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Shaping Our State

Three stories capture what it is like to be a Black teenage girl in Alabama in our current political climate. These beautifully animated mini-documentaries aim to educate, encourage and empower young Black women in high school and college to engage in all levels of government, from voting to running for office. The all-female production team includes celebrated filmmakers and creators, including multiple Emmy-award winners and NAACP awardees, who have credits on films and shows such as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Donnie Darko, 30 Rock, Archer, and Scandal.

  • Jameelah Nuriddin
    Director
    First-time Director
  • Meredith Riley Stewart
    Producer
    American Dream, The Greatest Inheritance, Miss Underwater, See Me
  • Victoria Rose Sampson
    Sound Designer
    Donnie Darko, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Ironweed, Speed
  • Allyssa Lewis
    Head Animator
    Archer, The Ocean Duck, Your Face Global Jam
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Documentary, Educational
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 3, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Jameelah Nuriddin

Jameelah Nuriddin is a socially conscious film and new media producer and an award-winning film editor. With over 10 years in commercial production, Jameelah has had the pleasure of collaborating with top international brands like NIKE and Grande Buenos Aires. Hailing from Atlanta, GA, her connection to her southern roots and African American heritage drives her lifelong passion for social change using the immeasurable power of storytelling. Entering the entertainment industry at the age of 12, Nuriddin learned the roots of storytelling by acting alongside Black American sages, Cicely Tyson and Don Cheadle. She is an NAACP award-winning actress.

As a truth-teller, Jameelah’s work has always focused on giving voice to marginalized communities, particularly black womxn. Nuriddin recently had her directorial debut with the animated docuseries, 'Shaping Our State', which focused on the involvement of black teenage girls in Alabama local government. She is also currently producing branded content, backed by the National Institute of Health, to enhance the field of science by highlighting and encouraging diversity amongst college-aged students, called, “The Face Of Science.” In 2015, Nuriddin won the award for ‘Best Editor’ in the Women’s Independent Film Festival: Feminism in Film Category for the viral sensation and international pole dance film ‘Why I Dance,’ covered by Vanity Fair Italy. Jameelah has also entered the VR - virtual reality medium as a Producer and Editor with the womanist body-reclamation film “See Me” in 2018.

Jameelah graduated from USC with a BFA in Theatre and a Minor in Film. It is there the seed was planted to begin her non-profit work while volunteering at the Joint Educational Program (JEP). She Co-Founded ‘Imaginese Youth Workshops’ where she developed arts curriculum and guided middle school and high-school-aged children in East and South Los Angeles, and Bali, Indonesia. Her program ‘Confidence through Creativity’ provided artistic mentorships in film, theatre, dance, poetry, and design while connecting students to a social justice issue in their communities - creating multi-generational works of art exploring gang violence, human trafficking, immigration reform, food deserts, and wealth inequality.

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Director Statement

There are few projects that touch the core of why I became a filmmaker with such accuracy - this is one of those projects. Change seems real, palpable, and available by creating short films that empower the next generation of Black women. As Alabama officeholders at the state executive level, Black women remain severely under-represented, holding just 1.9% of these positions. This project is telling you to care. To notice. To pay attention and fight for what will add balance and integrity to our society. It is exposing the lie that you have to wait, that you are unimportant, that you don’t know enough … or that change is impossible. The House and Senate can change entirely every four years, we don’t have to walk around apathetically disconnected, only caring about what directly affects us. We can care about one another. We can love our town, our community, and its people. It’s okay to feel, to want change, to be angry. You don’t have to wait to take action. Change is happening right now.