Filmmakers Challenge RNC on Lack of Outreach Efforts to Urban & Minority Voters

SHAMROCK STINE PRODUCTIONS LLC

FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN

NEWS

 

January 4, 2013 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
                                                                                       

                            

filmmakers challenge republican national committee
on its lack of outreach efforts to recruit minorities

Diversity Issues in GOP & Two-Party Political System Not Being Addressed

Trenton, NJ - Director Kevin J. Williams and Producer Tamara E. Williams are challenging the current Republican National Committee leadership to announce its plans for Party outreach in Urban and Minority communities before its Winter Meeting in Charlotte, NC later this month. The FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN filmmakers are also challenging the Republican National Committee to require all of its candidates for Chairman or Co-Chairman to publicly present their plans with stated goals for Party outreach to Minorities and Urban voters during their term if elected. The Republican National Committee's members from around the country will be voting to select a new Chairman and Co-Chairman during its annual Winter Meeting from January 23-26.

The FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN filmmakers stated, "So far, there has been little to no action from the Republican National Committee showing us that it has learned from its poor results in 2012. It is incredulous that after nearly two months, no answers have been provided to Republicans and Conservative activists around the country. What is particularly disturbing is that the message being sent to the public is that "all is okay here and nothing needs to change." The Election results say otherwise and anyone leading our Party into the future must acknowledge this and have solid ideas on how to win while gaining more Urban and Minority votes. Writing off these voters is not working."

 

Director Kevin J. Williams continued, "Our experiences as Republicans in an Urban area inspired us to make our film and try to help make the GOP a better Party. While we captured the life experiences of Black Republicans, Urban Republicans and others struggling within our political system... we found that many people of all political stripes and demographics are being ignored by both political Parties. This situation must change and change now. The Republican Party at the national, state and local levels must stop being afraid and start working now to improve its standing with Urban voters and Minority voters. Our Party cannot lose in 2014 and 2016. If it does, then it will just be a matter of time until it goes out of existence and joins the Whig Party on the ash heap of history."

 

To learn more about the filmmakers or view the film's trailers, please go to www.fearofablackrepublican.com.  For interviews or stories, please contact the film's Producer via e-mail at producer@fearofablackrepublican.com.
The filmmakers are also on Twitter (#FearOfABlackRep) and Facebook (Fear Of A Black Republican).

Film Distribution Information & Synopsis:

FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN has been seen by thousands of Americans and has screened before diverse audiences in Atlanta, GA; Charlotte & Greensboro, NC; Wilmington, DE; Kansas City, MO; Buffalo & Rochester, NY; Trenton, NJ; Portland, OR; Washington, DC; Philadelphia, PA; Montgomery, AL; Jackson, MS; Dallas & Waco, TX; Tucson, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Salina KS and Chicago, IL. Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele attended both the New Jersey and Washington, DC Premieres and participated in Q&A sessions with audiences lasting over ninety minutes each. More screenings of the controversial documentary feature film are expected nationwide in 2013. The trailers for FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN can be viewed on the film's own website www.fearofablackrepublican.com, as well as the YouTube, Apple iTunes and Vimeo websites.


Synopsis: Filmed and edited over a six year period, FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN examines why there are so few Black Republicans (and by extension, other Minorities) and how this affects the U.S. political system. The film begins with a simple question... Does the Republican Party really want more African Americans? To get an answer, independent filmmaker Kevin J. Williams takes a non-partisan journey over two Presidential Elections to find out why there are so few Black Republicans and what that means for the future of the Two-Party Political System in America.

From the Civil War to the Great Depression, the GOP was the Party for many African-Americans, but today, barely 10% of African Americans consider themselves to be Republican and Urban areas are no longer considered competitive parts of America's Election map. Beginning in his hometown, Williams speaks with BOTH Democrats and Republicans as he takes a personal and humorous look at his own Republican Party's efforts in urban areas versus the suburbs, the Democratic Party's success in retaining the African American vote, the seeming phenomenon of Black Republicans and what this all means for America. FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN gives audiences of all Demographics and Political Persuasions a ground-breaking and moving view of current American Politics.

During the film's journey, Williams speaks with scholars such as Professors Cornel West and Howard Taylor; and newsmakers such as Michael Steele, former Chairman of the Republican National Committee; Presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and John McCain; former Governor Christine Todd Whitman; Commentators Tavis Smiley and Michelle Malkin; political leaders, including past RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, Congressman Peter King and Governors Jim Gilmore and Sonny Perdue; Conservative thinkers such as Newt Gingrich, Grover Norquist and Ann Coulter; and the first and last Black Republican Senator popularly elected since Reconstruction, former Senator Edward Brooke of Massachusetts, amongst others. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Senator and President-Elect Barack Obama, President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney also appear in the film, along with very rarely seen archival footage of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., Vice-President Richard M. Nixon and the great baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson. The film also examines the History of the Republican Party since its founding.

FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN is available on DVD at its own website and Amazon.com and also on VOD streaming via its own website and Apple iTunes. It is also available for Education use and has screened or is currently being used on college campuses such as Northwestern University, Portland State University, Tuskegee University, Loyola Marymount University, Jackson State University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

The film has received Print, TV and Radio coverage from the Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Current TV's THE WAR ROOM WITH JENNIFER GRANHOLM, HUFFINGTON POST LIVE, Christian Broadcasting Network's The Brody Files, Al Jazeera's INSIDE STORY, the Mark Davis Radio Show, Steve Deace Show, Michael Eric Dyson Show, Chris Stigall Show, Victoria Taft Show, The Voice of Russia and many others.

APPROX. 111 MINS   Printed in U.S.A. 4:3 aspect ratio

THIS FILM HAS NOT BEEN RATED

 

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Goin' South, Heading West & Empire State of Mind

It’s been a long, strange trip but we are reaching the “end of the beginning” as Sir Winston Churchill once said. Tonight is our last screening in our South and West Tour. We will be at the Salina Arts Center in Salina Kansas. As we wrap up this Tour, we are gratified that people are “getting” our film in screenings across America.

During the past year, FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN has screened across America in places such as: Atlanta GA, Charlotte NC, Greensboro NC, Wilmington DE, Kansas City MO, Buffalo NY, Rochester NY, Trenton NJ, Portland OR, Washington DC, Liberty MO, Philadelphia PA, Montgomery AL, Jackson MS, Dallas TX, Waco TX, Tucson AZ, Albuquerque NM and Salina KS. Our film has also been profiled in the Washington Post, and the Philadelphia Inquirer, amongst other newspapers; on Al Jazeera, Current TV, Christian Broadcasting Network News and local TV news shows; and on a good number of radio programs like the Mark Davis Show, the Michael Eric Dyson Show, the Bob Grant Show and other great radio programs.

Given the odds against a small, independent film like ours (without an advertising budget) that deals with both Politics and Race at the same time, we are very happy with the Audience response to our film and the discussions it has generated. We’ll let you know soon about our most recent “Partridge-Family”-style Tour of the South & West for FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN. This “little film that could” has screened and engaged Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Liberals, Conservatives, OWS/99 Percenters, Liberty Caucus and Tea Party supporters and even a few Anarchists along the way. Additionally, we have been fortunate enough to draw many folks from across the economic and demographic spectrums to see our film in movie theaters, college campuses, art spaces and community centers. In a few cases, we didn’t even have to be there for a Q&A – folks just wanted to screen the film and have their own discussions. Pretty cool and moving stuff for some first-time filmmakers.

But… we need to do more and this is where we tell you about our “Big Idea” and humbly ask for your help: Our next step to get our film out into the World and before audiences in this Election Year is to screen in New York City. Yes, the Big Apple. To accomplish this, we have started a Kickstarter Campaign to raise the $19,000 necessary for FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN to get a One-Week Theatrical Run in Manhattan and the New York Times and other Media coverage that would come with it. This may seem like a large number, but it’s the number required to do it and do right.

We have gotten farther than many artists, but it’s time for us to ask for and accept monetary help. We have been blessed to have had many people along our screening journey help promote us via word-of-mouth and social media, suggest venues, contact media on our behalf, give us media contacts, and purchase our pre-release DVDs. However, as a self-produced independent film… we have pretty much hit our financial wall. As artistic entrepreneurs, we are hoping that there are enough folks who will appreciate the value of our film and its impact on starting conversations within communities about our current Two-Party System.  

Kickstarter is a Crowd-funding/Fund-raising site that allows the average person to support the arts personally and effectively. The projects on Kickstarter must meet or exceed their funding goal in order to accept any money. If we do not meet our goal, your funds will be returned to you. This guarantees that we will have the funds necessary to complete our Big Idea project and fulfill our rewards obligations - and you know your donation will be part of something specific - a One-Week Theatrical Run in New York City. Quite honestly, we and our little film cannot do this without your help and in these tough economic times - what better way would there be to create some Election Year discussion of Urban Two-Party Politics – than for FEAR OF A BLACK REPUBLICAN to screen in New York City this Fall?

We have until Aug 4th to raise $19,000 so, please consider giving soon. Donations as small as one dollar will help. If you feel comfortable, please consider forwarding our Kickstarter link (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/970394007/fear-of-a-black-republican?ref=live) or this information to anyone you know who may be interested in supporting us.

Thank you for following our cinematic adventures and your support of our endeavors.

Best Regards & Good Luck,

Tamara & Kevin

What Are The Chances? (Or “My Hometown”) – Part 2 of 3

November 12^th 2011 will be a day that we’ll never ever forget.  For the best of reasons.  Our New Jersey and Hometown Premiere in Trenton NJ with Michael Steele was everything we hoped for and 10X better.But, before I get to the “Day-of,” I’d like to briefly touch on the wonderful week we had BEFORE the screening.  We were very blessed to have some great coverage in our city’s two daily newspapers, the Trentonian and The Times, and the Princeton Packet and in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County Courier Times.  Given the state of newspapers in the U.S. and their lack of staffing, getting such coverage for a “hometown” story isn’t easy or likely.  We will always hold these publications in high esteem for helping us get the word out locally.  Especially for an event in Trenton, when crime is on the rise and it gets tougher and tougher to draw people from the suburbs.

