Crystal Chandler (L) photographs Wansley Francois (R) after reading for the Dear Little Black Boy project.

By Genevieve Bien-Aime

For the past month, inside the Somerville Media Center, Essence bestselling author, Tia Hines, and media producer, Crystal Chandler, have been steadily filming men, women, boys and girls of all ages for a project they’re collaborating on called Dear Little Black Girl & Dear Little Black Boy.

Hines was working on her sneaker restoration project under her non-profit, Black Girl Karate, and needed sound bites, images and positive affirmations for black children. An internet search led her to the poems aptly title Dear Black Boy and Dear Black Girl by Derryck Potten, a Nevada based poet. She shared the poems with Chandler, whom she had brought on board for the sneaker project, and immediately they both knew they would be embarking on a new project together.

“When Crystal and I get together, we start talking and our brains start going,” Hines commented when interviewed this past Sunday at the Somerville Media Center. “I read the poem to her and she [Chandler] was like ‘Oh, yeah! We have to do that.’”

Within a week’s time, Chandler took the lead as producer and had booked use of the main studio as the project’s home base. She also put out a call to action on her social media asking for volunteers to participate.

Creative Director, Tia Hines, (L) and Producer, Crystal Chandler (R) smile for the camera. The sneakers pictured are samples from Hines’ sneaker restoration project.

For adults, she and Hines requested that they read the poems from a teleprompter, while also asking parents for permission to take b-roll (or background footage) of their children. In addition to reading the poem, volunteers are given the opportunity to share their own specially prepared affirmations.

While interviewing Hines, a young man by the name of Wansley Francois was in the studio reading lines for the project. After his session wrapped up, I asked him about why he chose to take part, and he said, “I’ve been itching to do something and actually get involved in the community. This project takes the cake because it allowed me to say something that is going to be shown to other people. I’m grateful.”

Wansley also shared his affirmation with me out loud. He recited, “Dear Little Black Boy, You were born to rule. To conquer. To question the status quo. You were born a lion, so roar. Let it be known. You are a king.” Lastly he added, “My affirmation was something really personal to me, because I’ve been trying to say some of these things to myself quite often.”

When asked what the overall vision for the project was Chandler replied, “The goal of the project is to really flood the internet with positive affirmations, words and images for little black boys and girls because there isn’t enough of that. We have a lot of negative messages embedded into American society, especially for black children. With this project we want to combat a lot of those negative images and messages.”

Since filming began the weekend of December 30, more than one hundred people have signed up. With one final weekend left for filming before the project goes into editing mode, Hines and Chandler are still taking volunteers.

For more information or to learn how you can be a part of it, visit www.thecrystallens.com/dear-little.