For my final major project at university, I chose to produce a documentary to uncover the challenges and experiences that Black men and women face, as well as how communities can impact their sense of belonging.
I found the form of a documentary to be an appropriate medium to communicate such a topic, as it is a valuable and viable research method that has a key role to play in how we view the world, educate ourselves, and empathise with the lived experiences of those around us.
By allowing my interviewees to take control of the topic of conversation, I was creatively challenged in my approach as a journalist, in the editing process, and also in my education about the lives of other Black people.
I refused to be ignorant of the areas discussed and educated myself on matters that I, a Black female, may not have considered. This led me to construct and creatively direct a production with the intent to educate and effectively display social issues in an engaging way with my knowledge of the conventions of producing.
The statement of need in this project stemmed from my personal experience being Black British. Although through my secondary research, I watched and read about Black British experiences, I found that there is not as much exposure to the lives of Black British people as there is to the lives and representation of White British people.
I chose this research topic as I believe it is widely experienced but not discussed widely in enough depth. I also believe that this major project can bring to light the livelihood of a specific minority group in society, those who are Black in Britain and live questioning and consistently being challenged by their sense of belonging, as I have.
Drawing on the theorised notions of belonging and understanding the factors that may impact this, a documentary on the lives of those who identify as Black British is one that I believe is needed to express the idea that being Black British is not a monolithic experience and to urge people to share their stories.
As a Black female journalist, it's vital for us to explore how social inequalities can affect our sense of belonging in terms of race, ethnicity, social class, and their intersections.
I found a need to investigate factors that contribute toward integration into British society from a Black British perspective, considering the following topics: beauty standards, stereotypes, representation, and racism. I invite you to watch my documentary series and explore the topics I considered at the end of my time at university.
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