2016-2017 marked a pivotal transition in my life. In 2017, I graduated with a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, my dissertation exploring modern representations of Black masculinity among Cowboys in Texas. I knew the academic expectation all too well - publish research articles and books. But I realized something important: I didn't necessarily want to be in conversation with other academics about theory. What captivated me was understanding how Black men made sense of their intersectional identity in the 21st century. What did they have to say about themselves? How were they communicating and representing these ideas to each other and the next generation?
After graduation, the pressure mounted to write a book or convert my dissertation into one - that familiar expectation drilled into students nearing the end of their grad school journey. During my final year in 2017, I was living in LA, having moved there in January 2016. Being a creature of habit, my first order of business was finding comedy shows. I discovered Mo' Betta Monday's, Chocolate Sundae's at The Comedy Union, and The J Spot, and started going regularly. These comedy clubs became my version of Cheers, "where everybody knows my name." Looking at the industry demographics, I found myself surrounded by Black men who had all types of stories to tell from their perspectives. A good storyteller would keep my attention regardless of what was happening in the "real" world. I hadn't quite been able to articulate the source of my anxiety back then. I didn't want to call how I was spending my time procrastination - even though it was - because it felt productive. I knew what I needed to do, but the expectation of how that thing should be presented created this internal conflict that left me frozen, unable to make progress. So I started writing a movie based on my research, telling myself I was still being productive even though I was "supposed" to be writing a book. Eventually, I saw the connection to my research interests. I couldn't articulate it at first because after the intentional use of comedy clubs as an escape from academic thinking and processing, it started to feel like procrastination. I had finished my coursework and defense, so the pressure was no longer there. It felt like procrastination because the original reason for going no longer existed. Then I told myself it was work because it felt productive, but I couldn't fully articulate why. Finally, I realized the why: storytelling, demographics, and my research were all interconnected. I taught myself screenwriting and began playing with stories from my fieldwork that hadn't made it into journal publications. I started writing a script based on these people, now composite characters, and experiences that I didn't analyze in the way a social scientist would. Going to comedy clubs in Houston had initially been my escape from grad school work and that particular way of thinking. As time went on, as I grew, the role of comedy and that entertainment space evolved for me. What started as a separate space revealed itself to have something deeper drawing me in, and I settled into that explanation. Here we are in 2024, and I have my first finished screenplay. I've written a short film based on my personal experiences in higher education that's already a finalist in a film festival screenplay competition. And I have a clear vision for my first book. My mentor - a man who I consider one of the giants whose shoulders my work stands on - says I have a book, and now I'm on the second draft of my book proposal to prepare for submission to a publisher for a contract. I'm not sure what the lesson is, but that's why I'm writing this - to share this journey of finding my own way to tell these important stories.
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AuthorDr. Myeshia C. Babers is a cultural anthropologist, educator, and heritage preservation advocate. As an Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies, she specializes in Africana Studies, focusing on the intersections of race, education, and cultural memory. Dr. Babers brings a unique perspective to her work, combining academic rigor with community engagement and creative storytelling. Her efforts in preserving African American educational heritage, particularly the Calvert Colored High School in Texas, showcase her commitment to connecting past struggles with present-day challenges in diversity and inclusion. Through her writing, teaching, and public scholarship, Dr. Babers continues to bridge worlds - academia and industry, corporations and communities, history and the present - always striving to create transformative experiences that increase social impact while honoring the vulnerability and resilience of all involved. Archives
December 2024
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