LaTrice Amanda Strong is an artist from Washington DC, formally known as Chocolate City. She has a diverse professional and academic background with an MFA in Creative Writing, specializing in Writing for Television and Film, having an MA in Public Relations, and having an M.Ed in Educational Leadership. A change agent in her community, LaTrice uses her combined expertise by facilitating educational workshops to awaken the mind, body, and soul of adolescent youth by incorporating the Performing Arts under Honor U Performance Arts Academy, Inc. A non-profit that she founded. When LaTrice Amanda is not working with youth, she writes and produces, bringing content to life under her production company, A LaTrice Production. LaTrice's ultimate goal is to create characters that trigger one to find humor in unusual circumstances or characters that will emotionally pull on audiences' hearts. LaTrice's philosophy is "Life is equivalent to a three-act structure, and it's full of meet-cute moments and plot twists."
Tell us about your experience at the Hip Hop Film Festival. One word, Magical! The Hip Hop Film Festival was by far the livest and most informative Film Festival Experience that I have encountered this Summer. From the informative break out sessions, amazing seminars, and opportunities to just vibe and connect with other talented artists virtually was a dope experience that definitely took our minds off of the societal hardships that many are experiencing. For just those brief moments to release and connect was a blessing.
Why are stories from the culture important? Stories from the culture and about our culture are important because it gives more evidence that we exist for a purpose and that Black Culture is a nurturing factor to human civilization. Our stories help bridge the gap in what seems to be a large chasm in humanity...yet, if you let the culture not only Entertain but educate, there will be enlightenment that will connect everyone together...but only if allowed.
What projects are you working on now? We are continuing to work on our second season of Archives of the Heart, which is our mini streaming soap opera, which is on the MASSOV TV Network, found on Roku and firestick. We're also slated to shoot a short film titled “ RUN” in October.
Why do you think the Harlem Film House and Hip Hop Film Festival are important? These are valuable resources in a newly gentrified country of which ideology is spreading globally. It's refreshing to have something that is not only providing opportunities for creatives to showcase their art but providing opportunities that are designed to empower. It's important to support and recognize such entities as the Harlem Film House and HHFF so that the voice of the culture will be heard and never silenced.
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