Film Screening of “Remixing Colorblind” and Q&A with Director Dr. Sheena Howard : Special Events

Film Screening of “Remixing Colorblind” and Q&A with Director Dr. Sheena Howard

As part of the University of Delaware’s diversity initiative, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Center for Political Communication, the Center for Black Culture, and the Office of the Provost collaborated to present a screening of Remixing Colorblind on September 28, 2016. The documentary examined how the educational system has shaped the public’s understanding of race. CPC Associate Director Lindsay Hoffman talked with the film’s director, Sheena Howard, after the 30-minute screening, then moderated a Q&A session with the audience.

Remixing Colorblind encouraged the audience to critique how the educational system has shaped notions of race and influenced their relationships. It explored the nuances of race relations, including notions of implicit bias, individual racism, institutional racism and reverse racism. The documentary featured interviews with prominent thought leaders such as Dr. James Peterson (MSNBC Contributor), and Dr. Yaba Blay (2012 Consulting Producer for CNN Black in America).

Howard, an assistant professor with Rider University, wrote, produced, and directed the documentary. She asserted that to effectively address the racial climate on college campuses, people need to move outside their comfort zones. She said, “I think you really have to think outside of yourself and talk to people who are not like you and are not in your groups to be able to understand that they are having a different set of experiences on the college campus than you are.”

Howard is an award-winning author, including a 2014 Eisner Award winner for her first book, Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation (2013). Howard is also the author of Black Queer Identity Matrix (2014) and Critical Articulations of Race, Gender and Sexual Orientation (2014). Howard has appeared on NPR (National Public Radio), The Washington Post, ABC network, as well as other networks and documentaries as an expert on popular culture, race, politics and sexual identity negotiation. She also writes for The Huffington Post.