Oprah Winfrey and Bill Duke are doubling down on their recent success in the documentary department with Light Girls.
Last year, the press was hype about the Oprah Winfrey Network airing Dark Girls, which looked into why African and African American women don’t feel comfortable in their own skin. The reactions to the project were varied and mixed with some believing that Oprah and co. were diving into treacherous waters.
Fast forward a year later, and as we head into 2015, Winfrey and Duke are attempting to tell the other side of the story with Light Girls. The documentary, which will be released next month, will look at how lighter-skinned women are impacted by the rigors of colorism. In lieu of the film’s release, OWN has released the trailer for public viewing.
Opening with sincere commentary from fellow OWN employee-slash-life coach Iyanla Vanzant, Light Girls promises introspective conversations with celebrities like Amber Rose, Soledad O’Brien, Raven Symone and Pat Cleveland. In addition to this much-talked about project, the OWN Network will air programming that honors civil rights legends, look at the historical context of the movement, and discuss the merits of its legacy.
Duke, 71, will tell the stories of these fair-featured females from around the world and will attempt to tackle the question of whether having light skin makes a person’s life easier. The series will also have Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Diahann Carroll, India Arie, Michaela Angela Davis, Kym Whitley and Russell Simmons.
You can watch the trailer below:
Light Girls will air on Monday, January 19 at 9:00 pm on the OWN Network.