On April 29, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted an important part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, with a 6-3 ruling in the case Louisiana v. Callais. The ruling rejected a Louisiana voting map that would have created a second majority-Black congressional district.
Civil rights advocates and organizers around the nation became concerned as this could lead to voter discrimination, voter suppression, and less representation for African American citizens.
Although the case originated in Louisiana, the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Voting Rights Act could influence future redistricting challenges nationwide, including in Georgia, where Black voters have long fought for equitable political representation.
In response, Black Georgians decided to create space through film to understand these ongoing political and social challenges while navigating through life.
An upcoming short documentary, “South of Safe, North of Brave,” explores the thoughts and feelings of fellows from the Georgia Youth Advocacy Fellowship at The Rustin Institute for Leadership Development about voting rights, civil rights, LGBTQIA+ issues, and more.
Executive produced by Tim’m West, co-directed by Ashley James and John Settles, and with cinematography by Max Lloyd, the film spotlights Black youth, freedom fighters, creatives, and organizers.
The Black Wall Street Times interviewed Settles about “South of Safe, North of Brave”, Atlanta’s social climate, and the team’s hopes for Black Georgia.
Settles said, “For us, we wanted to tell the stories of young LGBTQ+ activists that are trying to navigate a world that is increasingly telling them that they don’t belong, oftentimes in a violent and macabre manner. This is our opportunity to highlight them and share with the world that their stories not only matter, but they are the stories that will be passed down to future generations.”
History Repeats Itself in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia, is known as the “Black Mecca” and “Black Hollywood of America”, but fame and fortune come with a cost.
“South of Safe, North of Brave” reminds us that the most vulnerable people are outpriced, displaced, mistreated, and forgotten. According to The Bitter Southerner, during the development of the 1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta bulldozed public housing projects and implemented neighborhood redevelopment, which displaced 30,000 low-income residents.
In relation, Settles shared that Black Atlantans still deal with forced displacement: “[There are] concerns over how our population will deal with the housing crisis, especially in the wake of 140,000 Georgians filing for eviction in metro Atlanta [over the last 12 months],” he said.
On a CNN special, Atlanta natives expressed how gentrification has become visible and has a negative impact, forcing residents to move to less desirable areas in the state.
Theresa “TK” Kinard said, “Everyone talked about how much economic development [the Olympics] would bring to the city, but for working people it wasn’t so good. Tens of thousands of low-income residents were displaced in Atlanta. Many of them were Black families who were pushed to give up their generational homes to make room for the games.”
Dr. Augustus Wood, an Atlanta native and professor at the University of Illinois, also mentions how Georgia has a history of extreme police violence and police surveillance through the Red Dog Unit (Run Every Drug Dealer out of Georgia). He connects the dots to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, widely known as Cop City.
In his latest book, “Class Warfare in Black Atlanta: Grassroots Struggle, Power, and Repression Under Gentrification”, he says it is important for Black people to speak about classism amongst each other and how it affects our decision-making with politics, economics, and more.
On the contrary, Atlanta is also the birthplace of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a place where he, Bayard Rustin, and Ella Baker organized.
In January 1957, Rustin helped Dr. King draft working papers for the Southern Negro Leaders Conference on Transportation and Nonviolent Integration, which eventually established the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
According to Stanford’s Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, “Although King maintained ties to many of the activists who had assisted him during the bus protest, by 1957 Rustin had emerged as his most trusted advisor on ideological and strategic affairs.”
Today, West is the executive director of the Rustin Institute, whose mission is to “nurture dynamic, inter-generational leaders and organizations working to advance justice and equal dignity.” Through the documentary “South of Safe, North of Brave”, the film crew plans to connect historical dots while sharing the realities of young Black Georgians.
SOSNOB Archives Black LGBTQIA+ Georgians
“South of Safe, North of Brave” documents the struggle, joy, complexity, and simplicity of being Black and queer in Georgia.
Through videography and photography, the “South of Safe, North of Brave” team captures and archives the diverse perspectives and lived experiences of Black Georgians. Settles feels the current political and social climate brings concern and hope.
“On one side, officials have pointed to the lack of healthcare funding for local health organizations that serve our Black gay and queer communities, as well as those living with HIV. We can also look at the relentless political attacks on Black queer and trans people.” He said, “But on the other side, you have some that will point out that there has been a greater drive to be more out and proud, as was seen by the record turnouts of Atlanta Black Pride in September and Atlanta Pride in October.”
He believes the election and re-election of queer politicians like Everton Blair, Park Cannon, Rashaun Kemp, and others instills hopefulness into Black Georgians.
Settles also understands that Black institutions like the church, HBCUs, and culturally aligned community centers serve as a line of defense against fascism and racism for Black and Brown communities.
He said, “They serve as major points of strategy, community building, and more importantly, sites where disenfranchised and disabled Black voters can go to cast their vote easily. The power and influence of these institutions cannot be overstated, as it is these same institutions that bred, and still create, the leaders, artists, organizers, and activists that lead the way to achieving our current rights we have today.”
For the team, “SOSNOB” goes beyond political parties and politics entirely. They hope people begin to care about what is happening across the country and world and do something about it. Settles understands why young adults feel apathetic towards politics and voting because of rising costs, homelessness, the loss of third spaces, and AI’s isolating nature.
But he believes people will gain interest and compassion through the art of storytelling and community engagement.
“I truly hope that the PR around voting and activism in this country changes to mean something more before it is too late, and hopefully “South of Safe, North of Brave” does something to help with that change,” Settles said.
