Submitted by Samantha ONeil
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Black Alphabet and South Florida Black Pride announced today the Shades of Black Film Showcase, featuring an unforgettable evening of films that highlight powerful stories of identity, resilience, and joy in the Black LGBTQ+ community. The event will take place on Friday, October 10, 2025, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Victory Black Box Theater at L.A. Lee YMCA/Mizell Community Center (1409 Sistrunk Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale) as part of South Florida Black Pride. A live post-screening conversation will dive deeper into themes of representation and healing.
“We are proud to join South Florida Black Pride to share powerful stories and uplift vibrant voices in film,” said Adam L. McMath, Executive Director, Black Alphabet. “The Shades of Black Film Showcase is a celebration of identity, resilience, and the creativity that drives the Black LGBTQ+ community forward.”
Shades of Black features six short films centering Black LGBTQ+ experiences. The films showcase narratives that honor lived experiences, challenge stereotypes, and uplift queer Black creativity. The event is designed to spark dialogue, inspire pride, and build deeper connections through the lens of cinema.
Films include:
Sisters by the Water, directed by Shenny de Los Angeles: A Caribbean-American coming-of-age story about two best friends afraid of water. Through sisterhood, Ambar and Larimar confront generational fears to heal.
Jamaal, directed by Taariq Muhammad & Philip Johnson: A sci-fi dramedy featuring a Black gay couple who welcome a friendly AI android into their home.
Home, directed by Donja R. Love: On a freezing NYC night, a queer homeless teen must make an unthinkable decision for survival. A tender and gritty lens on systemic failures and LGBTQ+ youth.
Eden’s Garden: The Jungle Has No Face (Ep 1), directed by Malachi King (Seven King): In this garden, snakes aren’t the only secret. Peek into the raw and intimate world of a group of trans men in NYC.
And We Rest on Giants, directed by Kevin Anderson: A poetic, powerful glimpse into the lives of aging LGBTQ+ people of color and long-term HIV survivors. Infused with spoken word and lived experience.
Breathing While Black & Trans – Stories of Survival, directed by Jasmine McKenzie: A raw, urgent portrait of Black TGNCNBI+ lives navigating homelessness, violence, and the pursuit of joy in America.
In 2013, a group of Black LGBTQ+ friends in Chicago started a small film festival to showcase stories about people like us. What began as a conversation about the lack of Black queer films blossomed into Chicago’s first Black LGBTQ+ film festival. That festival grew into Black Alphabet NFP, an international movement using arts, media, and wellness to uplift Black LGBTQ+ lives.
The event is made possible by generous donors and partner organizations, including the Center for Black Equity, Swap Pride, Capital City Pride, Evolve Tampa Bay, Unspoken Treasure Society, Divas and Dialogue, and Hypeman Antman. Event tickets can be purchased for $20 at www.ticketor.com/southfloridablackpride.
About Black Alphabet
Black Alphabet is proud to be the world’s oldest and largest Black LGBTQ+ focused arts organization. The nonprofit organization is committed to promoting equity awareness on behalf of the Black LGBTQ+ community through the arts and media by sharing stories that typically lack exposure. Since launching Chicago’s first Black LGBTQ+ film festival in 2013, the organization has worked to encourage storytelling, cultivate new dialogues, and educate communities about the cultural and social contributions of the Black LGBTQ+ community. www.blackalphabet.org/
