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In commemoration of Black History Month, Hawaii’s African American Community Organizations will present the film “Holding Fast The Dream” Hawaii’s African American Experience on February 26, 2011 at 5 p.m. at Leeward Community College Theatre.

The film highlights a two-hundred year history beginning with the story of a freed slave in the early 1800s to the historic election of Barack Obama as U.S. President. The film presents the challenges of building community and the irony of their struggle with racial stereotypes and discrimination in a land heralded as a paradise of diversity and acceptance.

Before 1900, many Africa Americans came to escape slavery and the harshness of United States racism; others came as adventurers and decided to remain. Despite their individualized motives for coming to the islands African Americans were warmly received by the Native Hawaiian people. The film explores fully the contemporary issues faced by the approximate 40,000 African Americans living in Hawaii today including a growing middle class population.

The film was directed by Steve Okino and is based on the pioneering research of Dr. Miles M. Jackson, producer and author, “And They Came” and “They Followed the Trade Winds.” Primary funding came from the Hawaii Council for the Humanities, the Gerbode Foundation, Bank of Hawaii, University of Hawaii Foundation, and many individual contributions.

Following the film presentation, an open and reflective discussion entitled “Moving Forward – African Americans in Hawaii.” Project individuals and representatives from the organizations highlighted in the movie will be on hand for a question and answer session.

African American organizations include the African American Association of Hawaii; African American Cultural Diversity Center of Hawaii; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; Blacks in Government; Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition; Hickam African American Heritage Association; Honolulu Black Nurses Association; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; Links Inc.; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; Prince Hall Affiliated Organizations; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.

The event is free to the public.

The festival runs from January 27 – 30; films screen at the Regal UA Theaters in Horton Plaza, downtown San Diego. Holding Fast The Dream will be shown on Sunday, January 30 at 12:30pm as one of the festival’s featured closing films.

Dr. Miles M. Jackson, executive producer, along with several members of his family, will attend the screening and participate in a question-and-answer session. If you’re in or near San Diego at that time, we hope you’ll come out and support the film!

For more information on the festival, check it’s website here.

We’re grateful to Aaron for his creative talents, hard work, and for delivering on deadline! And thanks, too, to Miles Jackson III for coordinating the creation of the original score.

Read more about Aaron and listen to his work on his website; and listen to one of the pieces he composed for us below:

Holding Fast: End Titles (2:00)

The film will screen on Saturday, October 23 at 5:00pm at the Dole Cannery theaters, as a selection of the Hawai‘i International Film Festival.

We’re pleased that HIFF has honored the film, and look forward to presenting it as a World Premiere at the Festival.

You can order tickets for the October 23 screening online at the HIFF website.

Ms. Pearson most recently appeared on the hit television series Lost, and won a Po‘okela Award for her role as Rose Maxon in Fences, produced by The Actors Group.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University, and has studied with Eric Nemoto and Anna Fishburn.

She also works as an administrator in the Office of the Chancellor at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

We’re pleased that she’s agreed to play a key role in our film, and we’re sure you’ll note her important contribution to the story of building community among African Americans in Hawai‘i.

The conference included scholars from around the nation examining the theme, The “Alternative” African Diaspora–a topic appropriate for the film’s focus on little-known Black communities that have emerged and thrived.

A 22-minute sample work of the film was presented, and was received enthusiastically from conference attendees. We’re grateful to Dr. Elisa Joy White, conference organizer, for the opportunity to bring Holding Fast The Dream to an important audience.