Estimated reading time: 7 minute(s)
Originally published 11.10.09
Review by Jesse Muhammad
The day had finally arrived.
To walk up to the Angelika Theater and see the the name “Raising Boys” in lights was inspiring. A red carpet was laid out for attendees to take photos in front of the official banner. The welcoming table had bottled water with “Raising Boys” labels and I watched as people rushed in not to miss one second.The emcee for the opening program was our mother Mavis Jackson, who is also a member of the cast. Following her welcome, we heard from co-sponsors, Houston Council Member Jarvis Johnson and Ricky Anderson of the Black Broadcasting Network (BBN). One of the lower level aisles was lined with 200 gifts bags for single mothers from a Mary Kay representative.
Deric Muhammad gave a little background about the documentary and then it was show time. Before we got half way into “Raising Boys”, you could hear women crying in the audience. Tissue was being passed. Even the men had a serious look in their eyes, including myself. We watched as Alicia Jackson, Malaika Gardner, and Mavis Jackson shared their personal stories of single motherhood.
