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Oct 27, 2024
Ayana Morris on what inspired ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ immersive experience
Filmmaker, curator and visual artist Ayana Morris discusses her inspiration for the traveling “Don’t Touch My Hair” immersive experience that will be in Harriet Tubman Square in Newark, New Jersey until Nov. 15.
Oct 21, 2024
Newark art exhibit challenges societal norms surrounding Black hair
Heavily inspired by the Crown Act, Don’t Touch My Hair, was created by filmmaker and Newark Native Ayana Morris as part of the Newark Arts Festival.
Oct 17, 2024
Ayana Morris Challenges Societal Perceptions Of Black Hair In New Installation: ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’
Visionary filmmaker Ayana Morris invited audiences to confront and reflect on societal perceptions of Black hair and the intricate relationship Black women have with their crowns through her inaugural mobile art installation, “Don’t Touch My Hair,” a three-day display that launched Oct. 11 and ran until Oct. 13 at Harriet Tubman Square during the Newark Arts Festival.
Oct 7, 2024
‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ Exhibit Is A Celebration Of Black Women’s Hair Culture And Strength
Don’t Touch My Hair celebrates Black women and hair culture.
Eight years ago, Ayana Morris was struggling with her identity as a Black woman. She felt insecure and was trying to figure out her career path. During that time, she came up with the idea of “Don’t Touch My Hair.”
Oct 5, 2023
For The Culture: This Black-Owned, Drive-In Theater Is Changing The Game By Showing Only Diverse Films
A couple is reviving the drive-in theater by showing all-diverse films.
According to Cassius, Newark, NJ filmmaker Ayana Stafford-Morris and her husband Siree Morris are only playing films with diverse casts at their Newark Moonlight Cinema, such as Just Mercy, Set It Off, Creed II, Girl’s Trip, Hardball, the 2007 film adaptation of the musical Hairspray and others. The couple’s reason is that diverse films “reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the region’s audiences.”
Aug 5, 2021
Black-Owned Drive-In Movie Theater That Opened At Height of COVID Has No Plans to Close
A Black-owned drive-in movie theater in New Jersey that opened during the height of the pandemic has no plans of closing as their business thrives in a social distancing society.
Aug 4, 2021
Black-owned drive-in movie theater born of the Covid pandemic has plans to stick around
The Covid-19 pandemic dramatically altered the small business landscape in the U.S., boosting some while crushing others.
For Ayana Morris and Siree Morris, it represented an opportunity: They co-founded drive-in movie theater Newark Moonlight Cinema. But even as vaccinations have some people returning to their pre-Covid ways, the Morrises told CNBC they have plans to expand their small business.
Dec 12, 2020
Black-owned theater opened in the pandemic. Next year, it plans to be a permanent drive-in
In the span of just 6 months, Newark Moonlight Cinema drive-in has established itself as an entertainment go-to in Brick City.
Oct 8, 2020
In Newark, A Drive-In Movie Theater Celebrates Black Excellence
Drive-ins have been popping up all over the country during the coronavirus pandemic. But few are right in the middle of a city, next to a highway and skyscrapers.
Sep 22, 2020
Drive-in theater provides throwback fun for Black community
The owners of the Newark Moonlight Cinema project films by and for African Americans.
Sep 12, 2020
ABC7 Unite: Newark drive-in theater to show 'Black Panther' during 'Chadwick Boseman Tribute Week'
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A Newark movie theater is on a mission to highlight African-American films, with their latest endeavor paying tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.
Sep 4, 2020
Drive-ins: A new way to watch live performances
Others are taking the chance to do something new. In New Jersey, filmmaker Ayana Stafford-Morris opened the Newark Moonlight Cinema in July, with a focus on African-American filmmakers and actors. “My drive to see this through stems from my love of films, my frustration with the current, assumed definition of cult classic films, and the pressures we are all feeling confined by Covid,” she tells BBC Culture.
Aug 30, 2020
Now showing: The return of the drive-in
And Siree and Ayana Morris, of Newark, New Jersey, saw their chance with an old, demolished baseball stadium … or rather, they saw a need. Ayana told Giles, "I came to my husband and I said, 'Hey, I want to do a pop-up drive-in movie theatre,' and he was like, 'OK.' And I was like, 'This is why I married you!'
"Because of the racial tension, I was getting depressed," said Ayana. "I wanted to be able to create a space that highlights the beauty of black people and give us the opportunity to see something, see a positive image of ourselves."
Jul 24, 2020
Black-Owned Drive-In Movie Theater Opens In Newark
A filmmaker and her developer-husband create a family-friendly pop-up showcasing films appealing to the black community in New Jersey’s largest city. News 4’s Gaby Acevedo reports..
Jul 22, 2020
Black-Owned Pop-Up Movie Theater Pushes Back On Offering All-White Movies
The African American owners of New Jersey’s latest pop-up, drive-in theater are giving Ferris Bueller the day off.
With their launch of Newark Moonlight Cinema this Friday, Newark-based filmmaker Ayana Stafford-Morris and her husband, real estate developer, Siree Morris, ditched the '80s cult classic that stars Matthew Broderick—and instead will show Girls Trip, Creed II, and the 2007 remake of Hairspray — movies whose characters reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the region’s audiences.
Jun 6, 2020
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Released Spoken Word Piece That Lays Action Items
The Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Ras Baraka, has released a powerful spoken-word piece demanding social justice.
The new video for “What We Want,” features the Mayor and a microphone. Dancers with face paint reminiscent of characters in the movie “Dead Presidents”, also express his words through dance.
Jun 4, 2020
Mayor Ras Baraka Drops Timely Spoken Word Video, ‘What We Want’
"We need more than justice in the moment — we need an overhaul of our systems," the politician and educator says
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