Beyond Melanin Project
Mission
The Beyond Melanin Project is dedicated to creating a space where artists of color from all artistic disciplines and backgrounds can innovatively collaborate on projects that enrich and diversify the BIPOC narrative. This is all in the pursuit to actively connect the BIPOC artistic community and invest in performative art that shows more than just the struggle and strife of a group of people. By providing financial support, collaborative opportunities, and a platform to showcase representative art, the BMP strives to the BIPOC narrative and roles in the performing arts community with every project.
Gorgeous
GORGEOUS is BMP’s first collaborative piece that showcases two strong black men navigating a healthy queer relationship. Deon Fox and Cuream go through playful and vulnerable moments to finally get to a point where they can trust each other. Guided by the one and only Veronica Blair and accompanied by Joshy Soul, GORGEOUS brings a powerhouse of artists together to tell a beautiful love story. GORGEOUS will be featured in the 2022 Circus International Film Festival from March 14th - April 16th.
Intimacy
INTIMACY is a short film that dives into the discomforts we can feel with intimacy and the gay dating culture. By way of spoken word, aerial work, and close camera angles, Cuream endeavors to create a piece we can all identify with. INTIMACY was featured in the 2021 Circus International Film Festival.
Strange Fruit
“Strange Fruit,” set to the visceral and heart-wrenching cover by Nina Simone, is an aerial straps performance I created after George Floyd's death. I do my best to depict the trauma I felt as a black man from the black lives lost to police brutality. This number is poignant, heavy, vulnerable, and unapologetic.