We recently connected with Carla McCullough and have shared our conversation below.

Carla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project that I’ve worked on is my current project entitled College Reunion. It has truly been a labor of love that began as a script idea and has evolved into a multi-faceted entertainment and education project with the goal of changing the world.

I am a trained playwright and educational leader with a lifelong passion for the arts. I knew at a young age that I wanted to do something in the field of entertainment. This goal evolved over time to writing and directing for stage and screen. During the pandemic I wrote the script for College Reunion, which is a film about 3 women who reconnect for their 45th HBCU College Reunion. While the story is fictional, I am also an HBCU alumna.

As I began working with a small team to make the film independently, the idea began to grow. We knew from the beginning that we wanted to make a movie that changed the world. Within the film our goal is to uplift Black women and spotlight HBCUs. Several data points led us to this goal, including the lack of films starring Black women over a certain age and the limited understanding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and their impact within our larger society.

While these are the goals within the film, in real life College Reunion strives to support students in K-12 on the path to their own college reunions. In this way College Reunion is a movement with a movie at the center. In order to fulfill our goal of changing the world, we want to ensure that the fictional universe within the film can continue to be a reality for an increasing number of Black and Brown students, as education is the thing that will change the world.

As we set the stage to begin filming, we are grateful to partner with individuals and organizations who are mission aligned. Anyone interested in supporting our efforts can make a donation at our website https://acollegereunion.com/donate-now.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Chicago native who moved to Los Angeles more than two decades ago. I came here sight unseen to pursue my dream of making movies. Along the way I fell into my first career and became a middle school classroom teacher. While I initially thought this path would only be for a short while, I fell in love with everything about being an educator, and was able to combine my passion for the arts into my time in the classroom and as a school leader. I began to pursue a career pivot back to my first love just before the pandemic. I am excited to combine my passion with a larger societal need of making a positive impact within K-12 education. My goal with College Reunion and several subsequent projects is to showcase how you can utilize a fictional story to impact real world change even before the movie shows up on a screen.

The power of education is so important to our current society and future generations that now is the time to start a movement focused on increasing educational outcomes for our most vulnerable children. When we are successful, we will see a significant shift in society, which should also include increased diverse representation in front of and behind the camera. I am excited to work on a project that will start this trend by providing a voice for Black women and simultaneously providing opportunities for future generations.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are many rewarding aspects of being a creative. The three that stand out are creating something from a mere thought, working with other creatives, and overcoming fear.

The ability to think of a story idea and take that idea from the thought, through an outline and the overall writing process, is exciting and rewarding. It’s exciting to allow the characters room to breathe outside of the page and to reflect on how one idea expands to something that has the ability to reach millions.

The creative process is similar to being on a rollercoaster, and just like the amusement park ride, creating is more fun when done with a group. It is truly a privilege to work with other creatives throughout the process of each project. Whether it’s a three-day shoot or a multi-year affair, when you’re collaborating with the right team, most things feel less like work and more like play.

This is extremely important because fear is definitely a part of the creative process. Anytime you bare your soul through your art you open yourself up to a host of critics, both external and internal. The trick is to rise above the little and big voices and maintain focus on your personal why. If you can do that, surround yourself with the right people, and allow the universe to guide you throughout the process, you will reap the rewards constantly.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

The one thing that society can do to support artists and creatives is become more involved in their local school system. While many creatives have natural talent, others must have the appropriate training in order to birth their artistry into the world.

In recent years we have pivoted away from the importance of arts in education. In many schools when cuts have to be made the first thing to go are programs related to the arts. Members of society can combat this by paying attention to what’s happening at the local, state, and federal level regarding education. A quick example of this is the passage of Prop 28 in California, which will provide more funding for the arts in K-12 education.

Also, if you are a parent or caregiver to a small child, pay attention to them. Find out what sparks joy for them at a young age and nurture it wherever possible. A child can truly grow up to be whatever they desire, especially if they have the right encouragement along the way. Don’t underestimate the difference that one person can make for an individual and for society as a whole.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.acollegereunion.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acollegereunion/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aCollegeReunion
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collegereunion/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CollegeReunion
• Other: https://hechingerreport.org/opinion-another-epidemic-is-causing-black-students-to-fall-behind-chronic-absenteeism/