Ariela on Check It (2016) Tribeca 2016

CHECK IT is a documentary about the black LGBT gang in Washington D.C. Washington D.C. has one of the highest rate of hate crimes among LGBT in the country. As they stated in the documentary, being black has its own set of problems. Being black and gay is a whole other thing.

Three 9th graders started a gang called CHECK IT to fight back. Now there are over 200 members in CHECK IT. It is the first gay gang in America.

A lot of the members are unable to read or write because they had been kicked out of middle school. Many of them have been on their own since they were young, either because their parents did drugs/were in jail or kicked them out. Many of the members are prostitutes, seeing it as the only way they can have an income. For many CHECK IT is a family. They stick together.

However, they also are violent. People fear them. They say if someone is bullied for so long, they eventually become a bully. A lot of them are very very angry. They hold their pain inwards and when it comes out, it's bad.

Several of them get involved in a fashion project, one gets involved in boxing and in these instances, and in meeting their mentors, you find hope for them to have a promising future.

I definitely recommend this documentary. It's not something most of us are exposed to often. I felt hopeful watching it and hopefully more people can become mentors to them and people in situations so they can direct their anger into something positive.

Check It has 2 more screenings at Tribeca Film Festival, on Friday 4/22 for Free Film Friday and on Sunday 4/23