Sharyon Culberson

Bio:

A native of Chicago’s south side, Sharyon A. Culberson has always enjoyed taking the path yet traveled, in her personal life and her career. After having performed in major American reparatory and off-broadway theaters nationwide, she spent over 10 years touring globally with a local company that used theatrical workshops to combat rape culture on college campuses and military posts. She then went on to create an anti-bias workshop focusing on micro-aggressions that is still being utilized on various campuses and small companies across the US. Recently, Sharyon has been focusing on creating on-camera content that uplifts and educates with sustainability - ideally increasing empathy towards marginalized communities, and assisting with the creation of a more egalitarian society. “Black Joy Always Wins”, is Sharyon’s first feature-length project, and she is thrilled to be joining Arts and Public life for the development process.

“Until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” 

- Chinua Achebe

About Black Joy Always Wins:

My performance will be a live table read of a completed version of the script, and viewing of the teaser reel for my first feature-length film project, entitled, "Black Joy Always Wins!"

“Black Joy...” is a visionary fiction (sci-fi/fantasy) film that asks its viewers the questions:

 “What would you do with ultimate power?” And  “What does it look like to ‘win' in a world and society that seems to only seek to oppress.”? 

During the length of the residency, I plan to utilize the local community to help shape the project's "happy ending", as well as maintain the feel and representation of the city of Chicago's own "Black Joy" throughout the process and the film itself.

“I was born, raised, and educated on the south side of Chicago (not far from A+PL- at Beasley A Center), and I identify heavily with the culture and feel of being Black on the south side. BJAW is a visionary film project I've envisioned to urge our imaginations to question, "What's next ," and "What's possible", while simultaneously acknowledging where we are now and where we come from. I believe Arts + Public Life understands how to help create this bridge, while keeping the perspective and voice homogenous to the community represented in the film - South Side Black people and POC.”