I'm new to the site and this might be a random first post haha but my name is Chelsey Gabriel and I am an aspiring Haitian filmmaker in Connecticut.
I'm in the midst of writing two scripts about Alcorn State University's Golden Girls (GGs): a coming-of-age dance TV pilot about a black girl with albinism who transfers to the university and learns to define her own blackness through the university's majorette team (comp: 'Euphoria' x 'Stomp the Yard') and its accompanying sports comedy feature about the inaugural GGs and their debut at the 1968 Orange Blossom Classic (comp: 'Drumline' x 'Gotta Kick It Up!').
Since beginning my writing portfolio in 2022, I always knew that I wanted to create a story set at an HBCU. While doing intensive research to find a story on the subject, educating myself, I realized along the way that there is little to no information about majorettes in the media, in particular about their origins and impact on HBCU history.
I am looking to interview those connected to Alcorn State University to learn about campus culture, the history of HBCU dancelines, the job responsibilities of auxiliary coordinators and performance coaches, and the day-in-the-life of a GG, the impact of dance on self-image and self-identity and more for my TV show concept.
I am interested from dancers from Jackson State and Southern University A&M about their respective dance troupe's dance styles and Alabama State's feat of having the first plus-size dance team.
As well, I am looking to interview the remaining, living original GGs or their relatives and relatives of Samuel Griffin, the former band director who created the GGs and the SOD, about the origins of the dance troupe and their impact on HBCU history.
The Alcorn Project, as I call it, was born out of a necessity to archive HBCU/black culture and share the original Golden Girls’ story, thus historical accuracy, cultural preservation, and cultural authenticity are central to my ongoing artistic practice for these scripts.
I would appreciate if you can share this post with any in the Mississippi area or those connected to this and have them reach out to me here or Linkedin, which you can find in my profile! It would mean a lot. Thank you :D
