This is [Not] Who We Are

USA, Feature Documentary, 2022, 77 min

“The happiest place in America is Boulder, Colorado,” said no Black person ever. This documentary explores the gap between Boulder’s progressive self-image and the lived experiences of its small but resilient Black community. Zayd Atkinson, a University of Colorado student who was performing his work study job cleaning up the grounds of his dorm, was threatened by a police officer, and soon by eight officers with guns drawn. He lived to tell the story that many Black men don't survive. While it has a unique history, Boulder is emblematic of liberal, white, university-based communities that profess an inclusive ethic but live a segregated reality. This is [Not] Who We Are shares the voices of Boulder's African-American community and shows both how deeply the roots of institutional racism are embedded and how to open pathways for dialogue, insight and change.

Directed by Katrina Miller, Beret E. Strong

World Premiere

A Call2Action selection