The Mission
The biggest lesson that I've learned throughout my journey is to be resilient. I’ve learned that resilience is highly underrated, yet it is necessary to stand strong in the face of endless disappointment and limited opportunity. It’s not about falling down, it’s about growing the resilience in ourselves to get back up. The work that I do with Tephra Miriam Communications, Film & Publishing definitely covers a broader spectrum than most. What it comes down to is one word...CHANGE.
When I first founded TM Com & Pub I wanted it to be so much more than just a business. In fact, I had to start with a philosophy. That philosophy is and always will be Service, Education & Thought Leadership.
1.) SERVICE - Owning a business enlarges your obligation to society. It’s not only about revenue and the bottom line. It’s about our impact on the world, society, and seeking out ways to serve our communities.
2.) EDUCATION - Owning a business enlarges your obligation to contribute to a body of knowledge. We must not only be consumers but givers of knowledge and cultivators of each others collective purpose.
3.) THOUGHT LEADERSHIP - Owning a business enlarges your obligation to influence thought positively. We must always seek to inspire.
As a millennial and a woman of color, my goal is to encourage people to find deeper grounding and vision in order to bring their dreams to life.
Current racial tensions and the massive political divide in today’s America has created a volatile atmosphere for American youth. It’s time that we use creativity and imagination to pull us into a new era. In order to rise above poverty, destitution, segregation, bias, and prejudice, we have to have a vision to hold on to like the rising of the sun. My hope is that my writing helps those who have no opportunity, see the world of possibilities.
The Issue(s)
There are two main issues that I think directly apply to the literary and film industries.
Did you know that the United States is facing a literacy problem?
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More than 30 million adults in the United States cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third-grade level. — ProLiteracy
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Children whose parents have low literacy levels have a 72 percent chance of being at the lowest reading levels themselves. These children are more likely to get poor grades, display behavioral problems, have high absentee rates, repeat school years, or drop out. — National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
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75 percent of state prison inmates did not complete high school or can be classified as low literate. — Rand Report: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education
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Low literacy is said to be connected to over $230 billion a year in health care costs because almost half of Americans cannot read well enough to comprehend health information, incurring higher costs. — American Journal of Public Health
Even though I write books now, I didn’t like to read growing up. You know why? Because I very rarely saw a reflection of myself in any book. No one looked like me or faced the issues that I faced or had the perspective of the world like I did. Diverse literature and perspectives are critical in engaging readers of color and breaking through systems that oppose minority advancement.
The same issues within diversity are crippling the film industry. Going back to the concept of stories, change, and imagination, when we can’t see ourselves reflected in the world around us, we detach from society and we begin to abandon community.
The Market
Have you noticed the difference in commercials today? Brown and black has finally made it to mainstream marketing and now it’s trending. Why? Because even though we’ve been ignored for quite some time, people of color have the strongest purchasing power in the US today and are driving the US economy. Now everyone is scrambling to diversify their marketing and products for minority consumers.
The Products
I firmly believe that curiosity and imagination cultivate innovation. I also believe that stories have the power to change lives. We are currently living alongside some other Americans that have deep-rooted equi-chambers of hate and we have to infiltrate. Stories, creativity and the arts have a gentle way of finding common ground between people who hate each other.
I currently have two short films and one animated series for kids in pre-production, two published books out of my seven-book fantasy fiction series for tweens and teens, one picture book published and the first book in my sci-fi series for adults in the pipeline. All of these works contain incredible stories of people who are fighters and must learn to face their fears in a world that’s trying to keep them down.
Learn more at www.RedemptionRoad.com
Learn more at www.clowntownadventures.com
The Funding
As a first-generation American, I've had to start from the bottom all my life and that’s ok! I’m not here to complain about it, but the plain and simple truth is that it takes money to make money and building something from nothing can only take you so far. The student loan crisis in America today is a REAL THING. It’s crippling Millennials with crushing financial debt and stifling innovation.
Funds raised from this campaign will cover the following items:
Film
- Actor Salaries
- Film Crew Salaries
- Stunt Crew Salaries
- Extras Salaries
- Costumes
- Special Effects Makeup
- Film Score
- Advertising
- Video Editing Costs
- Website Maintenance
Publishing
It's part of my mission to work with diverse individuals even behind the scenes. I work with a wide array of people from different social backgrounds who are minorities and part of marginalized communities.
The Team
I run a lean operation and I do all of my own websites, marketing, PR, writing and most of my own design and editing. When I am in need of services I hire contractors, but at some point I would love to hire staff.
My Heartfelt Thank You
Giving is one of the most precious gems in this world. Thank you so much for your consideration.
