Discussion on Wednesday, December 9, focuses on
healing, resilience, and Black joy
CHICAGO, IL -- Today, CMP, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services' initiative Healing Illinois and the Chicago Community Trust, will hold a special screening of HBO's BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME, adapted from the critically-acclaimed stage show and based on the #1 New York Times bestseller of the same name by Ta-Nehisi Coates, on Wednesday, December 9, 2020. The presentation is a special edition of CMP's ongoing Best Series in the House series, and features a panel with filmmakers from 7 - 8 p.m. Central Time.
Filmmakers Kamilah Forbes (director and executive producer), Roger Ross Williams (executive producer), and Alisa Payne (producer) join social impact strategist Michael Strautmanis for a powerful dialogue on healing, resilience, and Black joy.
First published in 2015, BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME was written as a letter to Coates’ teenage son, and recounts the author’s experiences growing up in Baltimore’s inner city and his growing fear of daily violence against the Black community. The narrative explores Coates’ bold notion that American society structurally supports white supremacy.
Based on the 2018 adaptation and staging of the book at the Apollo Theater, the HBO Special combines elements of the Apollo’s production, including powerful readings from Coates’ book, and incorporates documentary footage from the actors’ home life, archival footage, and animation.
The film includes appearances by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Angela Davis, Alicia Garza, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Jharrel Jerome, Mimi Jones, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Ledisi, Janet Mock, Jason Moran, Joe Morton, Wendell Pierce, Phylicia Rashad, Greg Alvarez Reid, Mj Rodriguez, Kendrick Sampson, Yara Shahidi, Nate Smith, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, Courtney B. Vance, Olivia Washington, Pauletta Washington, Susan Kelechi Watson, Michelle Wilson, and Oprah Winfrey.
“The need for emotional connection to each other and to the issues of our time is critical -- racial equity being one of the most immediate, necessary conversations taking place in every corner of the country today,” said CMP CEO and co-founder Paula Froehle.“CMP’s deep relationship with celebrated filmmakers tackling this very issue uniquely positions us to foster that conversation, through the lens of media, in a way that brings together a wide range of communities as a powerful force for change.”
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME is available on HBO and HBO Max now. The Best Seat in the House panel discussion will be held virtually on Wednesday, December 9 beginning at 7:00 p.m. Central time. There is no cost to attend the filmmaker discussion, but advance registration is required at this link: https://wearecmp.org/between-the-world-and-me
# # #