1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:09,959 Speaker 1: Past play down. Welcome to taking a walk, an excursion 2 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: to converse, connects, and catch up at a cool location 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: with some of the most interesting people you can find. 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: Here's Buzznight. Taking a walk is an amazing journey, no 5 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: matter where you take it and no matter who your 6 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: copilot is. As the Vietnamese monk Teach not Han says 7 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: in his journal, how to walk. When we walk with others, 8 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:35,240 Speaker 1: the collective energy of mindfulness we generate is very powerful. 9 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: It helps heal everyone. When we walk together, producing the 10 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: energy of mindfulness going home to the here and the now, 11 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: we can feel paradise right under our feet. You can 12 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: see the paradise all around you on Buzznight and today 13 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: on taking a walk. I'm excited to explore an area 14 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: of Boston. Believe it or not, I've never adventured to 15 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: with someone who is on an incredible adventure of their own. 16 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: I'm here at the historic Lower Mills Industrial District, which 17 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: borders Dorchester and Milton, just on the outskirts of the 18 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: city of Boston. This is a historic area located on 19 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,119 Speaker 1: both sides of the Neponset River, an area with its 20 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: own stories to tell about Native American inhabitants, early settlers, 21 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 1: chocolate factories, and more. I'm about to take a walk 22 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 1: with a woman who has her own story to tell. 23 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:41,759 Speaker 1: Tato Mowosa is a Botswana American writer, director, illustrator, playwright, educator, 24 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: and game inventor. She has amazing film credits going back 25 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: to two thousand and five with her short film Don't 26 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: Leave Me. There is an incredible buzz about her latest 27 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: feature film called Memoirs of a Black Girl. I heard 28 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: her story on the radio some weeks ago, and I 29 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: was fascinated by her story, her storytelling, her creative drive, 30 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: and her many collaborations. I'm excited to be taking a 31 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: walk at Lower Mills with Tato Moosa. Tato, it's so 32 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: nice to meet you. I appreciate you taking a walk. Oh, 33 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: thank you so much. This is awesome. I like taking walks. 34 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: I love walking and talking and making new friends. So 35 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: thanksful the invitation. It's so great. We're it's such a beautiful, 36 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: beautiful day and we're at Lower Mills. Do you take 37 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: a walk in this vicinity from time to time? Yes? 38 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: I love the path. They just built it a couple 39 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: of years ago. That's where we write, that's where we run. 40 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: It's a long path that connect Milton Tomatapan and it 41 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: goes along the trail, so it's a wonderful kind of 42 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: nature walk. I feel like you are not in the 43 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 1: city because there's a lot of a green space. And 44 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: then the hot story. This is how I first heard 45 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: about you, was Memoirs of a Black Girl, which is 46 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: getting a great buzz and reviews, and you must be 47 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: just terribly excited about how that's going. So let's talk 48 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: about your projects, starting with Memoirs. Yeah, so what do 49 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: you want to know about? Well, tell me first of all, 50 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: how long the process was from start to finish, the 51 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: creative process, the casting, just everything that went into the work. Yeah, 52 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: so Memoirs, first of all, Memoirs is about It's a 53 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: coming of age film that focuses on a young black girl. 54 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: Her name is Aisha Johnson, and Aisha is up for 55 00:03:52,800 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: a prestigious scholarship. But a decision she makes changes life 56 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: d drastically and she has to learn to survive in 57 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: the hallways of Dudley High and also on the streets 58 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: of Roxbury. So that's essentially what the film is about. 59 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: I wrote it when I was teaching at Madison Park 60 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:22,600 Speaker 1: in Roxbury. I had been teaching that for maybe five 61 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: years as a film teacher. And one of the things 62 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: that I do as a film teacher because we spend 63 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: a lot of time in the classroom. It's a vocational school, 64 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: so which means the students are with me sometimes for 65 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,479 Speaker 1: seven hours in the classroom, so I have to figure 66 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: out the way to make them create stuff. But we 67 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: have enough opportunity to watch stuff as well. A lot 68 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: of movies. Analys movies because they're creating movies. So I 69 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 1: found that