“A lot of people don’t know how to tell their stories, they don’t know what to ask for," says filmmaker Shiraz Ahmed of the current Detroit health care system. "I want to show people that it can be broken down, in a way that relates to your actual life.”
After watching his family members battle to get consistent care for mental health illnesses, Prostell Thomas became an advocate for better systems, and less stigma, in Detroit. He organized a mental health fair this year, featuring onsite therapists, grief counselors, a men’s healing circle, mental illness discussion panels, and take-home guides.
“We didn’t just make our seat at the table, we created our own table,” says Detroit filmmaker Randy Holloway. Here's how the city is carving out a reputation in the industry, and what it means to filmmakers and actors here.
Detroit-born Khalid el-Hakim’s mobile museum has evolved into one of the biggest collections of African American history and artifacts in the country. Now the pioneer in Black Museum Studies is touring Michigan, from Bloomfield Hills to Beaver Island.
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