About
Grand Rapids Media Initiative & Film Incubator, in partnership with Grand Stand Pictures
seeks to film a 90-minute documentary that depicts the ways Black Grand Rapidians have encountered and resisted structural racism & gatekeeping. Although this doctoral dissertation has enjoyed endless reprints, we need to break it down so more people can access this revolutionary way of telling our story.
Concepts like “managerial racism,” “benevolent paternalism,“ and “progressive mystique” reveal the “man behind the curtain” in the long performance of Grand Rapids race relations. Stories of the Women’s Study Club (maids’ day off time for intellectual nourishment), Keith Theater segregation lawsuit (completely ignored by GR press but closely followed in Chicago), and Auburn Hills Development (4 Black businessmen buy 20 acres outside the designated Black belt for integrated housing) provide a counter-narrative to those usually promoted about Furniture City/Beer City.
This 3-time “All America City” boasts large structures named after Gerald Ford and Amway Corporation but offers not a plaque for Al Green or Floyd Mayweather.

Goal
Our goal is to share this film
across the country

Through commercial distribution, we aim to strengthen those experiencing similar shapeshifting forces in their own localities. The ingenuity, creativity, and sharpening inspires and educates all who hear the stories, providing paths forward for any mid-sized city like ours. Viewers will learn from the vocabulary, perspectives, and dismantling strategies in both the film and the accompanying curriculum for educators and civic groups.
We plan to press beyond typical documentary styles with our use of comedy, animation, paintings, community forums, and groundbreaking set design.
Contact
Get In Touch
info@grandstandpictures.com