Newark Filmmaker Explores Lives Of 2 Blind, Black Women Entrepreneurs

NEWARK, NJ — An award-winning filmmaker from Newark is trying to challenge stigmas and stereotypes – and inspire hope along the way – with her upcoming documentary, “Blind Divas.”

According to Lisa Durden, the film explores the lives of Krystle Allen and Naquela Wright-Prevoe, two blind, Black female entrepreneurs who are “pulling back the curtain of curiosity about the abilities of women with vision loss.”

Durden said she wants to share narratives that speak to the diversity of underserved communities, not just the trauma they so often face.

“This is not just a story about two determined women who are everyday champions in the blindness community, it’s a story of triumph against all odds,” Durden underscored.

“It’s important for women and content creators of color, to be our own storytellers, because representation matters,” Durden said. “When people watch this documentary, I want it to challenge their preconceived notions of what women with disabilities or people with disabilities for that matter, can do. And all that they do extraordinarily.”

The documentary is set to premiere in fall 2022.

Some of Durden’s previous projects include: Director/Producer, short documentary Girls Matter, which WON Best Animation at the Tokyo International Short Film Festival ‘21; Assistant Director of the Verizon Commercial, Conversations With Mom; Producer of award-winning PBS 2019 Online Festival Short Film, Paris Blues in Harlem; Senior Producer of ImageNation’s star studded Revolution Awards; Co-Producer of the provocative, award-winning, feature film TITLE VII; Conceived & Produced PBS Maya Angelou Film’s successful Live Twitter Chat, which garnered 8 Million Impressions; The former Broadcast Manager with the Black Public Media, AfroPoP Series; Associate Producer of PBS’ documentary, Soul Food Junkies; and Associate Producer of Peabody award-winning, Prime-Time Emmy and NAACP Image awards nominated, Sundance Channel’s, docuseries, Brick City 1.

Durden was the winner of the national short documentary pitch competition sponsored by African American Women in Cinema Film Festival in collaboration with distributor Lightbeam TV.

WBGO News Director Douglas Doyle recently invited Durden, Allen and Wright-Prevoe on a show to talk about their upcoming documentary. Watch the video below.

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