Make Me Black Music Video: A Project of DIVAS for Social Justice

Abstract

The Make Me Black Music Video is a collaborative project created in 2022 by students of the STEAM for Social Change program to honor Black History Month. The initial idea for the music video was inspired when one of the STEAM for Social Change facilitators first heard the song while listening to a local Minnesota radio station, Purple Current. Also available as an internet stream, the Purple Current radio station focuses on Black music that honors the legacy of the late musician Prince Rogers Nelson. As the facilitator listened to the song Make Me Black, originally performed by Minnesotan Ashley Dubose, they saw it as a medium for teaching students the importance of seeing themselves as beautiful and joyful, while instilling pride in where they come from. Before creating their music video, students engaged in an 8-week session where they learned the history of MTV, including how the channel failed to play any artists of color until Michael Jackson’s Thriller became a global phenomenon in 1983. Students also analyzed the song lyrics, created storyboards using Polaroid cameras, and learned about the fundamentals of music video production. The original music was produced by Rich Lee and performed by Ashley DuBose. The students’ music video was filmed on location at their school sites and the DIVAS for Social Justice makerspace. It also features the artwork of educator and artist, Adam Johnson. 

Keywords

DIVAS for Social Justice STEAM for Social Change, Make Me Black, Ashley DuBose, music video, storyboards, video production, Black History Month, Black music, Black pride, Black love, Black legacy, DIVAS for Social Justice, STEAM for Social Change, Ashley Du Bose, music videos

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