As Goes The South

Major Supporter Update: As Goes The South

film festivals, national tour, and an audio remix

Photo by Pete Pedroza on Unsplash

Dear Donors and Key Supporters,

Noel and I want to take a moment to extend a direct and earnest appreciation to our donors for your steadfast support over the last few years.

Because of your early belief in our vision, As Goes The South is doing exactly what we dreamed it would: it is sparking a new, soulful, and substantial conversation about progress in the South with Birmingham at the center of it. Just look at this great media coverage.

Here are some updates.

Our First Film Festival

As Goes The South was accepted into the Tampa Bay Black Art & Film Festival! We applied to many more (and have been declined by a few) and anticipate additional festivals throughout the year. Learn more below.

Our National Tour

Noel and I want to be everywhere the film is, but it is not possible. That’s why we designed this project to travel without us. Thanks to support from you, we have been able to provide local community hosts with resources, including our professionally designed printed discussion guide and a companion digital faces and places publication to enhance their screenings. Our screenings in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery, Alabama were special and we expect our next few stops to be equally memorable.

Here are some upcoming screenings with more to come. Be sure to visit our events page for real time updates as programs are finalized.

Birmingham, Alabama

Wednesday, February 18 | 5:00 pm Host: National League of Cities and Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta — Birmingham Branch Southern Consortium for Economic Inclusion Opening Reception Private Event

Auburn, Alabama

Thursday, February 19 | 5:00 pm Host: Black Graduate and Professional Student Association w/Birmingham Promise Students Location: Auburn University Mell Student Center (Ballroom B) Learn more

St. Petersburg, Florida

Sunday, February 22 | 4:00 pm Host: Tampa Bay Black Art & Film Festival Location: Eckerd College Cobb Gallery Learn more

Atlanta, Georgia

Thursday, March 12 Host: Axle Impact Studios & Friends Location: Sanctuary Studios (inside Tabernacle Baptist Church on Moreland) Public Event * Details forthcoming

Ithaca, New York

Friday, April 10 | 12:20 pm — 2:00 pm Host: Cornell University Department of City and Regional Planning Spring Colloquium Series Learn More

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

Thursday, April 30 | 5:00 pm Host: Community Investment Network Leadership Summit Opening Reception Public Event * Details forthcoming

Memphis, Tennessee

Thursday, June 11 | 7:00 pm Host: Agriculture Launch & Friends Location: Crosstown Arts Film Series Public Event * Details forthcoming

Birmingham, Alabama

Thursday, June 17 Host: CASA of Jefferson County and Nurture of Alabama, Inc. Public Event * Details forthcoming

“…So Goes The Nation”, an Audio Remix

As you may know, music is central to this film’s identity. We are collaborating with the legendary **DJ Rahdu* for an upcoming audio remix of the film titled “…So Goes The Nation”*. This project blends unreleased interviews, selected songs from the score, and related soul and jazz.

While this is an educational and promotional tool and not for sale, we are pressing a limited number of vinyl albums for our music director, Pink Siifu, and for select DJs who spin wax in listening rooms across the nation.

This will help us reach younger audiences who may be intrigued to learn about Birmingham and the American South in popular formats.

A Birmingham listening party will be announced in the next month or so. Stay tuned for updates.

We Need Your Help To Reach The Next Generation

We have reached well over 1,000 people in audiences so far, but our most important audience is still ahead of us. Birmingham youth have a powerful, visceral response to seeing Birmingham portrayed as a place of current beauty and leadership. But, only a handful of youth have seen it.

We don’t need your money, we need your influence to ensure more Birmingham youth to see As Goes The South.

Your nonprofit, business or faith organization may already be serving Birmingham area youth and their families and can simply incorporate our film as a one hour program (45 minute film, 15-to-30 minute talk back). We will provide our printed discussion guide for your audience. If you can help, please reach us at asgoesthesouth@gmail.com.

Thank you for being the fuel for this civic energy. We couldn’t do this without you.

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Join the movement at www.AsGoesTheSouthFilm.com and share our Blog, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Honestly,

Ed.

I am a poet, essayist, and civic strategist based in Birmingham, Alabama. Subscribe to my newsletter here.