Finally, the Day of Judgment arrived and we had a lot of running around to do to get ready.  This special night would include a Kick-Off Reception at the New Jersey State Museum itself.  We’d never done something like this before.  When we helped found and run the Trenton Film Festival, we had a great Events Producer and she ran the Show. 

Well this time, we were very fortunate to have our good friend Murph manage this for us.  We had to make some runs to Party City, Sam’s Club and a few other places to get all the party wares.  Also, we had a number of good friends, neighbors, family and crew members give us a hand with the Reception and the Screening.  One of our Aunts even made over 150 cookies for us and “Aunt Fern” made a good bunch as well.  Our focus was on the setting up the Museum reception first as the Screening Auditorium still had a Native American Indians performance going on when we arrived.  (In case you are near Trenton, there is a very moving 9/11 exhibit there).  Our Producer, Tammy, Murph and Company got to work decorating and setting-up.  Balloons, bunting, table favors, Martinelli’s and food.  They also set up all the cool political campaign signs we collected over the years at the Museum Walkway.

The Reception was a great sight to see.  The space was decorated in Red, White and Blue and the place was packed.  We had some of our local politicians there, some of the Filipina Sisters from Villa Victoria Academy were there (and they got to meet Michael Steele) and there was a nice turnout by our fellow Trentonians, some Black Republicans from around the state and many people we had never met before. 

Just walking around the room, it felt like that Wedding Scene in GOOD FELLAS.  It was dizzyingly wonderful and at the speed of light.  We tried to say “hello” to as many people as possible.  Fortunately, two good friends made their way around the room and took a lot of pictures to capture the night.

Well, I now know what it is like at a “Movie Premiere” with a Star.  When Michael Steele entered the room, it was as if George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington and Frank Sinatra showed up at the same time.  All eyes turned his way.  It was gratifying to see so many people wanting to meet him.  (Especially the folks we knew from the “other side of the aisle.”)  Michael was gracious and warm with everyone, taking pictures and chatting with as many people as possible.  I wish we could have taken pictures of all the people taking pictures with Michael Steele.  Plenty of smiles all around.

Finally, it was time to walk the hundred feet or so to the Auditorium and finally screening our film.

Entering the “Big Room” even after Jamaal and I had set it up hours earlier, felt a lot different ten minutes before the PLAY button would be hit on the DVD player.  As nervous as I was up until this point, I was even more nervous now.  Fortunately, Michael pleasantly rejected my several offers to let him speak before the film.  We were better off just getting the movie started.   After Tammy’s Welcome and Introduction, I was happy to welcome and pay tribute to John Harmon (our Moderator for the Q&A) who is President & CEO of the New Jersey African American Chamber of Commerce and Zachary Chester (now Councilman for Trenton’s West Ward).  Both of these gentlemen were key in helping us get our film off the ground in ways they did not know until they saw the film this night.  BTW, both men are Democrats whom we have known for years.  Yes, we can all get along and help each other to succeed.

I finally got to also thank before our “hometown” crowd, our three integral Crew Members:  Jeff Metzner, Cinematographer; Jamaal Green, Camera and Assistant Editor; and Rob Fowler, Final Cut Pro Consultant and Assistant Editor.  Without all three of them and their contributions, our film would not be as it is today.   I still feel bad about dragging Jeff and Jamaal to New Orleans in August, but I know they had a good time.

As the Credits came up and Michael Steele’s RNC Chairman Election Speech played, I had a moment behind the stage to think about this entire journey and what would happen during the Q&A.  It has been special and thankfully, the rest of the night would be too.  After we pulled the table and chairs out for the Q&A, Tammy, Michael Steele and I spent at least an hour answering questions and hearing reactions to our film.  I’ll just say that we are very happy with how the audience took to the film and that Michael Steele rocked the house.  About halfway through, he took over the Q&A as some many of the questions were directed towards him (we were VERY happy about this).  The questions were thorough, challenging and well thought-out.  I learned a lot from the Q&A myself.  It was a great give-and-take with the audience and he had so much fun that he stayed well past his departure time.  Well past.  Michael is, as one Facebook friend (and hard-core Dem) said… “a Class Act.”

Eventually, the final end of the night would come and all would safely get home.  We wouldn’t be able to celebrate for too long as I had to leave for Portland, Oregon in a few days, but we did make sure to enjoy ourselves.  A night like this doesn’t come for every Filmmaker and this one is very happy it did in a little City by the Delaware River called Trenton.

Oh and the Trentonian had one last write-up on our night with Michael Steele.

Next up:  What Are The Chances (Part 3 of 3) or Apocalypse... Now?