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Content warning: This article includes mention of sexual assault.

Four women gaze intently into the camera on the steps of Ja’Rhea Dixon’s grandfather’s home — the first Black-owned house on its block in Syracuse. This pivotal shot from Lynne Sachs’ film, “This Side of Salina,” is projected onto the side of the Everson Museum of Art.

Sachs’ film is showcased by Light Work’s Urban Video Project, running from Oct. 12 to Dec. 21 in downtown Syracuse. Through personal stories and powerful imagery, Sachs’ work highlights the complex challenges women face in the post-Roe era, while emphasizing the importance of community support and care.

The film is a key component of the larger Communities of Care: Documenting Reproductive Justice in a Post-Roe Country initiative launched by The Abortion Clinic Film Collective. Made up of six feminist filmmakers, it aims to address the health and rights of women, particularly those in marginalized communities.

Sachs didn’t plan on telling a specific story when she arrived in Syracuse to film in March. Originally focused on the region’s legacy of women’s rights, the project quickly evolved into a contemporary, collaborative effort. With support from the New York City Council on the Arts, Sachs connected with local activists, healthcare workers and doulas to create a film shaped by the real experiences of Syracuse women.

“I was interested in how intersectional issues surrounding women’s maternal and mental health in a city like Syracuse, where abortion is still legal, might still be adversely affected by systemic biases, race and economic hardships,” Sachs said.

Sachs’ journey soon led her to Layla’s Got You, a local organization focused on empowering women, where she met Tiffany Lloyd, the group’s director.

Through Layla’s Got You, Sachs connected with J’Viona Baker, Vernahia Davis, Angela Stroman and Dixon, who each brought unique lived experiences and perspectives to the project. While the film highlights their stories, Sachs stresses that its message extends to all women.

“Making a documentary with people you’ve just met can be very challenging,” Sachs said. “But these four women decided to throw themselves into the process with unbelievable enthusiasm, vision and curiosity.”

The result is a documentary that doesn’t just tell a story, but weaves together the voices and experiences of women navigating reproductive justice in a rapidly-changing landscape.

“I invited them to think about their own costumes, even to design them,” Sachs said. “We thought a lot about the scenes as visual tableaux, conveying a group of women with command of their space.”

This collaborative spirit extended to other aspects of production, from choreography to location choices.

At Light Work’s Communities of Care event on Oct. 17, Syracuse University Ph.D student and production manager Minnie McMillan highlighted the severe challenges faced by Black women in healthcare, especially the high maternal mortality rates for Black women.

Her research uncovers systemic inequities, from unconscious biases to environmental factors that elevate health risks during pregnancy. The film’s emphasis on community care is especially relevant following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a ruling that has disproportionately affected women of color and those from low-income backgrounds, McMillan said.

“Healthcare providers may not always listen to Black women or take their symptoms seriously, leading to delayed or incorrect diagnoses,” McMillan said.

Other Black women on the panel echoed the feeling of being dismissed or ignored as they recounted their own struggles navigating the healthcare system. This aspect of the film resonated deeply with Dixon, who was assaulted in her youth and at 19.

“That led me to seek out mentors, which eventually guided me to this justice-focused work,” Dixon said.

For Dixon, the film project became an opportunity to amplify the voices of women who, like her, have faced significant barriers to receiving proper care and support. The film also highlights resilience and the power of community.

“If this film encourages viewers to listen to the women around them in really attentive and tender ways, I feel happy,” Sachs said. “The issues around reproductive justice are not simply legal ones; they have to do with respect both in the public arena and at home.”

Published on November 4, 2024 at 10:26 pm

Contact Kymani: kkhughes@syr.edu