Grant Funds Film Celebrating Black Excellence

Sherry Harris, founder of Big Afro Productions, a nonprofit that produces films celebrating African American heritage, wants to inspire and empower Black youth. Her goal is to show them the greatness they can achieve.

"They have whatever they need inside of them to be able to be great," Harris said.

Harris' first film, 'I Am She: The Matriarch of America', highlighted the contributions of Black women to American history. Her new documentary, 'Young Gifted and Black', focuses on four exceptional youth who are living in their greatness and participating in extraordinary extracurricular activities after school.

Round Room, the parent company of TCC and Wireless Zone, awarded Big Afro Productions a grant worth $4,250 to support the making of this documentary. The grant was part of Round Room's Community Grant program, which allows employees to partner with local nonprofits they're passionate about and apply for funding.

"It’s a part of our five promises. Our five promises are care, connect, inspire, be authentic and then drive results," District Manager Tyler Crouch said.

To apply for the Community Grant, organizations must be 501c3 nonprofits with employee sponsorship. Harris plans to use the grant money to pay an editor, create promotional materials, purchase new equipment, build a social media presence, and give some funds to the four children featured in the film.

Big Afro Productions hopes to release 'Young Gifted & Black' sometime this spring.