Art of Change in Support of Black Lives
Moved by the injustice of 2020, artists in animation, illustration and the fine arts come together to support Black lives through art. Art has the unique capacity to tell stories that go straight to the heart without words. It is their hope that bringing this book into the world will help tell the story of Black lives in a way that enthralls and creates curiosity and dialogue.
Black Astrologers Yesterday
A successful campaign here provides them the opportunity to focus Winter 2021 work hours reading, questioning, listening, investigating much more about who the aforementioned were/are; following leads on additional Black U.S. astrologers that emerge by phoning/Zooming their family, friends, students, plus other researcher types; diving into multiple recommended readings to see who/what they might find in the 1800s if the early 1900s jazz scene in Harlem/NYC was a hotbed of Black astrology, and the Harlem Renaissance besides.
The Stars Represent You and Me
The Stars Represent You and Me is a story about the creator’s journey as a young African-American boy growing up in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan. Growing up there provided little hope to young black boys like Duke and Reubin. Will the stars guide them to success?
Golden Age of Pirates
A new strategy board game created by father and son. It’s a new gameplay experience that’s easy for children to pick up but with deep tactical gameplay that adults will enjoy too.
Rofhiwa Book Café
Rofhiwa is a Black-owned independent Bookcafé. Rofhiwa strives to reflect the expansiveness of the Black imagination. They value books as repositories for collective knowledge and endeavor to foster a spirit of heightened engagement by curating a living, active, and effective collection of books that capture the dexterity of Black writers across classic and contemporary works.
The Forgotten Ones
The Forgotten Ones tells the story of a young, Black woman who’s trying to keep her head above water during the COVID-19 pandemic and becomes preyed upon by a mysterious man over the course of two days.
Blacks & Whites: 50th Anniversary
Fifty years ago, Professor Robert Sommer of the University of California at Davis created a socially-conscious version of Monopoly called Blacks & Whites. It was originally developed for educational use, highlighting racial inequity in real estate and American society through gameplay and humor. This is a modern take on a classic tabletop game about racial inequity in real estate and American society.
The Chocolate Girls
Meet Kelly, Imani, Tamera, Rabia, and Abiola, five best friends who are navigating the adventures of middle school all while running a chocolate-dessert making business. They are bonded by their love of chocolate and more importantly, their deep sense of sisterhood. These girls are representations of the diaspora of black girlhood that is lacking in middle-grade literature.
Harlem Hellfighters
Many people of color have fought and died for this country only for many men and their stories to fall in obscurity. The 369th regiment of the rainbow brigade, the Harlem Rattler’s as known by their regimental name. This distinguished army group was a monumental force, a story of heroism rarely revealed today. Help them get the pilot for their show!
Black Hero League
Black Heroes brought to life with fashionable jerseys, apparel, and patches. The Black Hero League is on a mission to bring a clothing brand to the African American community that we can learn from, honor our ancestors, and be proud of. The concept is 10 teams, comprised of black heroes, from all time periods and cities across the country. Each team represents a significant piece of black history or culture.
Black Boddess Film
Black Boddess is a docuseries that brings voice to the silent stories of black women and their experiences in medical care and treatment. They successfully hosted the Film Premiere and now it’s time for the public release and creation of the docuseries.
We, as BackerKit, stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. We stand against racism and anti-blackness, police brutality, and the systemic racial injustices that the Black community faces. We are highlighting Black creators and their projects in this blog. You can read our full statement here.