Writing
The American Mulatto Tragedies: from Slavery to the Harlem Renaissance
An analysis of mixed-raced archetypes in American media from slavery to the Harlem Renaissance.
Seeing/Writing about Films (Fall 2022)
Write a poem about death
Quick poem written in August of 2022, now contextualized with imagery and anthropological artifacts
Stuart Hall’s Diaspora and the Binary Structures of Cultural Identity
A look into cultural theorist Stuart Hall’s views on the Caribbean diaspora and The Black Triangle.
The Tourist, Local, and Diasporic Gaze in Jamaican Cinema
Comparing Jamaica’s cinematic history to Khalik Allah’s Black Mother reveals film techniques that convey the local, tourist, and diasporic perspectives.
Black Images in a White World
In this project, I compare images of slaves and examples of scientific racism, like the story of the Hottentot Venus, to contemporary images by photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.
Passing and The Tragic Mulatto Stereotype in “Imitation of Life”
An analysis of the 1959 film Imitation of Life and themes of race and class, passing, social mobility, and escapism.
Racial Exploitation in The Help
A mind map analysis of themes in The Help: The White Savior Complex, privilege, the Magical Negro, poverty porn, and more.
The Sounds of “Skate Kitchen”
An analysis of sound design in Skate Kitchen (2018). A coming-of-age film about a group of women skaters in NYC.
About Barry Jenkins
A Ways of Seeing Cinema presentation on filmmaker Barry Jenkins. Based on Morgan Jerkins 2018 Believer article.
Language in “Tongues Untied”
A film response to Marlon Riggs' Tongues Untied (1989)
Representation of Women in Weimar Films
A feminist analysis of popular Weimar films like Pandora's Box, The Blue Angel, Metropolis, and Dr. Mabuse. Themes include the femme fatale, the new woman, the male gaze, and sex as currency.
Fritz Lang's “Dr. Mabuse”
An analysis of Fritz Lang's evolution as an auteur. His Dr. Mabuse films include themes of authoritarianism, disguises, hypnosis, and crime.
Expressionism & Politics in “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”
An analysis of the 1920 film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and its expressionist style.