At the intersection of education, criminal justice and sports, BLACK BOYS reveals the emotional landscape of racism—of how it feels to walk through the world seen as something to be feared. Filmmaker Sonia Lowman (Teach Us All) follows Greg Scruggs, a two-time Super Bowl champion and young father who recently returned to his hometown of Cincinnati to impress upon young Black athletes the importance of education first, as well as Sharif El Mekki, a principal at a nearly all Black charter school in West Philadelphia, and a group of young activists fighting for criminal justice reform in Chicago.
Also lending their stories and insights are important activists in their respective fields: Super Bowl Champion Malcolm Jenkins, who also serves as executive producer on the project; rapper Vic Mensa, NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony, NFL Hall of Fame inductee Cris Carter, Super Bowl champion Chris Long, award-winning sports journalist Jemele Hill Key, acclaimed activist and academic Dr. Harry Edwards, and former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. John King.
Deeply moving and profoundly beautiful, BLACK BOYS serves as a rare glimpse into the emotional landscape of Black men and boys, illuminating their full humanity, vulnerability and resilience.
A Film By
Sonia Lowman
Produced By
Elliot Kotek, Jon-Thomas Royston and Chad Williamson
Featuring interviews with
Greg Scruggs, Sharif El-Mekki, Howard Bryant, Vic Mensa, John B. King Jr.,
Dr. Harry Edwards, Malcolm Jenkins and many more!