Coffee and Cream is “a web series aiming to connect women by sharing our very normal daily thoughts and experiences” developed by actress Karin Nicole and her team. “[The series] was developed to encourage and normalize conversation between women (as well as men) on these “minor” but important topics focused on being a woman,” Karin wrote in a press release. “The main goal is to increase the understanding, respect and appreciation for women as a whole.”

Paulina Bugembe and Gabrielle Shepard are filmmakers who are joining forces to direct and produce The Homecoming. The film is the story of Andy, a Black woman who is faced with the struggles that come with having a brother (Jackson) who is in and out of prison. “Andy wants nothing more than her family to come together and be her ideal version of happy,” said the filmmakers on their GoFundMe page. “When the family refuses to get on board for Jackson's coming home party from prison, she decides to make it happen on her own while dragging her family kicking and screaming along the way.”

According to a report released by the CDC in 2013, more women in the Black community are forgoing formula and breastfeeding their babies (from 47.4% to 58.9% between 2000 and 2008) and for longer periods of time. While the increase is nice, mothers across the country are encouraging their fellow mothers to increase these numbers. The lack of breastfeeding has a direct link to infant mortality.

A new documentary, Generation Soweto, takes a look at South African millennials and how the country has changed in the two decades since the end of apartheid.

Writer and director Sharon Lewis is working on the first Caribbean-Canadian sci-fi feature film, inspired by Nalo Hopkinson's Brown Girl in the Ring. Lewis is currently raising funds for the project, which was selected by the Canadian Film Centre as part of their exclusive partnership with Indiegogo.



If you’re unfamiliar with Brown Girl in the Ring, here’s the description from Goodreads:

Elle Johnson and Dime Davis are creating a film to tell stories of a disease that has affected their loved ones. SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH is the story of Charlie and Mimi, an unconventional mother-daughter duo who are dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease. Did you know 1 in 9 older Americans has Alzheimer’s disease? And that almost two-thirds are women? And odds are, half of those women are African American? Johnson and Davis thought about their mothers, aunts and grandmothers in development of the film. On their Indiegogo campaign page, they write, “Beyond monetary contributions, spreading the word about SPHB goes a long way. Sparking a conversation about mental health in the black community is just as important. The topic has been taboo for far too long.”

I'll admit that I have crowdfunding fatigue, but when I see a project that deserves support, I'm quick to jump on board. This project headed by Karyn Parsons bka Hilary from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air seeks to tell the story of prima ballerina Janet Collins. Collins was the first African-American soloist to perform at the Metropolitan Opera. She later received the 1950 award for best dancer on Broadway.