LAFF 2013: THE NEW BLACK

A scene from The New Black.

Churches, choices and civil rights

By John Esther

For director Yoruba Richen, the 2008 presidential election was a bittersweet pill to swallow. As a member of the African-American community the election of Barack Obama was historical, somewhat unbelievable. A moment to cherish for a lifetime, especially for an African American. On the other hand, the California resident and lesbian was deeply saddened to see a majority of California voters strip the rights of her LGBT brothers and sisters vis-à-vis Prop 8.

As African Americans around the country celebrated that November 4th night, GLBT citizens took to California's streets to protest the great injustice. Immediately the powers-that-be-telling-lies started to pit African Americans and LGBT citizens by erroneously claiming 70 percent of African Americans voted for Prop 8. According to a study by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, black support was in the mid-high 50 percent.

As a result, Richen, the director of Promised Land, decided to examine the sometimes compatible, sometimes contentious, sometimes cantankerous, church and secular relationships and attitudes between the African-American community at large and the African-American-LGBT.

The result is The New Black, an entertaining documentary focusing on why the African-American community, a historically oppressed group, would not be overwhelmingly in support of the LGBT community. As any reasonable viewer would expect, and the documentary soon confirms, the emotionally-based reason is not really much different than the non-African-American community. It is the role of the religious right in African-American churches. Like their non-black counterparts, too many African-American preachers are using the same old anachronistic arguments against the LGBT marriage equality.

Using the 2012 election in Maryland regarding Measure 6, which allows same-sex marriage in the state, Richen interviews people from different sides of the issue. We see activists working hard professionally and personally (coming out to loved ones) in order to make sure the legislative measure is supported by a majority of Maryland voters. Richen also gives plenty of space for opponents of marriage equality to shoot off their mouths.

Of course, we know a majority of Maryland voters made history last November, but how and why it was done is what makes The New Black another important text used toward equal civil rights in this country.

The New Black screens at LAFF 2013 June 14, 7:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas; June 16, 6:50 p.m., Regal Cinemas. For more information: www.lafilmfest.com