Kamala Avila-Salmon

Founder of KAS KAS Productions

“Black is Not a Genre”

Our first meeting on Zoom took place the day the fires broke in PP; in fact, I received an alert on my phone about the Pacific Palisades Fire and asked Kamala, who was on the Westside, if she heard anything, smelled anything …and as I wrapped our first conversation, the fire had spread and the winds in my neighborhood were increasing. 

I remember recording an Instagram about how elated I was about this talk, and noticing the crazy winds off my deck, at that time 40 mph. History was made that day, with the start of one of the worst California fires ever, and they were spreading…

A month later, on MLK Day, we recorded this conversation. Significant in so many ways.

Highlights:

1. The Concept of 'White as Neutral' in Storytelling
2. The Importance of Diverse Narratives
3. Intersectionality and Identity
4. The Misrepresentation of DEI
5. The Role of Youth in Storytelling
6. The Future of Storytelling and Inclusivity
7. Navigating Race and Identity in Conversations
8. Advice for Aspiring Creatives

Two Important humorous notes:

1. Koalas are not from Jamaica, they are from Australia, but  KAMALA is from Jamaica.
2. Also, she lived in Queens (a borough in New York ) but she is also a “QUEEN” who is from the country of Jamaica, not Jamaica, Queens.

• “But it also really jives with the way that I think about problems and think about situations…  from a very sort of 360 lens.”

• “Colorblind Ideology….what’s wrong with saying black?”

• “You know… for me, storytelling is the most effective canvas that we have for social change. That is the thing that brought me to the industry. 

• “And those of us that work in entertainment and in content have the privilege and the responsibility of shaping culture.”

• “Black is not a genre. I still don't know anything about the movie. If you tell me it's a black movie.”

Black: Represents the Resilient people whose existence as a nation is honored and affirmed by the existence of a flag. Red: Symbolizes the blood of innocent Black lives that have been shed throughout history. Yellow: Stands for optimism, justice and equality for everyone. Green: Symbolizes Africa's rich greenery and other natural resources.

• https://parade.com/living/black-history-month-colors

This year's Black History Month theme is "African Americans and Labor." According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), this theme "focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds–free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary–intersect with the collective experiences of Black people."

Use the hashtag #passiontopower

Thanks to the More Zap team-Jason Usry, final mastering sound editing; Alec Zizi Papadol, promo; Mark David, VOG

• www.passion-power.com
• www.morezap.com

@therealKAS1 Kamala's IG

@morezap1 Michelle's IG