Last night I went to an event to celebrate the re-opening of a restaurant that I frequent. The atmosphere was good. The food was great. But the conversation was even better. I conversed with the folks who are bringing a new film festival in town, the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival (GCUFF). Again, the conversation was even better. In case you don’t know, I am an international film enthusiast. My love of this genre of film goes real deep and way back. This is not something that I have always liked to share with people, especially my love for Indian cinema and its actors, particularly my favorite actor Shah Ruhk Khan. (There is only one person who I can really discuss this with. I mean hours and hours and hours of discussion…my Didi, Janice. And by the way, Didi is sister in Hindi.) Anyway, the reason I was so into the conversation last night was because I had something to talk about. I mean really talk about.
(You see, in my old life, I preferred to stay in my head and in my box. It’s not that I was afraid to share my world with others, I just didn’t think it was necessary. I didn’t feel like explaining why I liked this, or why I thought a certain way. I didn’t feel like getting irritated by the smirks and other goofy facial expressions that people display when they are a bit confused. Those looks spoke volumes, “A black girl who prefers to watch Bollywood movies instead of Hollywood movies? I don’t get it.” So I decided that my little secret was safe with me. But one day, I decided to share my secret with others. I hosted the first ZIFF (Zoe’s International Film Festival) at my house in February 2010. I invited a few close friends and we watched a really cool Palestinian movie and ate some great tasting Mediterranean type food that I cooked. The girls loved it and couldn’t wait for me to do it again. But I never got the urge to do it again. And that idea sat dormant.)
Let me get back on track. I’m supposed to be writing about how networking was never my forte.
So at this event, I talked freely about my love of international film and what I decided to do about it. I also asked to help out at GCUFF in any way that I could. The biggest thing that I shared during this conversation was my event – Movie, Munch & Mingle that happens on Monday. That really got me excited and I probably could have talked on and on and on and on…
So here’s my point. I see the value of stepping outside of my box and out of my head. There are people in this world (and Cleveland!) who might get me. And they even might be excited about my push forward. They even might be instrumental in helping me go. I would never know if I wasn’t willing to open up and talk a little. Networking was never my forte, but now it is. I have things to talk about. GoneGirlGo
Peace
