Pain, power, and purpose filled the evening for the premiere of the ‘Aftershock’ documentary in New York City.
The screening and carpet premiere took place at the Brooklyn Museum, on Thursday, July 14th. The documentary tells the story of the unfortunate losses of two Black women in the hands of maternal healthcare. The documentary reveals the history dating back to how Black women have been neglected and gaslighted for centuries and how it manifested into the present day all due to systemic racism. Black women are four-times more likely to die during childbirth compared to women of other races, including their Whiter counterparts. It is an issue that not only could’ve been preventable, but also affects fathers who are now single, grieving, and pushed into the forefront to advocate for medical accountability, and seeking justice through legislation.
Both fathers and subjects of the film, Omari Maynard and Bruce McIntyre, formed a beautiful brotherhood, and have become a source of strength not only to each other, but for other Black men who have experienced the loss of their partners. They spoke with The Knockturnal about how fatherhood has impacted them greatly:
Omari Maynard, co-founder of ARIAH foundation
Bruce McIntyre, Founder of saveArose Foundation
Shawnee Gibson, mother who also lost her daughter due to the maternal health crisis, believes that the documentary came about through a “divine manifestation” and a pathway to share her daughter’s story. More of Shawnee’s thoughts are shared below:
Shawnee Benton Gibson, co-founder and co-president of Spirit of A Woman Leadership Development Institute
For producers and directors Paula Eislet and Tonya Lewis Lee, the documentary was more than just a film project. Both creators shared how the creation of ‘Aftershock’ has impacted them personally and has moved them throughout the production:
Paula Eislet, Producer and Director
Tonya Lewis Lee, Co-director and Co-producer
Additional attendees, President Teresa Younger didn’t shy away from sharing her overall thoughts through her outfit during the carpet. Styled in an “Abortion AF” tee, the CEO shares how the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade ties into the theme of the documentary:
After the screening, Good Morning America anchor Janai Norman, moderated a panel to discuss the documentary furthermore. Each subject and director were able to share more about the creation of the documentary and answered questions personalized to them. Soon after, attendees and filmmakers, celebrated in an after party to commemorate the special evening.
The ‘Aftershock’ documentary premiered on July 19th, and is now available for screening, exclusively on Hulu.
