Sincerely, The Black Kids is a 2018 documentary on the institutional challenges black student government leaders face in primarily white institutions nationwide.
"Across the country, universities everywhere are becoming battlegrounds for racial politics and agendas. For every loud proponent of “agreeing to disagree” that surfaces, there’s a group of black students who don’t enjoy the privilege of choosing to be moderate. Follow the stories of black student leaders from American University, Cornell University, Clemson and New College of Florida in Sincerely, the Black Kids, a documentary of triumphs and tribulations that prove sometimes it IS because you’re black."
"There were audible moans, groans and shouts put forth on behalf of the audience that were so emotionally charged that it was difficult to hold back the tears. This is one powerful piece of filmmaking." - Pam Nadon, The Observer
"We show Black kids, now tasked with protecting their own dignity, alienating white people in their schools who wanted to think they were one of the good ones. We show the reality of acceptance; it is ultimately defined by keeping white people comfortable." - INTO.com
“I wanted to give a picture of how institutional racism could play out in different geographical locations, but moving on the same ideological paradigm of Blackness just being too much.” - The Tangent
“When you meet other black presidents and vice presidents, you find out, wow, we really have such similar stories... They tried to impeach you this way, someone came at you that way.” Iton was inspired by that visit as well as the film and Netflix series “Dear White People,” a satire about black students on a predominantly white campus, with “Sincerely, the Black Kids” being a play on its name and a documentary counterpart. - Sarasota Herald Tribune
Director, Miles Iton
Miles Iton is a recent graduate of New College of Florida, Iton supplemented his studies with a term as the co-president of NCF’s student government. His work has since been focused throughout both education and creative industries; he founded the production imprint n.e.Bodied Entertainment and has performed/lectured at institutions such as the Ringling Museum, TED, and the Harvey Milk Festival. Currently a songwriting instructor with the Association of Florida Teaching Artists, Iton is a Fulbright award grantee to National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan, where he will be studying Creative Industries Design. (mw.iton@nebodiedent.org)
Eduardo Correa, Videographer & Editor
Eduardo Correa is a multidisciplinary creative in Sarasota, FL. After graduating from Ringling College of Art and Design’s celebrated Film program in 2015, he joined the Art Department of Amazon Studios’ TV series, Mozart In the Jungle, worked on various remote productions for the Home Shopping Network, and went on to freelance as part of a boutique video production collective, HuB Studios. He plans on teaching a Film course this summer at his Alma Mater’s PreCollege program. (ecorrea@c.ringling.edu)
Producer, Shakira Refos
Shakira Refos is an educator from The Netherlands currently living in Sarasota Florida. Her career has been dedicated to empowering young independent thinkers through the exploration of art history and creative expression. With a deep passion for storytelling, Shakira attributes her drive for community, social justice and common sense from the cultures of her Mother and Father who hail from Suriname and Trinidad respectively. (Shakira.refos@gmail.com)
