With its theatrical release set for next month, American Promise aims to shed some light into the life of a young black man in America.

The documentary focuses on two middle class black families as they raise their sons. It’s goal is to empower boys, their parents and educators and help close the black male achievement gap.

From The New York Times:

“In this Op-Doc video, we have tried to encapsulate the journey of our son — a boy who comes of age with many privileges and many challenges — as well as our own. We sought to protect Idris from the African-American male achievement gap in education, where boys like him, regardless of their socioeconomic status, are confronted with experiences that affect their academic performance, as compared to their white counterparts. Among these are negative perceptions (which some researchers call “implicit bias”) about black boys’ capabilities in the classroom. There are also more direct threats, like the fear of being “stopped and frisked” by the police, or being stared at on the streets of the Upper East Side of Manhattan,” said Creators Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson.

Read more at The New York Times

American Promise is releasing theatrically in October and November in eight cities.

Here’s the trailer for the film:


Help them lift up the conversation of black male achievement by SELLING OUT EVERY SINGLE SHOW! 

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