/, Provocations/Carina White on telling black stories not rooted in trauma

Carina White on telling black stories not rooted in trauma

In the first of our series of provocations to mark five years of Raising Films we welcome Carina White from Dope Black Mums on telling black stories not rooted in trauma.

Carina is Head of Business & Partnerships, BCOMs (The Black Collective of Media in Sport) Board Member, School Governor, Dope Black Mums Podcaster and also a freelance Brand Specialist. Carina is an accomplished public and panel speaker and is regularly booked to participate in events surrounding sport, diversity and other topics. Listed as The Voice Newspaper’s One to Watch for 2020 and also nominated for a We Are The City Rising Star award, Carina is making her mark within the industry.

“We need to tell our stories through our lens, not the whitewashed lenses of interpretation.”

I grew up in an era where we were told we had to work twice as hard as our white counterparts. An era where if I walked out the wrong end of my road, I was in National Front territory and could quite possibly end up a newspaper headline similar to that of Stephen Lawrence. An era where racial disparities were rife but never really spoken about and an era where I was told my skin colour “resembled sh*t” and “if my face was pushed in shit it wouldn’t make a difference.” That was my era.

For years I got angry internally and feigned acceptance that that was just the way things were and we had to get on and deal with it. I remember attending a Saturday morning acting class at a renowned drama school and realising I was the only black girl in the class. That’s just the way things were.

No, that’s not just the way things have to be. We’re in a different era now. An era where we will not be silenced and an era where we recognise our stories need to and should be told. An era where our creativity should be allowed to manifest itself through the art of filmmaking and storytelling. We’re no longer accepting there are no seats at the table for us, either make room or we’re shaking the whole damn table.

“We’re no longer accepting there are no seats at the table for us, either make room or we’re shaking the whole damn table.”

Black stories are more than slavery. Black stories are more than just gangs and crime. Black stories are love. Black stories are period dramas, thrillers, musicals, comedies and much more. We are done accepting that this is the way things are.

“Black stories are love. Black stories are period dramas, thrillers, musicals, comedies and much more.”

The film and TV industries need to stop rolling out failing diversity initiatives and give black creatives the space, funding and platforms to share their stories, creativity and more. We need young and diverse talent, film makers, directors and production crew. We need to tell our stories through our lens, not the whitewashed lenses of interpretation.

What is Dope Black Mums?
Dope Black Mums is a movement to empower black women who are mums and to confront stereotypes surrounding blackness in mainstream media. You can connect with Dope Black Mums via the various online platforms listed below, by tuning in to the Dope Black Mums podcast and through attending live events (when back up and running post COVID-19).

www.dopeblackmums.co.uk

Instagram: @DopeBlackMums
Podcast: Apple / Spotify 
Further links including LinkedIn and Facebook groups via: linktr.ee/DopeBlackMums

More about Carina White
Carina started her career in football over ten years ago when she worked at a football agency. She was responsible for player contract negotiation, player PR, crisis management and media training for athlete clients. Carina went on to join Tongue Tied Media, a sports management and production company from media agency MediaCom, and brought with her a wealth of experience in Media, Advertising and Marketing, Event Management and PR.

“The film and TV industries need to stop rolling out failing diversity initiatives and give black creatives the space, funding and platforms to share their stories, creativity and more. ”

Further provocations

2020-07-08T12:21:41+01:00June, 2020|Our Work, Provocations|