History Isn’t Just About the Past—It’s About the Future

Some stories feel too big to tell. School integration in Calvert, Texas, is one of them.

This isn’t just a historical event—it’s a living legacy. It exists in the memories of those who lived it, in the communities shaped by it, and in the conversations we still need to have about education, race, and systemic change.

Recently, I had the honor of leading the effort to get Calvert Colored High School designated as a Texas historical landmark—a recognition that ensures this story won’t be forgotten.

This designation isn’t just about a building—it’s about the people who built a path forward despite the barriers placed in front of them.

Why This School Matters

Built in 1929 under the Rosenwald School Fund, Calvert Colored High School was one of nearly 5,000 schools constructed for Black students in the rural South between 1917 and 1932. This initiative—led by Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald—provided high-quality education in communities that had previously only had access to plantation schools with limited curriculums.

As I shared in an interview:
📍 “This school represented a dramatic shift—from plantation schools with limited curriculums to an education that put Black students in competition for jobs that white workers were doing in town.”
This wasn’t just a school.
It was a launchpad.


How We Made This Happen

Getting this historical designation took research, persistence, and teamwork. Over four years, I worked alongside:

• ✔ The Calvert Colored/WD Spigner Alumni Association
• ✔ Calvert Mayor Layla Wright
• ✔ The Robertson County Historical Society

What makes this designation even more special? The school is still in use today—serving as a multipurpose center where the community continues to gather.

As Charlie Babers, President of the Alumni Association, pointed out:
"This school keeps our community connected. People who have graduated come back for reunions, and they’re able to use the space for gatherings and events. It’s an important part of our history and our present."


The Power of Preserving Our Stories

This process reminded me why protecting historical sites matters—especially in small towns, where history is often overlooked.
🗣 “The reason we make pencils with erasers is so we can change what we say or what is written. But when you have an artifact, a physical structure—the only way to erase that is to knock it down.”
And we won’t let that happen. 🔥


What’s Next?

🏛 Continued Preservation & Advocacy
The historical marker was just the first step. Now, the Alumni Association is working on fundraising and applying for grants to maintain the building and ensure its long-term preservation.

📖 Oral History & Documentary Project
Beyond the physical structure, I want to document the voices and stories of those who lived through this era. Their experiences deserve to be heard beyond textbooks and plaques.

🎞 Bringing This Story to a Larger Audience
Beyond the Schoolyard is evolving into a larger storytelling initiative that will explore the long-term impact of school integration, Black educational spaces, and historical preservation.
This isn’t just about history—it’s about how we move forward with it.


Join the Journey
💡 Want to follow the making of Beyond the Schoolyard? Stay connected for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and future screening announcements.
🔗 Follow @drbabers for real-time updates on filmmaking & research.
 

2016-2017 Was a Turning Point

In 2017, I graduated with a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology 🎓, with a dissertation exploring modern representations of Black masculinity through the lives of Black cowboys in Texas. I knew the academic expectation--publish research, write books, contribute to the field.
But I had to be honest with myself: I wasn’t interested in having theoretical conversations with other academics.
What pulled me in—the thing I couldn’t shake—was how Black men understood and represented themselves in the 21st century. What did they have to say about their own lives? How were they communicating those ideas—to each other, to the next generation?
At the time, I thought the answer was a book. But something in me resisted.

Resisting the Expected Path

After graduation, the pressure to turn my dissertation into a book was immediate—an unspoken rule drilled into every Ph.D. student near the finish line. But something in me wasn't ready for that process.
In 2016, I moved to Los Angeles, and—being a creature of habit--I sought out comedy clubs.

• Mo' Betta Mondays
• Chocolate Sundaes at The Comedy Union
• The J Spot

I went regularly. These places became my version of Cheers—where everybody knows your name. And looking around, I saw the same thing: Black men telling stories.

Some crafted punchlines, some shared moments of truth wrapped in humor. No matter what was happening in the "real world," a good storyteller always held my attention.

