By: Kevin Maxwell
Changing Our Narrative
I walked into the celebration of life memorial for John Singleton only knowing about his films. However, after a couple of hours seated in the balcony of Bovard Auditorium with other admirers of his life work and cultural contribution, I felt privileged.
The insight into Singletons his craft, perseverance, and determination to stay true to his roots, was mentioned by speaker after speaker. Other celebrants remined the capacity crowd, how hard Singleton fought to provide opportunities to African American artists and other minorities in Hollywood, which speaks to the indelible imprint he leaves not only in cinema but the global art community as well.
Finally, I left the life celebration proud to be someone currently attending Mr. Singletons alma mater, the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Listening to Mr. Singletons journey described by loving family, friends and colleagues reminded me that being a black filmmaker is possible. I left tremendously impacted and completely shaken to the core in an inspirational way.
