Michelle Parkerson

“It ain’t easy…being green” is the favorite expression of Stormé DeLarverie, a woman whose life flouted prescriptions of gender and race. During the 1950s and '60s she toured the black theater circuit as a mistress of ceremonies and the sole male impersonator of the legendary Jewel Box Revue, America’s first integrated female impersonation show and forerunner of La Cage aux Folles.

with Jimi Lyons

The career of iconic and influential poet and writer Audre Lorde is seen up until death.

Choreographer, director, and educator Camille A. Brown affirms her community with bold explorations of everyday movement and African Diasporic dance.

A short documentary about the First National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, which took place on Sunday, October 14th 1979.

A short documentary about the history of the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays.

This vibrant and engaging video profiles the a capella activist group, Sweet Honey in the Rock. Singing to end the oppression of Black people world wide, SWEET HONEY embraces musical styles from spirituals and blues to calypso, and concerns ranging from feminism to ecology, peace and justice. This dynamic video features individual portraits, powerful concert footage and commentary by Angela Davis, Alice Walker and Holly Near.

A short film that focuses on the Washington DC history of The Coffeehouse, which served as a performance venue, rehearsal space, and meeting place for Black LGBTQ artists and political organizations in the 1980s. It hosted such luminaries as poet Audre Lorde and cultivated the early development of prominent black feminists and queer artists, including filmmaker Michelle Parkerson, photographer Sharon Farmer, poet Essex Hemphill. This documentary highlights the work of the Coffeehouse creatives and activist by using archival footage, audio clips, publicity materials, academic articles, and reviews. Interviews with surviving members of the community, as well as people who attended and supported this thriving arts community, are also included.

In the year 2096, Black women warriors wage a vigilant battle against racial and gender annihilation. In this devastated universe, a fable unravels between interplanetary frontlines. Lieutenant Loz Wayard, a courageous young amazon, learns the price of passion when her beloved Sephra takes on the ultimate sacrifice for the struggle

This lively film is an unforgettable portrait of legendary vocalist Betty Carter, one of the greatest living exponents of jazz. Uncompromised by commercialism throughout her long career, she has forged alternative criteria for success — including founding her own recording company and raising her two sons as a single parent. Parkerson's special film captures Carter's musical genius, her paradoxical relationship with the public and her fierce dedication to personal and artistic independence.