At first, I called it procrastination. It felt easier to go to a comedy club than to sit down and wrestle with a book manuscript. But deep down, I knew this wasn’t just me avoiding work. It felt productive—even if I couldn’t explain why.

Finding the Connection: Academia & Storytelling

Eventually, I started writing a movie based on my research, convincing myself it was still in the realm of productivity—even though I was "supposed" to be writing a book.
That’s when it all clicked.

For so long, I had used comedy clubs as a mental break from academic thinking. But once I finished my coursework and dissertation defense, that original pressure disappeared. Suddenly, what felt like procrastination before now felt like purpose.

I wasn’t just escaping. I was studying storytelling in real time.
The stories. The demographics. The way Black men craft narratives in spaces outside of traditional archives—this was all part of my work. So, I taught myself screenwriting.

I played with stories from my fieldwork that never made it into academic journals. The people I met became composite characters. The conversations that stuck with me resurfaced in new ways.

Going to comedy clubs in Houston had been an escape from academic writing, but over time, it became clear that storytelling—whether on stage, in film, or in print—was the foundation of everything I wanted to do.

The Shift Into Filmmaking

• 🎬I wrote my first short film, Fowl Play, as a crash course in filmmaking.
• 🎞 I wrote Quieted, which became a festival-winning screenplay.
• 📽 I launched Beyond the Schoolyard to preserve and tell overlooked histories.

I started testing my scripts in film competitions to see if what I was writing worked. The results?

• 🏆 Winner: Best Drama Script – Hollywood Just4Shorts (Quieted)
• 🥈 Finalist: 2nd Place Script-Short Film – ​Urban Mediamakers Film Festival (Quieted)
• 🎬 Nominee: Best Script – Cannes Independent Shorts (Quieted)
• ⭐ Official Selection – ETHOS Film Awards (Quieted)

This process showed me what I had known all along—there’s more than one way to tell a story. Film and screenwriting allowed me to explore my research in ways that academic writing never could.

And Now?

Here we are in 2024, and I have my first finished screenplay. 🎬
I wrote a short film based on my personal experiences in higher education, and it’s already a finalist in multiple film festivals.🏆
​
Beyond Quieted, I’m now balancing multiple projects:

• ✔ Developing Beyond the Schoolyard into a documentary and community-centered project.
• ✔ Exploring ways to expand Quieted—whether into a feature or limited series.
• ✔ Finalizing my book proposal, after years of resisting the traditional academic route.

One of my mentors—whose shoulders my work stands on—told me,
📍 “You already have the book.”

And he’s right. I just had to find my way of telling it.
Now, I’m on the second draft of my book proposal, preparing to submit it for publication.

What’s the Lesson?

I’m still not sure.
Maybe that’s why I’m writing this.
Maybe the lesson is in the process itself.
​
🔊 There’s more than one way to tell a story. Sometimes, you just have to take the long way around to find it.

#StorytellingMatters #BlackNarratives #Screenwriting #Filmmaking #CreativeProcess #FindingTheStory #RootworkLegacy

Finalist: Top 3 🎬Talking about delayed gratification is like telling a horror story—the suspense is unreal! Except this one has a happy ending. 😆😏

Act 1: Finishing the First Draft

In Q4 2023, while reflecting on my year and setting goals for 2024, I gave myself one clear directive: finish writing a feature film script based on my doctoral dissertation and fieldwork.

The deadline? 11:59:59 PM on December 31, 2023.
Mission accomplished.
So, what does that have to do with Fowl Play, Saddle Standouts, and Quieted?

Act 2: The Rewrite Battle Begins

By January 2024, with my completed draft in hand, I faced a new challenge: rewriting.

The Problem? Two things:
1️⃣ My screenwriting education came exclusively from books, many of which contradicted each other.
2️⃣ I had no practical understanding of how a script actually translated to production.

To tackle this, I wrote two short scripts:

• 🎬 Fowl Play became my hands-on education in film production.
• 🎞 Quieted went out into the world--submitted to festivals to test the strength of my writing.

Meanwhile, I launched a documentary film project, relocated from Texas to Washington, and took on a new role designing a Black Studies minor (just casually crossing off goals). Oh, and I finally have a vision for my first book. 🙄 (About time.)
Q4 2024? 🤷🏾‍♀️ Can’t say much about this yet. Check back in January 2025.

What I can say? I’Z TIRED, BOSS. 😮‍💨

But also? I’M WINNING. 🏆 So, there’s that.

Act 3: Festival Wins & Industry Recognition

• 🥇 Winner: Best Drama Script – Hollywood Just4Shorts (2025)
• 🥈 Finalist: 2nd Place – [Festival Name TBD]
• 🏅 Finalist: Script-Short Film – Urban Mediamakers Film Festival (2024)
• 🎬 Nominee: Best Script – Cannes Independent Shorts (2024)
• ⭐ Official Selection – ETHOS Film Awards (2024)

🎭 Quieted continues to gain industry recognition, proving that stories about power, silencing, and resilience in academic spaces resonate beyond the university walls.

I never expected a script I wrote in 3-4 hours to place top two in a long-running competition or to gain momentum at multiple festivals. But that’s what storytelling does—it finds its audience, even when we least expect it.

Writer’s Statement:

The Story Behind QuietedMy films explore the intricate relationship between history, education, and cultural identity through both documentary and narrative storytelling.

With Quieted, I wanted to make the invisible visible—to show, rather than just tell, how bias and exclusion operate in academic spaces. The script takes a surrealist approach, using non-linear storytelling and magical realism to externalize Dr. Zora Johnson’s experiences of silencing, marginalization, and imposter syndrome.

This script isn’t just a concept—it’s a reflection of real, lived experiences. It’s about the weight of being in spaces not designed for your success, the exhaustion of proving yourself over and over again, and the resilience required to break those cycles.
This is why I write.

Not just to preserve cultural memory but to spark meaningful conversations and demand systemic change.

What’s Next?
​
🎞 Revisions & Future Development
As Quieted continues to receive festival recognition, I’m revising the script with new insights. The version that won 2nd place isn’t even the final version anymore—because that’s how art and storytelling grow.

📜 Expanding the Script
I’m exploring whether Quieted remains a short film or if its themes demand a longer format. Could this be a feature-length film or even the foundation for a limited series? That’s the next creative challenge.

🏆 Additional Festival Submissions
Quieted has more to say—and I want to give it the platform to do so. More festival applications are on the way, along with deeper conversations about how this script can move beyond the page.

IT’S FINALLY HERE!!

​🎬🔥During Q4 2023, as I reflected on the year and set goals for 2024, I gave myself one mission: finish writing a feature film script based on my doctoral dissertation and fieldwork.

The deadline? 11:59:59 PM on December 31, 2023.
And guess what? I DID THAT.

But what does that have to do with Fowl Play?

By January 2024, with a completed draft in hand, I realized that finishing the script was just Act 1. Now came the real challenge: rewriting.

The Problem? Two things:

• 1️⃣ I learned screenwriting entirely from books—which often contradicted each other more than they complemented.
• 2️⃣ I had zero firsthand knowledge of how a script translates to production.
• So, I had to get hands-on. I wrote two short scripts--Fowl Play and Quieted—as my training ground.
• Fowl Play became my crash course in film production.
• Quieted went out to festivals for writing feedback.

Because learning-by-doing is the best way forward. And I’m all in. 🎥🔥

From Research to Romance: Why Fowl Play?

Fowl Play emerged from my desire to capture the playful dynamics of modern Black love through a lens that celebrates both tradition and innovation. As a cultural anthropologist, I’ve always been fascinated by how couples navigate attention and affection within established routines—in this case, the sacred space of game day.

The film deliberately subverts traditional narratives about relationship conflict by presenting a couple who understand each other's love language, even when they appear to be at odds. Through Tiana and Ezra's dance of attention and attraction, Fowl Play explores how modern couples create their own traditions and methods of connection, balancing respect for each other's passions with playful competition for attention.

Bringing the Script to Life: Directing Fowl Play

As I transitioned from writing to directing, I incorporated direct address to the audience and sports commentary as stylistic elements to emphasize the performative nature of romance and the ways we often narrativize our relationships.

The basketball game serves as both a backdrop and a metaphor, highlighting how love—like sports—requires strategy, timing, and understanding your partner’s moves.

The film’s intimate setting within their luxury apartment creates a stage for exploring themes of comfort, competition, and courtship in established relationships. Through careful attention to visual details—from Tiana's rose pink vanity to Ezra's prized Jordan sneakers—we create a world that feels aspirational and authentically lived-in.

Beyond the Screen: Fowl Play and Black Love Representation

Focusing on a Black couple’s playful navigation of a common relationship dynamic, Fowl Play contributes to the broader conversation about representation in romantic comedy while maintaining cultural specificity.

The film celebrates Black love through joy, playfulness, and mutual understanding, moving beyond traditional narratives of conflict to show the beautiful choreography of a couple who knows how to play the game of love.

This short film is ultimately a love letter to the small moments that make relationships work—the understanding glances, the strategic plays for attention, and the shared rituals that become part of a couple's unique love story.

Through Fowl Play, I wanted to show that sometimes the most profound expressions of love come wrapped in the most ordinary moments, seasoned with just the right amount of spice. 🌶️💛

🏆 Festival Recognition:

Fowl Play has been recognized as a Semi-Finalist in the 29th Annual Fade In Awards Short Film / Short Script Competition (2025). This achievement reaffirms the power of Black love stories on screen and highlights the impact of bringing playfulness, cultural specificity, and everyday relationship dynamics into the romantic comedy genre.

This milestone is more than just a win—it's a reflection of the storytelling potential that Fowl Play carries. From its roots in anthropological research to its evolution into a vibrant romantic comedy, this film represents the joy, strategy, and connection that define modern Black love.

🎬🔥 And with Fowl Play, I’m just getting started.

​What’s Next for Fowl Play?

🏆 Fowl Play has already gained recognition as a Semi-Finalist in the 29th Annual Fade In Awards Short Film / Short Script Competition (2025)—but the journey doesn’t stop here.

• 🔹 Festival Circuit: The film is currently being submitted to additional festivals, with the goal of bringing this celebration of Black love and playful romance to wider audiences.
• 🔹 Screenings & Discussions: I’m exploring opportunities for community screenings and panel discussions on Black love in media, relationship dynamics, and the art of storytelling through film.
• 🔹 Future Projects: This experience has opened the door for more narrative work rooted in cultural anthropology and visual storytelling—because Fowl Play is just the beginning.

🎬🔥 Stay tuned—there’s more to come.


Final Thoughts: Lessons From My First Film

• ✅ Screenwriting is only the first step. Writing a great script doesn’t mean you’re ready to direct--I had to learn by doing.
• ✅ Film is a collaborative process. Every moment on screen is the result of casting, cinematography, set design, and editing.
• ✅ There’s more than one way to tell a story. What started as a research study transformed into a romantic comedy—because storytelling is about discovery.

🎬🔥 And with Fowl Play, I’m just getting started.

In the journey of education, there are moments that illuminate the far-reaching impact of our work in the classroom. Recently, I was touched by a beautiful reminder of how our discussions in Africana Studies can ripple out into the world.

A former student from my African Masculinity course reached out, sharing her continued engagement with the themes we explored together. Her journey from classroom participant to campus journalist, now writing for both The Battalion and Her Campus, speaks to the power of creating brave spaces for learning and growth.

What started as an interview about my work on the Calvert Colored High School historical marker blossomed into something more profound. This student's reflection on our course, published in Her Campus, offers a touching testament to the transformative potential of Africana Studies.

As an African American woman teaching in this field, I'm deeply aware of the vulnerability and strength required to navigate these complex discussions. Seeing students carry these conversations beyond our classroom, engaging wider audiences with nuanced perspectives on race, gender, and history, reaffirms the importance of this work.

Read her reflections through the links below and consider your own journey of growth and understanding. How might you create ripples of positive change in your own circles?