I was running out of things to that 70 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: interests my students because they and I think the root 71 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 1: of the problem was they did not see themselves reflected 72 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: on the screen. So if I'm bringing a coming of 73 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: age story that is set in a sabab or that 74 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: is said in a world that they they're not familiar with, 75 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: they won't watch it but quickly lose interest because it's 76 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: not that issues they don't relate that people don't look 77 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: like them. So I found that there was actually very 78 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: few coming of age stories that are set in inner cities, 79 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: especially in inner city high schools. So that's when I 80 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 1: noticed that I started to think about what maybe that's 81 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 1: opportunity to actually create a story for them, because I'm 82 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: a filmmaker after all, and I've learned that if you 83 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 1: don't see a movie that you like to watch on 84 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: the screen, you make it, just like if you don't 85 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 1: see a book that you to read, you write it. 86 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 1: So I decided, and at that point I had not 87 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: written a feature. I've done shots, and I was like, Okay, 88 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: I'm gonna make a feature. So I wrote it and 89 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 1: it took a while. It took probably four years of writing, 90 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: not writing nonstoff, but sort of writing, looking at it, 91 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 1: forgetting about it, coming back to it, because I still 92 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 1: came back to it. I'll write other stuff and I'll 93 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: come back to it because I love the story and 94 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: I think it was necessary. So eventually I got into 95 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: this program, the MFA program at Leslie for Creative Writing, 96 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: where they actually teach you how to write stinkpots. And 97 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: when I came in, I said, my biggest thing is 98 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 1: I don't I can't write a short film that is 99 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 1: just my comfort, but I don't know how to write 100 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: a feature film. It's just so's it's so overwhelming for me. 101 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: And I was able to get some training and tools 102 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 1: and how to like strategies how to kind of write 103 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: a feature screenplay, and I went back to it then 104 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: I walked on it. Were there moments that you just 105 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 1: said I hate this, I can't really deal with this. 106 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 1: Are you that you were so frustrated with it or 107 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: that you were blocked on it? That happened? Yes? Yeah, 108 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: So what did you do then to break that? You know, 109 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: like with the artist as well, you fall out of 110 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: like sometimes you're painting or you're writing and you're like, oh, 111 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: this sucks. And whenever you feel like something sucks, you 112 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: put it away. But then months later you come back 113 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: to it and you look at it with fresh ice, 114 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: and then it makes sense to you and then maybe 115 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: somehow something's fasted. So yes, I've I mean even now 116 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: I'll go through watching this film and I'm like, oh, 117 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: this sucks. I don't want to say this, or you 118 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: would do something different exactly. Artists are very hard on themselves. 119 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: I bet you, even Basquier or Money, if they were 120 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: to look at the paintings, they will find something that 121 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: they can fix. I cannot help myself. I cannot watch 122 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: the film right now because I have to like step away, 123 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: just because I there's so many things I could have 124 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: done better. I'm but I'm that way and yes, I'm 125 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: wide that way. So anyway, Yeah, I I I fall 126 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: out of and because I think what it is is 127 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: when you're stuck, you start to hate something because we 128 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 1: get stuck as artists, right, you get to get to 129 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: a point where something makes sense and then it just 130 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: something doesn't click and you're trying to figure out but 131 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:59,599 Speaker 1: we can't. And I've learned to leave it alone that 132 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: my innate step away from it. Another thing is to 133 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: bring in somebody else who look at it, give it 134 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 1: a new perspective, and they can maybe see something that 135 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: you haven't seen from a different perspective. So I've learned 136 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:21,199 Speaker 1: that even workshopping or sharing with friends may just help 137 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 1: with the process of your creation. Yeah, So to answer 138 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: your question, many times, that's why it took about four Yes, 139 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: because there were moments where I was like, hey, I 140 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: cannot do this. I don't know if I got it right. 141 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 1: I So back to those other collaborators that you mentioned, 142 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: I think that's a really important point to highlight in 143 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 1: the creative process because it can be, I'm sure from 144 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: your perspective, a very solo. You know, lonely process when 145 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 1: you're working something and then you get frustrated and then 146 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: you have take that step back and really, you know, 147 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: put it away for a while. So how do you 148 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: choose or feel confident that a certain collaborator can lend 149 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: that help and different perspective. What I've done over the 150 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: past couple of years is because I went to a 151 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: program where we I was in in session with a 152 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 1: lot of writers and we kept in touched to help 153 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: each other because we all go through this. So what 154 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 1: I merged from that training was networking and we started 155 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: to create our own groups, our own feedback because after college. 156 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: When you're in college, it's formal. You have watch shopping, 157 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 1: you watch like, you bring your screens, that's your day. 158 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 1: Everybody pitches in. But then after we graduated, we're like, 159 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:54,560 Speaker 1: when are we going to get the opportunity to do this? 160 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: Because workshopping is really good. So we I'm pad of 161 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 1: rewriting group too, so I'm I'm part of three writing 162 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 1: groups and that's what we share. Whenever something comes up, 163 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: We're like, hey, do you mind if we have like 164 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: an hour to read this? I want to just and 165 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: then the summer questions and then we spend that hour. Okay, 166 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: you know it's a formal series, agree, But it's mostly 167 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: just friends coming together helping each other because we're all writers. 168 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: And I think it is it is important because to 169 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: write solo and not get any any and you know, 170 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: like I always feel like writers are actually not your 171 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 1: best people to go to write. Writers are great in 172 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: maybe helping you with structure or development of characters. You know, 173 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: they're great for that kind of stuff, But we don't 174 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:53,679 Speaker 1: write for writers. We write for the So for memoirs, 175 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: for example, I actually had my students read it several 176 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: times and then they picked up some stuff. They're like, oh, 177 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 1: I don't talk like this. I would say it this way. 178 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: And then as soon as they say I'll say this way, 179 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: I'll write it down and correct it. Because I feel 180 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: like it's it is important to have writers like people 181 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: that I take technical technical technically writers to help you, 182 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:21,959 Speaker 1: but it's even more important to actually have your audience 183 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: to read your thing, just like a film has like 184 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: a test audience. A book you work with an editor. 185 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 1: But I think it's important to help other people that 186 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:39,319 Speaker 1: I call them. I was listening to a master class 187 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: by one of the screenwriters was his name, so he 188 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: called civilians. He's like civilians. I was like, oh, that 189 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: is so funny. He's like, I'll go to a civilian 190 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: and have them read my screenplay. And I cracked up 191 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: because I don't know, like normal people, like your audience, 192 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: like your potential audience. Yeah, like a real unscreened focus 193 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: group exactly. Screen people that are not going to be 194 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 1: too hung up on the technical but they're gonna be 195 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,079 Speaker 1: hung up on maybe the emotion of the story or whatever. 196 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: They get it, like what's important for them. I think 197 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: that we can go either straight. Yeah, we'll go straight 198 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: and enough right. Yeah, So that's fascinating that it was chest. 