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Filmmaker Tahir Jetter talks about how Black Twitter and music artists like Drake, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar inspired him to examine the psyche of the vulnerable Black Millennial man in his debut feature film, How To Tell If You’re A Douchebag. Jetter also talks about the legacy Spike Lee created for emerging Black filmmakers at his alma mater New York University (NYU), and shares his experience securing distribution for Douchebag, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016.
Comedian Dave Helem shares his insight on comedy as a Chicagoan, a Black man, and a disciples of both Kanye West and Gucci Mane. Behind the jokes is a real dialogue about not letting the machine chew you up and spit you out. We also talked about whether there is a brotherhood among Black comedians, and the difference between a comedian and someone who is just funny on the internet.
A funny conversation with comedian Felonious Munk evolved into an important dialogue about love, being woke, staying in your lane, and why it is okay for some artists to keep quiet if they don't know how to articulate their politics.
Chakka talks about how to connect to others with your art with special guest Felonious Munk.
In this episode Chakka talks with artist and clinical counselor Alice Berry about how artists can take an active role in their mental wellness.
Chakka tells the story of an therapy intake meeting gone bad. Part of Highwater's commitment to Minority Mental Health Month
Poet and Mental Health Advocate Bassey Ikpi started #NoShameDay in 2012 to encourage a day of dialogue and transparency about mental health issues. In this episode Bassey share her own story about how she found help and meaning in her own mental health challenges
Dr. Yaba Blay is a professor, author, ethnographer and producer who is committed to making scholarship about global Black identities and the politics of hair and skin accessible outside of the Ivory Tower.
Chakka explains why creatives should be mindful of their "inputs." Social media, traditional media, news and even how-to books can hamper the creative process.
Creative Cypher is a non-profit media and creative incubator dedicated to giving Chicago-based creatives opportunities that go way beyond your average networking event.
Chakka talks about asking for mentorship the right way, calling on support from the ancestors and picking avatars to guide your career and creative process.
Janice Bond is a widely sought-after curator, artist, arts advocate and cultural ambassador. If you want to make art and money, this episode is for you, as she breaks down art funding, art entrepreneurship, building sustainable business models, and the politics of art and identity.
This short episode is dedicated to Ms. Hill. Chakka explains "Perfection Paralysis" in more detail, and offers tips on how to treat it at the source.
New Media Artist and Educator Nick Briz has a perspective on copying, stealing and sharing on the web that all artists and creatives need to hear. Some of the topics we discussed in this episode include: Why copying is our first tool as creators, how to be okay with the possibility of your work being copied, how to avoid appropriating cultures when copying and more.
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For the season finale of The Highwater Podcast, we went to the BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia PA