Mother Baltimore: Support
This week, I watched “Aftershock”, a new film that documents the tangible effects of the Black maternal mortality crisis in America. There’s really no way to avoid how grim and just outright sad the film is. The United States has one of the worst rates for maternal mortality among industrialized countries, and the consequences of that for Black people are terribly gruesome. Black women are dying from childbirth complications at a rate three times higher than that of white women.
“Aftershock” carefully illustrates that horror. The documentary, which can be streamed on Hulu, highlights the preventable deaths of Shamony Gibson and Amber Isaac— two mothers from Brooklyn, New York who died during or after childbirth. The film reveals that the women died because their medical needs were unmet. Their concerns weren’t valued. “Aftershock” centers the aftermath of their deaths and how their families are ensuring their names aren’t forgotten. It brilliantly punctuates the fact: In order for Black lives to matter, Black wombs must matter.
While watching the documentary, I couldn’t help but feel very low. To have the excitement of pregnancy be abruptly stolen by death is an immense tragedy. Children will grow up without their mother. Partners have to automatically learn to be a single parent. Grandparents, sisters, cousins, etc. have to help fill a role that they thought would be covered by their loved one. It’s not fair.
But the power and resilience of family is the most poignant theme in “Aftershock.” The communal arc throughout the film is immensely moving. The tragedy of maternal mortality requires support and care. “Aftershock” meets that need.
Now, here’s the latest news in southwestern Illinois:
East St. Louis dancer to debut Black Lives Matter-inspired film at St. Louis festival
Hettie Barnhill, an East St. Louis native, choreographer and Broadway actress, will present her latest film “a love letter to Brian, Lesley and Michelle” during the Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, which started this month. Barnhill’s documentary premieres tonight. BND reporter DeAsia Paige talked to Barnhill about the film and her extensive dance career.
More on film directors in the metro-east:
Here are the metro-east directors whose films will be featured at St. Louis festival
East St. Louis native produces film about secret military experiments on Black people
Police investigate shooting deaths of man and woman in Cahokia Heights
A Cahokia Heights man and woman were found shot to death by police this week. Cahokia Heights police are investigating the shooting as a possible murder-suicide. BND reporter Carolyn Smith covered what we know so far about the shooting.
More on crime in Cahokia Heights :
Cahokia Heights police are looking for a woman suspected of shooting a man in the neck
Two men shot to death in Cahokia Heights on Saturday, according to authorities
After car sinks into hole in East St. Louis road, activists call for action on infrastructure
Earlier this month, a car sank into a hole on North 32nd Street in East St. Louis. No one was in the car when it sank. Activists held a press conference in the city to bring attention to the area’s failing infrastructure and flooding problems. BND reporter Lexi Cortes covered the conference.
More on environmental justice issues in East St. Louis:
Listen to community concerns about East St. Louis, Illinois roads
Two workers injured in explosion fire at chemical plant in East St. Louis
What to do
This section of Mother Baltimore highlights upcoming events in the metro-east that are relevant to Black communities. If you have tips for events, send them to dsutgrey@bnd.com
“a love letter to Brian, Lesley and Michelle”
July 22 at 6 p.m. at Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium
Hettie Barnhill, an East St. Louis native who took dance classes under Katherine Dunham, will present her latest film at the Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase today. The 62-minute documentary weaves multiple art forms to address injustices that Black people face in this country. Tickets for the screening are available here. The event will be followed by a Q&A session
What to watch
“Rap Sh!t”
Created by Issa Rae, “Rap Sh!t” follows two friends from Miami, FL, who attempt to take over the rap game. The show, which premiered Thursday night, conveys both the struggles and successes associated with trying to be a popular female duo in a male-dominated genre. “Rap Sh!t” paints a very relatable story of how female rappers have to work harder to be taken seriously for their art. The series airs on HBO Max every Thursday at 8 p.m. CST.
What to read
What Makes ‘Nope’ So Subversive, According to Jordan Peele and Keke Palmer
For GQ, culture critic and author Gerrick Kennedy interviewed Jordan Peele and Keke Palmer ahead of their new film “Nope,” which debuts in theaters today. The horror movie, directed by Peele and starring Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya, depicts a pair of siblings who live on their family’s California horse ranch. “Nope” follows their quest to uncover a puzzling force in the sky that stalks the ranch. In the interview, Peele talks about writing the film while on COVID-19 lockdown in 2020:
We were going through so much. So much of what this world was experiencing was this overload of spectacle, and kind of a low point of our addiction to spectacle.
I’ve been somebody who’s dedicated so much time to try and reintroduce what the Black perspective can be in a horror film. That puts me in very dark places in my imagination and we were in a very dark place and are [still] in a very dark place. It became a very important thing to figure out how to bring joy into it because, well, I felt like I’ve hit the other things.
That’s all she wrote!
Talk to y’all in two weeks!
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This story was originally published July 22, 2022 at 12:27 PM.
