Cheerleaders (of color) who grew up to be radical activists?

Y-E-S!!!

80 Layers was the first 16 mm experimental film I ever made, launching my career as a feminist filmmaker. As a community organizer, I encountered many women who were excellent on the mic at political rallies because they were…excellent on the mic at pep rallies when they were cheerleaders in high school. When I returned to my childhood home the summer before I started film school, I found my high school cheer uniforms in an old trunk and the idea for this film sparked.

For this piece, I collaborated with the X-Cheerleaders, performance artists in New York City. Their cheers struck me as radical - “75 CENTS! TO THE DOLLAR! MAKES ME WANT TO SHOUT AND HOLLER!” - and hilarious.

80 Layers won “Best Experimental Short Film” at the Black Maria Film festival and aired on KQED Public television as part of Women’s History Month.