199 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:29,199 Speaker 1: I actually liked Themerican because it's much more very green 200 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: once you get into like past the light and you 201 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: get into this like because one thing, I'm just looking 202 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: at the sign here it says about that there was 203 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: a something called the Baker Chocolate Company that used to 204 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: be here. Yeah, the Consett Rivers home to the first 205 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: chocolate mill in America. I have to think that if 206 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: it were still up and running, that we would be 207 00:13:56,040 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: smelling the factory right now in there, Yeah, the workshopping 208 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: in there. Yeah. Well I think it's great too that 209 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: you had your students involved, because to get that collaboration 210 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 1: from those those brilliant minds there is pretty cool, you know. Yeah, 211 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: it's been doing well, and I think Pan African film 212 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: as well is where we got interest from Distribute Us 213 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: right away. That was our first festival and right away 214 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: we started talking to Distribute Us. So to think too 215 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: that you probably receive some interesting inquiries or incoming from 216 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: people around the film industry during all of this. Yeah, 217 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 1: I mean, I've had talks with a couple of people 218 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: that reached out so right now with the film industry, 219 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: they actually when they have interests, it's not about the 220 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: current film, it's about what's next to you, got it. 221 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: So I'm already looking forward because I have a screenplay 222 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: that I wrote called A Blue Dawn that's set in Bozona. 223 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 1: So that's the kind of conversations I'm having with the 224 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: potential ah A producers. So that's that right now, we're 225 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: just looking ahead. But I'm also kind of doing that 226 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: promotional tour of the Memoirs of the Black Yard. Oh boy, 227 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: that's that's so that's so exciting. It's a whirlwind for you. 228 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 1: And in the midst of all this. So you're teaching 229 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: regularly at Emerson and also in Brookline, is that correct? Yes, 230 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 1: So I have two jobs, teaching film and I teach 231 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: visual media as at Emerson, which is a class as 232 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: a foundational class that includes filmmaking, photography, graphic design, so 233 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: they get to be introduced to different mediums. At Brookline, 234 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: I teach primarily filmmaking and TV production, documentary filmmaking and 235 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: you have, you know, some things that you can always 236 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: bring them in on, whether it be a new project, 237 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: so you've got to tap the minds there. But you 238 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: also have so many multi dimensional aspects of your work. 239 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: Your your art work which is beautiful and just so impactful. 240 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: And also you created a game too. Tell us about that. 241 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 1: So Sawa Trivia is the first African trivia cat game. 242 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: It came about when my husband and I were looking 243 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: for a game to play that is that taps into 244 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 1: African culture and we found out that there's no real 245 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: games out there at the time, and we were looking 246 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: primarily to do like trivia. Yes, so when we Google, 247 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:07,119 Speaker 1: we figured out that there's nothing. And I'm such a 248 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:13,880 Speaker 1: creative that whenever I find that there is there's a lack, 249 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,719 Speaker 1: I want to create it, just like the film and 250 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 1: the and also the book which we can talk about later. 251 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: I just I see an opportunity whether it's lack and 252 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 1: I'm like okay. So no one ever thought it to 253 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: do like a trivia game. It is important for us 254 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 1: applicants to somehow conserve our culture and also educate people 255 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: about our culture and be in control of it, be 256 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:50,200 Speaker 1: in control of that narrative and promote that positive stories 257 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 1: from Africa. All the points of the game like just 258 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 1: to promote Africa in a positive way. So we had 259 00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 1: we have different categories. We have JOBRAI, politics, entertainment, movies, 260 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: our music, business. I think it's like five categories business. 261 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 1: I'm missing something. Yeah, So we have all those categories. 262 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: And one of the things that when we were creating 263 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,919 Speaker 1: the game, especially when we did the business part of it, 264 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:30,120 Speaker 1: we were surprised with about the the innovation that's going 265 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: on in Africa because we have been here for twenty 266 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 1: four years, my husband has been here for longer, and 267 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: somehow we didn't know that the way hybrid cars being 268 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:45,680 Speaker 1: developed in Africa that are on the road that are 269 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 1: commercial that you can buy African mad cars. We didn't 270 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: know that there were smartphones that are being developed in 271 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 1: Africa that I've been used. Run that made the first 272 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: African made smartphone you can it's called the Mara phone, 273 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:02,479 Speaker 1: looks like an Apple, just like how we from China. 