Highwater

For the ‘woke’ ones among us, the eighth month of the year is also know as “Black August,” and for the last five years the BlackStar Film Festival has been a hub for African-centered cinematic art from around the world. To conclude the first season of the Highwater Podcast, we talked to artists and creatives Terence Nance, Darren Wallace, Michael Dennis (Mike D), Nuala Cabral, Eugene Haynes and BlackStar Founder Maori Karmael Holmes about the festival and what’s next in Black film.

Filmmaker Tahir Jetter talks about how Black Twitter and music artists like Drake, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar inspired him to examine the psyche of the vulnerable Black Millennial man in his debut feature film, How To Tell If You’re A Douchebag. Jetter also talks about the legacy Spike Lee created for emerging Black filmmakers at his alma mater New York University (NYU), and shares his experience securing distribution for Douchebag, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016.

Comedian Dave Helem shares his insight on comedy as a Chicagoan, a Black man, and a disciple of both Kanye West and Gucci Mane. Behind the jokes is a real dialogue about not letting the machine chew you up and spit you out. We also talked about whether there is a brotherhood among Black comedians, and the difference between a comedian and someone who is just funny on the internet.

"Black people doing anything they want to do is a subversive act." A funny conversation with comedian Felonious Munk evolved into an important dialogue about love, being woke, staying in your lane, and why it is okay for some artists to keep quiet if they don't know how to articulate their politics. You can find Munk in comedy venues around the country, in the critically-acclaimed touring Second City show Afrofuturism, and on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.

In a review of VIEWS by artist Drake, author Neil McCormick states that “Drake’s navel-gazing is wearing thin” and called the album an “anthem for the selfie generation.” In this episode Chakka and extra special guest comedian Felonious Munk talk about Drake’s most recent instance of surface self-reflection and what artists and creatives can do to make sure that we are truly being vulnerable, and not just emotional. Chakka also gets into her zodiac bag a bit and explains why Drake could be a great example for other Scorpio creatives.

Alice Berry is an artist, independent clothing designer and clinical counselor. She specializes in talk psychotherapy as well as time and stress management techniques, including meditation training. Alice specializes in counseling for people whose work, avocation, or passion includes using inspiration, generating ideas, or the study and mastery of craft or technique. Alice talks about how artists can take an active role in their mental wellness.

Chakka shares her suicide hotline story, and how she knew she had to break things off with one particular therapist.

Poet and Mental Health Advocate Bassey Ikpi started #NoShameDay in 2012 to encourage a day of dialogue and transparency about mental health issues. In this episode Bassey share her own story about how she found help and meaning in her own mental health challenges, and Highwater host Chakka Reeves shares a bit of her own mental health story as well. We hope that everyone who listens to this finds strength in these stories. As Bassey says, as long as you are here, you have a purpose. Even when the night it at its darkest, allow yourself morning.

Chakka describes what she learned about people, friendships and creativity during a particularly intense week. If you've wondered why creative accomplishments are sometimes accompanied by social isolation, check this episode out and feel free to send it to any friends or family who feel neglected by the creatives in their lives.

Dr. Yaba Blay is a professor, author, ethnographer and producer who is committed to making scholarship about global Black identities and the politics of hair and skin accessible outside of the Ivory Tower. This episode is not only a treat for fans of Dr. Blay's work, but any creative who wants to build a career that honors their culture, creativity and scholarship at the same time. Named to The Root 100 (2014), an annual list of top Black influencers, Dr. Blay is one of today’s leading voices on colorism and global skin color politics.