CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A film camp for Black teenagers is exposing them to a potential career and helping them gain confidence. 

Ale’ja Wright is one of 10 North Carolina girls selected to be part of the Black Girls Film Camp. Wright, a high school freshman, is feeling more confident after the experience.

At the end of the four-week program, participants put together their own films with support from mentors, editors and filmmakers.

What You Need To Know

  • A film camp is exposing Black girls to a potential career field

  • At the end of the camp, the girls created their own short film

  • This is the first year of the program, which will likely come back next year

“I can do anything because I never thought I would’ve gotten an opportunity like this,” Wright said, who added she is now even considering pursuing a career in the film industry.

Her film "A World So Silent" won the most original story award in the Black Girls Film Screening and Awards event, which the camp organized at the end of May.

Jimmeka Anderson and Keema Mingo created the camp. Anderson is the executive director of I AM not the Media, Inc. and a doctoral candidate at the UNC Charlotte.

"The main purpose of wanting to do this was to create a space for young, Black girls to tell their stories to the world, the stories that are underrepresented ... and to dismantle the single story that exists that has been created by people that do not look like us,” Anderson said.

Mingo is a Charlotte-based filmmaker and award-winning director, casting director, producer and screenwriter.

“Representation matters, seeing yourself matters. And then also being able to tell your own story,” Mingo said.

Grants from UNC Charlotte and the Women and Girls Research alliance made the free program possible. Each girl also received a tablet they could keep after the program.

This is the first year of the program, and Anderson and Mingo are expecting to bring it back next year.

If you would like to view the films or learn more about the program, click here.