274 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: Randa has our own brand, and Uganda made the first 275 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: commercial Hybrica that you can buy and drive. So we 276 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: really our minds were blown by all this information and 277 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:26,680 Speaker 1: we're hoping when we package the game people we get 278 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: to see another side of Africa other than the story 279 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,120 Speaker 1: of Africa that we know that the West always want 280 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,160 Speaker 1: to focus, Like the Western media always wants to focus 281 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: on the poverty, the war, the deprivation. But what we 282 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: wanted to present was a new narrative, a counter narrative 283 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:51,679 Speaker 1: with the game to say Africa is developing, is rapidly developing. 284 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 1: There's innovation happening in Africa. There's music, movies, people are 285 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:00,879 Speaker 1: creating stuff, are making history. So that's what we wanted 286 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 1: to do with the game, to just have it be 287 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: entertaining and educational. So we call it an Eddie editaining 288 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 1: game because you get to have fun as you play, 289 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: but you get to learn a lot about that as well. 290 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 1: Right right, that's great. Yeah, And then go back to 291 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:25,120 Speaker 1: the book again that you touched upon as well. Yes, 292 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 1: so fourteen African women that made history. It's sort of 293 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,199 Speaker 1: just based on the research from the game, getting to 294 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:39,159 Speaker 1: know all these wonderful things that are happening, especially for 295 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: me as an African woman. I was impressed with all 296 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: the strong, phenomenal women that are making change in the communities, 297 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 1: that are contributing to developing them to transform in their communities. 298 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 1: So I wanted to celebrate them. Because there was no book, 299 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 1: no surance book that also highlighted this woman as a collection, 300 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: so I decided to identify fourteenth that were locked. I 301 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: mean that's hundreds. I had one hundred, one hundred names. 302 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: But sometimes at some point I knew I couldn't write 303 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: all those stories. I could make volume one volume two. 304 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:24,199 Speaker 1: So I started with fourteen women that I know made history. 305 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: That includes Wane Gary Matali who won the Nobel Peace Prize. 306 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 1: That also includes the first women female president, Ellen Alan 307 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:40,880 Speaker 1: Johnson Salive of Liberia. She was the first present female 308 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: president in Africa and she led Liberia for many years. 309 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: That included Winnie Mandela, who fought to three her husband 310 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: Nelson Mandela. Because her story is always overshadowed by Nelson Mandela, 311 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: but while he was in jail for twenty seven years, 312 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 1: it was really who worked hard too to travel across 313 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 1: the world to governize people for his to to free him. Otherwise, 314 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: if it wasn't for her active activism, Mandela would have 315 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:22,199 Speaker 1: been forgotten right because she was in jail and she 316 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: would not give up. She was out on the streets governizing, protesting. 317 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 1: She herself got to jails. So she's to me a 318 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 1: phenomenal woman. She's controversial, people have opinions about her, but 319 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:40,199 Speaker 1: I think she should be commended for the work that 320 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: she did and be be remembered as one of our heroes. 321 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: So that's one of the women that I included. And 322 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: there's several many women, including young women. Lupita Nango, who's 323 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: the first Black African woman to win an Oscar. She 324 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,920 Speaker 1: made history. She's an artist. So I had to kind 325 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: of also diversify, so I'm not just choosing one type 326 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: of woman. I had to choose young women and older women. 327 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: I had to choose political activists and environmentalist and doctors 328 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: and artist writers Jim Amanda. Addition, Gozi isn't it. She's 329 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: a phenomenal writer, well known writer, so it was hard 330 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: to choose. But I'm happy with the triic that I 331 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: made and I made this fam I mean, I made 332 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 1: the book really for young people across the world, so 333 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 1: they know that African women are move us and shake 334 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 1: us too. They are transforming and changing the communities of 335 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 1: the societies and the changing the world. That's great, congratulations 336 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 1: on that. Wow, that's say. Well, as we close, there's 337 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: one thing about you that really strikes me, and it 338 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: even strikes me more that I've had the opportunity to 339 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,239 Speaker 1: be taking a walk with you, and that's You're an 340 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:11,439 Speaker 1: amazing storyteller. Your ability to tell each story clearly and 341 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: illustrated and cinematically as well, obviously is astounding. How were 342 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:23,639 Speaker 1: you first influenced as a storyteller? From from who? And 343 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: in what way? And how did it shape you? Oh Man, 344 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: I grew up in a family of storytellers, first and promos. 