The New York African Diaspora Film Festival begins in just over 1 week, running from, November 27th to December 15th, presenting an eclectic mix of urban, classic, independent and foreign films that depict the richness and diversity of the life experience of people of African descent and Indigenous people all over the world.

From now until the festival begins, I will highlight some of the 101 films (features and shorts) that are scheduled to screen there.

First up is a film called Dreams Deferred: The Sakia Gun Film Project, directed by Chas Brack – a documentary that tells the little known story of Sakia Gunn, a 15 year old student who was fatally stabbed in 2003, in a gay hate crime in Newark, New Jersey. Sakia was an Aggressive, according to GLAAD, a homosexual woman of color who dresses in masculine attire but does not necessarily identify as either lesbian or female-to-male transgender.

Sakia held promise as a basketball player and was an “A” student, looking forward to becoming a senior at Newark’s West Side High School. On the night Sakia was murdered, she and her friends were returning from socializing at New York City’s Greenwich Village piers, at Christopher street, a popular spot for Lesbian, Gay and transgendered youth. Two men targeted the group at a Newark bus stop station, first flirting with, and then propositioning them. The girls rebuffed the sexual advances of the much older assailants. Words were exchanged, a fight ensued, and Sakia was stabbed.

The documentary depicts the homophobia that caused this murder and questions the lack of media coverage of the murder of a black gay teenager. It follows the reaction of the Newark community where several rallies and vigils were held, galvanizing the community and prompting several LGBT organizations to form, including the Newark Pride Alliance and Sakia Gunn Aggressives & Femmes, as well as a scholarship fund in her name. May 23, the day Sakia was murdered, was declared by the city of Newark’s Mayor as “No Name Calling Day.”

The story unfolds with the testimonies of Sakia’s family and friends during the sentencing hearing of the murderer. The hearing is inter-cut with interviews of LGBT community leaders, opinions of people in the community, interviews of Sakia’s best friend, Valencia, and exclusive footage of Sakia’s vigil. Dreams Deferred pays homage to this young Aggressive and exposes the sensitive issues not often addressed regarding gender-identity, homophobia and racism.

Dreams Deferred screens Thursday, Dec. 3 & Tuesday, Dec. 8. Visit the NYADFF festival’s website HERE for more info.

Here’s its trailer: