March 10, 2003

Greetings Everyone!

The March 7, 2003 screening and public discussion around the film NO!, which was co-sponsored by Hiphop Speaks and Black Men in Support of the Film "NO!" in conjunction with the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, was a phenomenal success. 

For those of you who traveled to the Schomburg (from the five Boroughs, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Connecticut, Chicago, and other cities/states) and weren't able to get inside to see the screening and/or participate in the public discussion, we deeply apologize. When Kevin Powell and I started the initial conversations envisioning the event, I never in my wildest imagination thought that we would receive the responses that we received from women AND men.  I never thought that we would have to turn away 200 plus people who waited in line, on that cold Friday evening, for 30-40 minutes only to be told that the Schomburg auditorium was filled to capacity.  I never thought that even after being told that the auditorium was filled to capacity that women AND men would still hang around in the lobby to see if they could get in for part of the screening and all of the public discussion that followed the screening. 

Much of my pleasant surprise is based on the fact that I can remember "NO!" screenings when there would only be a handful of people in the audience.  I've received numerous rejection letters from mainstream foundations and funds that have basically told me that that there isn't a need for a documentary like "NO!" because I was 'limiting' my audience by only focusing on the rape and sexual assault of Black women and girls.  I've also received rejection letters from Black foundations and funds that expressed "concern" about my airing dirty laundry; and even worse one wrote  "...the moral point of view (in the Black community) is that one does not go to a man's room in the early morning."  Several years ago, I had a "pitch" with a programmer with a MAJOR cable TV network who told me "Let's face it, very unfortunately, most people don't care about the rape of Black women and girls." 

In spite of the economc censorship, NO! is getting made.

There are many justifiable critiques of the Hiphop generation. However, as a Black feminist lesbian member of the Hiphop generation, I need to say that with the support of some members from the Civil Rights generation, it was the Hiphop generation that brought NO! (The Documentary Rough Cut) to Harlem in the 21st century. Hands down, it was the Hiphop generation who promoted the event through emails, listserves, print and audio media.  The majority of the Black Men In Support of the Film "NO!" are from the Hiphop generation.  It was the Hiphop generation that created the space for an intergenerational (from as young as 7 years old to over 65 years old) male/female dialogue on exposing and addressing heterosexual intra-racial rape and sexual assault in the non-monolithic Black community in the United States. 

I've received and continue to receive countless emails asking me how one can see NO!...how one can own a copy of NO!. As many of you know, NO! is not finished.  After almost 8   years of working on this documentary, with a cadre of women filmmakers, most of who are from the Hiphop generation, I still need $100,000 (to cover post production costs) to get NO! across the finish line. The goal is to raise the completion funding and complete NO! in 2003. 

Here is information on how one can make a donation towards the completion of NO!
All donations:
$50 and under should be made out to AfroLez® Productions
$51 and up should be made out to Women Make Movies
All donations $51 and above are tax -deductible
(Women Make Movies is the 501 [c][3] non-profit fiscal sponsor of NO!)

On ALL checks and/or money orders write "Donation for 'NO!'" on the memo line.
All donations and/or correspondences should be mailed to:
Aishah Shahidah Simmons
c/o AfroLez® Productions
PO Box 58085
Philadelphia, PA 19102-8085
Phone: (215) 557-8154
Fax:: (215) 972-8109
Email: AfroLez@aol.com 

relatively speaking, timely response)

There are many people who have organized and are organizing screenings which raise awareness about the rape and sexual assault of Black women and girls while raising funds for the completion of NO!  For more information on upcoming NO! (Documentary Rough Cut) screenings/discussions, please check out: www.echosoul.com/aishah.htm and www.funkylb.com/aishah.htm

Peace,
Aishah Shahidah Simmons
Producer, Writer, Director "NO!"

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