much detail as I would like. They always told us little bits and pieces of information about Black History but my thirst for knowledge prompted my interest. My high school years birthed my passion for human rights, politics and knowledge. Film helps me to be able to tell stories, the stories of real people, the forgotten, which may have gone to the grave without my creative juices to cater to the fulfillment thereof.
I interned during the summer for National Youth Congress creating films for the purpose of preventing kids from doing drugs and educating the community on Lead Poisoning. More recently I interned at HRC (Human Rights Campaign) where I immersed myself in the knowledge of hands on experience in the studio. That experience opened my eyes to a whole new world.


I am a fighter and that is what attracted me to Howard University. Every obstacle that came up during my time here at Howard I turned it into a triumph. Howard is it's own community... a family... and even though we get frustrated sometimes with certain things we still won't go for anyone else bad mouthing our University. My passion for women’s rights landed me the Paul Robeson Award in 2007 for the short film “The Road Not Taken” adapted from Robert Frost’s poem with the same name. That film was special to me because it was a personal triumph over something in my past.


Film has been my refuge and the light at the end of the tunnel and the air that I breathe. Just like the poem I took the road less traveled and that has made all the difference. More recently, in April 2009 the documentary "The Revolution Will Be Televised" was nominated for Best Production and Best Documentary for the Paul Robeson Awards which took place at the AFI Silver Theatre April 9th. The Revolution Will Be Televised received honorable mention for Best Documentary at The Paul Robeson Awards this year and is in competition for other film festivals throughout the nation. I am very proud and thankful that God intrusted me with such a gift to share with the world and will be forever indebted to people like my family who gave up many of their dreams to pour life into mine. I have been one of the fortunate few and can only hope that in the future I can give back to my community what they have given to me.



"It takes a village to raise a child..."

As always remember to be "REEL" and stay on the MOVE!

"Purple Reels The Go Getter"
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