Katrina Miller, director of “This is [Not] Who We Are,” on the effect of her powerful documentary.

The director of “This Is [Not] Who We Are,” Katrina Miller, did not disappoint as she explained why she made the documentary. She gave the proper perspective on one of the most purported liberal cities in America.

Katrina Miller exposes Boulder, Colorado’s other side.

Katrina Miller used a dangerous event of racial profiling of a student in Boulder, Colorado, as the epicenter of her story and used it to tell Boulder’s racial stories in a manner that, while not comfortable, is very palatable. It does not matter who you are. This well-produced and directed movie should be a must at every school, university, church, synagogue, Mosque, and other social space.

Boulder, Colorado, is a college town that many consider a progressive bastion. But beneath the self-placating narrative is the lived experiences of the POC communities. Katrina dissects that reality in a manner that will touch everyone. Her ability to co-exist in every culture, given her multicultural existence as an Afro-Latina, a daughter of a Panamanian immigrant, a woman with native roots, a person in an interracial marriage, and an independent woman, The objectivity of her narrative was always evident.

The synopsis of the film says it all.

Boulder, Colorado, prides itself on being beautiful, welcoming, and inclusive. However, in 2019, racially-charged and dangerous policing involving a Black university student made national news. The documentary film, This Is [Not] Who We Are, explores the gap between Boulder’s self-image and the more complex lived experiences—both historical and contemporary—of its Black citizens.

Black people have lived in Boulder continuously for nearly 150 years, but their history is not well known. Black families faced discrimination in housing, employment, education, health care, criminal justice, and social activities. By the 1920’s, Boulder had become a rallying point for the Ku Klux Klan. In the 1970s employment and housing opened up, but many problems remain. Although the particulars of Boulder’s history are unique, its social trajectory into the 21st century is nevertheless emblematic of many cities across the country that struggle to reconcile their liberal politics with the reality of their communities.

This is [Not] Who We Are braids the lived experiences of Black characters ranging in age from 12 to 78. Some stories are searing, while others are hopeful. The film seeks to open a space for dialogue among Boulderites and about cities like Boulder, overwhelmingly white, wealthy, and conflicted about issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity. Is a more economically and racially diverse future possible, both in Boulder and in cities like it across America? 

About Katrina Miller

Katrina is the owner of Blackat Video Productions! She has been featured in Boulder Lifestyles Magazine, a speaker and panelist at the Rocky Mountain AVExpo, a guest on the KGNU / NAACP radio show, Black Talk, and is the director of the documentary “This Is [Not] Who We Are,” which explores racial equity and inclusion placing Boulder as a microcosm of the US as a whole.

Storytelling and visual art have always played a big part in Katrina Miller’s existence. She puts the fire for life into her work. She has always been the person to stand up for the marginalized, mistreated, and misunderstood. Because of this, she likes to create films and video content that help people and have a core in social justice.

Ms. Miller has a degree in Journalism from the University of Colorado, but she said that experience had been her best teacher. From filmmaking, creative consulting, instructing, and shooting/editing video to Directing Videography at Red Rocks Amphitheater, she has over 20 years of experience in the field of video production.

Would you like to screen the film?

Here is the film’s website: 
https://www.thisisnotwhowearefilm.com/

Film Trailer:

Screening interest form AND press kit materials (like film poster):
https://www.thisisnotwhowearefilm.com/screeningmaterials