The idea for See My Color began to take shape at the Williamsport YWCA back in 2019. Sisters Natalie and Givonna Griffin, who were working with a youth group there, had been brainstorming ways to help build a more inclusive community. They thought sharing videos on social media would be a powerful approach. Givonna and Natalie envisioned using personal stories to spread awareness of the many backgrounds and cultures represented in our region.
“Growing up in Lycoming County, I would say it’s a majority white area,” says Givonna. “That’s not an issue, but sometimes as a person of color, you can feel really outcast in certain situations. We want to help with that.”
Growing up in Lycoming County, I would say it’s a majority white area. That’s not an issue, but sometimes as a person of color, you can feel really outcast in certain situations. We want to help with that.
Givonna
Givonna and Natalie had planned to premiere See My Color in the spring of 2020. But the pandemic (and subsequent lockdowns) kept pushing their launch date back. Then, last year, a friend suggested that they pitch their idea to Spark Tank.
Spark Tank is FCFP’s new initiative to fund and support our community’s changemakers. Applicants presented their concepts for addressing the theme at the heart of FCFP’s First Focus to an FCFP-created committee of leaders working to promote DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) in our communities. In this inaugural year, three projects were chosen for funding.
While FCFP has traditionally worked with nonprofits, Spark Tank is a way to partner with individuals who are creating impact in our region with unconventional ideas.
The Griffin sisters’ vision for See My Color fit perfectly with this year’s mission to address systemic racism. So, along with 16 other entrants, they decided to apply.
Still, they were a bit surprised when they found out that See My Color was one of the projects chosen to receive up to $25,000 in funding. Some of that money has helped cover the costs of high quality video and photo equipment, and there’s still plenty left over for any rentals and outside editing help they may need.
Now Givonna and Natalie are gearing up to produce their first videos. They’ll receive advice, training, and promotional help from local public media station WVIA. But for the most part, they will be handling photography, videography, and production on their own.
They’re currently interviewing their first round of Lycoming County residents.
“We’re trying to get a good variety of people in the BIPOC community, people who have unique perspectives that others haven’t heard before,” explains Givonna. “We’re asking for help finding interviewees through our community connections, our church, and projects we’ve done before.”
Although representing a diversity of viewpoints and experiences is a central goal of See My Color, Givonna and Natalie stress that their project isn’t about excluding people of any race.
“This is not just for white people or people of color, but for a variety of backgrounds,” says Givonna. “Even if they’re not BIPOC, they can still have a unique perspective. We’re focused on variety, and we want to make this project as inclusive as possible.”
The Griffin sisters—both of whom are under 30 years old—believe they have a unique opportunity to connect with our region’s younger residents. They’re hopeful that focusing on video content, especially short-form videos to be shared on social media, will help to inspire the next generation of engaged citizens.
But even more important than the medium is the message the videos will send. As the name implies, See My Color seeks to challenge the concept of being “colorblind.” It’s a reminder to viewers that, however well-intentioned, claiming not to see race can be a way of overlooking deep-seated societal problems.
“We want to help people learn to appreciate other cultures and races instead of trying to make them assimilate,” says Givonna. “There’s beauty to appreciate in all cultures.”
Acknowledging, not ignoring. That’s the driving idea behind See My Color, and we’re so excited to see Natalie and Givonna bring their years-long vision to life.
You can follow the Griffin sisters’ progress on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.