Black Brilliance 360: Exploring the Minds of Black Men

In his biography, "A Man from Another Land," Isaiah Washington writes, "...eradicate stereotypes and educate the world about the complexities of the African American male and his humanity." Black Brilliance 360 seeks to do just that. Produced by Tamisha Harris and civil rights attorney, Charles F. Coleman Jr., Black Brilliance 360 is a web series of conversations, over dope hip-hop tracks, among a small group of professional black men about a wide range of topics. These stylish, intelligent brothers take us inside the minds of black men with a sneak peak of unfiltered conversations that explore their thoughts on identity, love, relationships, their role in the community and more. Coleman, along with a diverse group of successful black men, takes it a step further than barbershop persiflage. These teachers, lawyers, bankers, artists and traders provide varying perspectives and they encompass the diversity that is found in men of colour. When asked what separates Black Brilliance 360 from the many round-table discussions that we can find on the web, Coleman explains with great passion and detail their purpose:

This is a conversation about narrative change and re-imagining blackness. We are looking to shift a paradigm and make black brilliance an inclusive institution that is reachable. American born black folks often have a very narrow and myopic view of blackness. We tend to measure blackness in relation to how much it rings true to our own experiences.What the show seeks to do is to illustrate the myriad different aspects of, particularly manhood, narratives GLOBALLY within the sphere of blackness such that even as perspectives may differ and experiences may differ, we can accept and appreciate other narratives around blackness and black manhood that don't mirror our own."

Webisode one, which seems a strategic choice, was released shortly after the announcement of Serena Williams' engagement. In this episode they speak about black men and commitment and examine the importance of dating within the same race or culture. What unfolds is an honest dialogue that angers many female viewers but manages to leave you wanting more. A question of commitment quickly evolves into a discussion about dating outside of their race. Id hoped to hear at least one of them proclaim that there is no better woman for him than a black woman. Unfortunately, no one did. When asked about the absence of any of the contributors standing up for black women, Coleman made it very clear that he loved black women. He continues to explain,

"I can say that this conversation was more authentic than not. It was not complete--because editing--but, even as the discussions may sometimes be uncomfortable, we have a goal of keeping them as authentic as we can. But these webisodes are intended to be conversation pieces only; not meant to be the end of the discussion. So it should promote further talks across social media within our community"

Webisodes two and three were released and I was particularly interested in the discussion in three. Here they discuss the black mans place in the community, the new civil rights movement as well as the black man's masculinity. It's imperative that we continue to highlight movements that change the narrative. Change it not only with others but among us (people of colour.) Allow black men to see a reflection of themselves in these men. Allow the black women who have, regrettably, never experienced black men of distinction to see that they, in fact, do exist. While its been done before, its never been done quite like this. Look for the coming episodes and be a part of the conversation that they are certain to spark. Be sure to follow Black Brilliance 360 on YOUTUBE , FACEBOOK , INSTAGRAM and TWITTER .

Check out the trailer below.