345 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:37,199 Speaker 1: My dad was a journalist. In his youth, he was 346 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:41,159 Speaker 1: a well known journalist who troubled which traveled with the 347 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 1: first President of Zonna at the time he was in 348 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: his strangees and then after doing political coverage in a 349 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 1: government newspaper, he decided to actually get into politics, and 350 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 1: he actually became a member of Posision and he was 351 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 1: our the first city mayor of Tavaroni because before then 352 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,959 Speaker 1: Habaron was a town and during my dad's tenure tenure 353 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: as a mayor, he that transformed into a city Barbaroni. 354 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 1: Now this is our capital, the capital Bazona. So he 355 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: was mayor for ten years. So I grew up with 356 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 1: him just being and as a politician. He would go 357 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 1: across the country and I watch him give speeches and 358 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: he was an a raider, just like I watched Martin 359 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: Luther King's speeches and all other people. Have absolutely loved 360 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 1: to listen to myself because he was funny. He was 361 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 1: a He was a comedian in a way because he 362 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: will just make people laugh, but make people see sons, 363 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 1: but also in a humorous way. So he I grew 364 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:00,240 Speaker 1: up around him and he used to just work. Will 365 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 1: sit around him and he'll tell stories. And then my 366 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 1: uncle was a playwright. He wrote a play, published a 367 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 1: play that was used by schools in Bosana. It was 368 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: called Peter Rajalo. And then my aunt also published their 369 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 1: children's books in Bozona. So I grew up it's like 370 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:28,199 Speaker 1: storytelling storytelling is in my genes. I felt like it 371 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: was natural that I decided to take this route. Also, 372 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 1: when I first started at Emerson, I was actually studying 373 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: TV broadcasting, so essentially I was following in my father's footsteps. 374 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,200 Speaker 1: But then I fell in love with like the fictional side, 375 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 1: because you know his non fiction. He was a journalist. 376 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: He published books, but mostly in the nonfiction side. Well, 377 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:59,400 Speaker 1: I have to tell you one of the beautiful things 378 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:06,879 Speaker 1: about taking a walk is conversation, is new conversation, meeting 379 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:12,399 Speaker 1: someone new, learning and being inspired. And I'm coming away 380 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: with all those feelings from meeting you on this walk 381 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: here in Lower Mills. It's uh, it's so wonderful. You 382 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:25,160 Speaker 1: have such an amazing uh group of things going on, 383 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:29,239 Speaker 1: and I think the beautiful part about all this is 384 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 1: how you're also in the midst of it. You're impacting 385 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: the next generation of creatives, uh, which is amazing, but 386 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: you're also celebrating your country and and I think that's 387 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 1: that is is beautiful in the full circle nature of 388 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: things uh as well. So I think I think you 389 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: have a lot to be proud of, and I know 390 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: you have made any more things you're going to accomplish. 391 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you so much for this invitation to 392 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,879 Speaker 1: take a walk and talk. See good. I feel like 393 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 1: I'm exercised my exercise for the day, and I came 394 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:21,919 Speaker 1: to my favorite place, which is the pub Milton, and 395 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: it's got to make a new friend. So I really 396 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: enjoyed this conversation. I'm very grateful. I think we should 397 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 1: stop over at the at the Mexican restaurant over there 398 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 1: and grab some tequila and do some work shopping. Yellow 399 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:45,240 Speaker 1: Dog Tekeria is one of my favorite place. It's two 400 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: minutes away from my house and I love this area exactly. 401 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 1: It's beautiful here. It's really I'm glad to have found 402 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: a new spot and made a new friend and and 403 00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: I wish you continued success. And I know you're going 404 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: to have have even greater success than you've already had. 405 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 1: So thank you for the time and thank you for 406 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:09,360 Speaker 1: taking a walk. Taking a Walk with Buzznight is available 407 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.