News Publications
Topic: RSS FeedTerrific teens: young achievers showcase exceptional talent
Ebony, Oct, 2006 by Tracey Robinson-English
Keri Davis
Move over Spike Lee. Keri Davis, 17, of New York, recently directed A Girl Like Me, a short documentary exploring the standards of beauty imposed on today's Black girls. "Ever since I was little, I planned out what I wanted to do," she says. "Through a number of frank interviews with girls from my high school, I wanted to give a voice to how these standards of beauty affect our self-image and self-esteem. I wanted to see how we have progressed." In the film, for instance, Keri conducted the famous "doll test" with several 4-and 5-year-old boys and girls. They preferred a White doll over a Black doll, similar to the outcome of a 1950s experiment conducted by psychologist Dr. Kenneth Clark. The experiment was used in the historic desegregation case, Brown vs. Board of Education. A Girl Like Me, which Keri completed in 2005 as part of Reel Works, a teen filmmaking program sponsored by HBO and the YMCA of Prospect Park, N.Y., has received critical acclaim. Shown at film festivals as far away as Spain and the Netherlands, the film has earned several awards, including honors at the San Francisco Black Film Festival and the Media That Matters Diversity Award.
Farre Nixon
The movie, Lorenzo's Oil, touched Farre Nixon's heart and sparked a creative surge. The movie tells a true story about the life struggles of a young boy who has adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare illness that affects the nervous system. The story chronicles the frustrations and successes of the boy and his parents as they research treatments. To help parents like those portrayed in the movie, Texarkana, Ark., native Farre, now 18, created the first comprehensive database to track information specifically to study leukodystrophy, the umbrella term for seven rare diseases affecting the nervous system. Farre's achievement with specialized technology--she used Apple's FileMaker Pro 8 software management system--is earning her national recognition and thanks from many patients. "The best part about it is that I got a call from a lady who actually had the disease that my database features," says the teen. "She was very happy that someone knew about the disease and was able to share information." Farre recently began her freshman year at Massachusetts Institute of Technology with $187,000 in scholarships.
Most Recent News Articles
- EGYPT - Dec 29 - Opposition Says Mubarak Blessed Israeli Attacks
- ISRAEL - Dec 26 - Palestinian MP Gets 30 Years Jail
- LEBANON - Dec 26 - Lebanese Army Dismantles Eight Rockets Aimed At Israel
- AFGHANISTAN - Dec 24 - Afghans And US Plan To Recruit Local Militias
- IRAN - Dec 21 - Tehran Says It's Getting Missiles
Most Recent News Publications
Most Popular News Articles
- How Florida ended up landing Urban Meyer
- Michael Jackson: crowned in Africa, pop music king tells real story of controversial trip - includes related interview - Cover Story
- Jordie's shocking secret diary of sex abuse by Michael Jackson
- Why it took MTV so long to play black music videos
- 9 questions to ask your new lover: what you were afraid to ask, but always wanted to know
Most Popular News Publications
Content provided in partnership with http://findarticles.com/source//

