Mrs. Yvonne Sims Embraces Our Home Too Documentary Film Project
"Grand Rapids is not just about prejudice, it's also about the misinformed and misinforming people about race relations. Racial misinformation still plagues Black and White Grand Rapidians." -Mrs. Yvonne Sims
It is ironic and a recognition of the scope and complexity of African American culture and history that the journey of this physically diminutive, gracious, brilliant, Black woman connects to the power and poetry of Muhammad Ali and the conceptual framework for the Our Home Too documentary film project. A framework of self-definition and self-determination.
I am America.
I am the part you won't recognize.
But get used to me:
Black, confident, cocky.
My name, not yours.
My religion, not yours.
My goals, my own.
Get used to me.
-Muhammad Ali
Mrs. Sims' Grand Rapids personal journey began in 1935. Her academic, professional, and civic journey span seven decades. She walked the viaduct to segregated Franklin Elementary, was an honor society student, and graduated from South High school in 1954. She was awarded a scholarship to Milwaukee Downer College of Lawrence University, where she was their first Black Student.
After returning to Grand Rapids,she was a public-school teacher, administrator, community activist, social worker, and Grand Rapids Times, columnist. She has served her community on the Boards of the Y.W.C.A., Red Cross, National Issues Forum, Red Hat Society, Kent County Library, Grand Rapids Foundation, United Methodist Community House, Grand Rapids Silver Charms, Grand Rapids Urban League, N.A.A.C.P. and the Women's City Club. Mrs. Sims was also a prominent member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the Women's Study Club.
Her numerous insights and experiences are independent of external historical interpretations, mainstream journalists reporting, and other individuals external to the journey of Black Grand Rapidians. She shared her lived experiences and knowledge of the Black freedom struggle with the Our Home Too production crew at her Cutler Bay, Florida, residence near Miami.
"This project may contribute to healing the racial wounds for some people, but it will certainly contribute to understanding the history better and why some things are the way they are in Grand Rapids now. Prejudice was not just individual beliefs but was a core of the community. The board of education and the city commission structured the city to be divided." -Mrs. Yvonne Sims
The production can continue moving forward and documenting our stories and the stories of our elders for the film and, equally important, for the historical record. We need support from the community, businesses, foundations, and individuals to do so. We thank True Light Baptist Church, New Hope Baptist Church, Plymouth United Church of Christ, and Mr. Bill Blickley, whose contributions helped make the Miami production possible.
Mrs. Sims contributed her time and knowledge; production team members contributed our time and resources. Our gifted director of photography, Garland McLaurin, worked at a substantially discounted rate. We are confident the community will further embrace this project, a mission of telling our stories from our point of view and mail tax-deductible contributions to Regenerative Community Builders 2222 W. Grand River Ave. STE A Okemos, MI.
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